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Córdoba - Heart of Argentina
A bright and pleasant city, it is Argentina’s second largest, with a population of over 2 million. It is also one of the oldest cities in Argentina, with a rich history that is reflected in plentiful examples of splendid colonial architecture dating from the 1500s onwards. Cordoba is full of universities respected across the continent, the student population is huge, and as such there is a thriving boozy night life. Cordoba is also fast becoming an adventure sports boom town, and there is genuinely world class rock-climbing, skydiving and, for those slightly less brave but who still want to fly, paragliding as well. If all this sounds like too much, you can choose to explore the area on horseback, or simply trek.
Getting Sorted
The national bus terminal is set about 8 blocks from the centre. Travelling on the local buses is a bit complicated and not to be recommended for getting around town unless you are really saving on the pennies. You need to buy something called a “Cospel” beforehand, which will cost P$1.50. They are widely available in most newspaper kiosks. You cannot buy a ticket on the bus itself. If you need to drink a coffee while you get your bearings, there are lots of choices on the pedestrian streets to the north west of Plaza San Martin. Many of them offer a decent double coffee and a couple of croissants for P$4.
Cordoba City
Cordoba is, generally speaking, more Roman Catholic that the Pope’s cat. While this means that the town centre proper is reverently deserted on a Sunday, it also means that there are lots of religious buildings to visit. Church watchers will be in paradise. A fascinating example is the Jesuit Crypt. An ancient underground cavern built underneath the city. All very Name Of The Rose. The Jesuit Manzana, on Obispo Trejo Street between Caseros and Duarte Quirós Streets, is of major importance and has been declared a cultural heritage site for humanity by UNESCO. The main square is Plaza San Martin, you will find lots of ancient buildings there and in the surrounding streets. While there isn’t space to tell you about all the historical sites, they are worth a look, and many of them hold important artefacts dating from the time of independence and before. There is also an interesting aboriginal museum as the Cordoba region was heavily populated in pre-colombian times. The bus city tour, oddly sponsored by McDonalds, is a good way to get the low down, but the tourist office also offer tours for free.
Over the weekends head for the Paseo De Las Artes by the Cañada, a long pleasant canal that intersects the city. There you will find antique stalls and markets after 5pm as well as local crafts for sale. If you need some time to just watch the world drift by, Park Sarmiento is the obvious choice. On lazy Sundays you can hire a pedalo and drift around on the lake or go to the fairground which has some rides that whiz around fast and tip you upside down. Plaza Intendencia is a good place to hang out in town. It has some stylish picnic tables round one edge, and an ultramodern black pentagonal glass office in the middle.
From a tourists perspective Cordoba has two main areas. The centre, which is post modernity itself with its combination of modern shops and colonial buildings, and Nueva Cordoba, which is where the students live, and the best of the bars and the nightlife are located.
The Guru Team |
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If your brain is feeling fried after a hectic time in Buenos Aires, then Cordoba could prove a handy halfway house.
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