Viana Patios

One of Córdoba's most popular attractions, the Viana Patios are a series of 12 interior courtyards, linked by galleries. Each has an array of plants, flowers, and water features, yet each has its own flavor. Did we mention there are twelve of these courtyards?! From the Courtyard of the Orange Trees to the Courtyard of the Cats, enjoy them all.

In a city famed for its patios, it takes quite some doing to be the residence renowned for them. Yet, that's exactly what has happened with the Palace of Viana and its twelve distinctive courtyards.

Highlights include the Courtyard of the Well, which has a decorative well which supplies the palace's fountains with water, and the Courtyard of the Orange Trees, with its selection of citrus trees.

However, the most photographed patio must be the Reception Courtyard. This imposing trapezoidal space is surrounded by porticoed galleries supported by Tuscan columns, giving it a suitably impressive look and feel.

In reality, every courtyard has something to offer, and finding your own personal highlight is one of the joys of spending some time wandering the spaces, just as the Cordoban nobility of centuries past liked to do.