Cordoba on the Suquia River

Argentina’s second-largest city is Cordoba. The city sits on the Suquia River. The people of the city are known as Cordobesas and are people who enjoy Cuarteto music and rally car racing. This beautiful city offers visitors a mix of the old and the new.

Plaza de St. Martin is the central square in Cordoba and a great place to begin your visit. Right in the center of the square, you’ll find a statue of the famous General Jose de San Martin, who was the liberator of Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Also, a 17th-century colonial cabildo that once housed the town police but now offers tourist information. Almost daily you can hear bands, see street performers and buy various items from vendors in the square. People enjoy having some coffee, watching people, and feeding the pigeons.

Here you can see the Iglesia Catedral Cordoba built in the 1500s.

Parque Sarmiento is the largest public park where visitors enjoy seeing the picturesque lake and the lovely rose garden. You can see families at play and joggers running along the many trails. You can find ice cream and doughnut vendors walking by. If you like you can take a paddle boat out onto the lake, use the exercise equipment, feed the ducks, or just lie back in the grass. There is even a zoo.

The park was created by French landscape artist and architect Carlos Thays. Among the highlights here are the rosebush promenades, water fountains, and the artificial lake with an important bridge and a Greek amphitheater.

Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes Emilio Caraffa is a contemporary museum found alongside the Plaza Espana and Parque Sarmiento. It is housed in a neo-Classical building with artwork by Argentine painter Emilio Caraffa and others like Juan Carlos Castagnino. Some exhibits are changed monthly. You can also see a few lithographs by Picasso and paintings by Goya.

Evita Fine Arts Museum has made its home in an impressive Beaux-Arts mansion. The museum offers visitors more than 500 works of art and a sculpture garden. There are paintings by important Argentine artists as well as by such artists as Picasso and Goya. This was once the residence of the aristocratic doctor and businessman Martin Ferreyra. Take the time to look at the house with its elegant staircase and a lovely cafe with a balcony.

Paseo de Las Artes is an amazing weekend street market where you can shop for original handicrafts, souvenirs, and vintage clothing and accessories. It is spread out for several blocks in the Guemes neighborhood. You can also find food stalls and street performers. The market is surrounded by many wonderful restaurants, cafes, bars, and art galleries.

Guemes is a bohemian neighborhood with trendy bars, cafes, and restaurants. There are many boutiques and food joints in Muy Guemes, a modern and well-designed shopping area or galleria.

Iglesia de Los Capuchinos is a lovely church in the Nueva Cordoba neighborhood. It has an impressive, multi-colored neo-Gothic exterior. The church was designed by Italian architect Augusto Ferrari and built in the 1920s and 1930s. On the inside, if you look up at the ceiling you’ll see a painted night sky. There are also murals and religious artworks.

El Paseo Buen Pastor Cultural Center was once a prison for women, a monastery, and a chapel and now has become a renovated performance space and cultural center. Here you can see shows, listen to live music, and see artwork on display. You can have coffee, a snack, or a drink at one of the many eateries and outdoor tables in the Nueva Cordoba barrio. At night you can enjoy lit up fountains with “dancing water shows”.

Both tourists and local Cordobeses enjoy the nearby village of La Cumbre. This tiny town is located in the Sierras de Cordoba mountain range. It is famous for its winds and launch cliffs. It became famous when it hosted the 1994 World Paragliding Cup. You can enjoy paragliding, taking a horseback ride, or hiking.

Teatro del Libertador General San Martin is Cordoba’s most historic theater and was completed in 1891. It offers various performances from rock to classical to ballet. At night the facade is magically lit up.

The Jesuit Block or Manzana Jesuitica is one of the best preserved European settlements in Cordoba. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage site and includes the University of Cordoba which is the oldest university in Argentina.

There is also a church Iglesia de la Compania de Jesus, a secondary school, and several residence buildings which were all built by the Jesuits in the 1600s.

Visitors can learn about the history of the area and get a look at the Jesuit’s Grand Library with its collection of 17th-century books.

Cerro de Las Rosas Barrio or The Hill of the Roses is one of the higher-end residential areas in Cordoba. Here you can find some of the trendiest restaurants, bars, nightclubs, and boutiques. There is a lot of great architecture to please the eye and two lovely parks.