Cordoba

A millennium ago, Cordoba was the capital of Moorish Spain. A thousand mosques dotted its streets, hundreds of public baths washed its residents, and almost a million people called it home, making it not only a famous cultural and intellectual centre, but the biggest city in Europe.

Things change, of course, and today this attractive Andalucian city is more concerned with flamenco, bullfighting and patios - yes, patios - than world domination. But that, as you'll find, is half of its charm.

The other half radiates from the incredible edifices that have survived from its heyday. History might not have bequeathed Cordoba a huge quantity of mementoes of its former glory, but in terms of quality, it's got an impressive hand.

The jewel in the crown is undoubtedly the astonishing 8th-century Mezquita mosque, praised by academics as one of the most beautiful buildings in Spain. Vast, opulent, and thronged with 850 columns, it's also got a Cathedral at its centre that, bizarrely, Christian reconquestors were allowed to erect in the 16th century.

Another major architectural attraction is the 14th-century Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (Fortress of the Christian Monarchs), and, just outside of the city, the ruins of the 10th-century Medina Azahara, once a fantastically extravagant palace complex.

Exploring La Judería (the old Jewish Quarter) is a must, for its warren of tiny streets, whitewashed houses and medieval Synagogue. Along with other parts of old Cordoba, it's also just the place to catch glimpses of some of the flower-festooned patios - internal courtyards - around which home life revolves, and in which the locals take immense pride.

Come May, and patios are opened up to the public for viewing, as homeowners compete for the prestigious top prize in the Patio Contest.