Córdoba’s Castle of Almodóvar: How to visit and what not to miss

Castle of Almodóvar, Córdoba province

If you’re spending a few days in Córdoba in southern Spain or passing through the area on a road trip, the Castle of Almodóvar is well worth a visit. This centuries-old castle feels like something out of a fairy tale, so it’s no surprise that scenes from Game of Thrones were filmed here! 

In this guide, I’ll share my first-hand recommendations for visiting the castle, including how to attend its popular jornadas medievales (medieval re-enactment days). 

Where is the Castle of Almódovar?

The Castillo de Almodóvar del Río (usually shortened to Castillo de Almodóvar) sits on a hilltop overlooking the town of Almódovar del Río in Córdoba province, Andalucía. If you’ve ever taken the train to Córdoba from Seville, Málaga or Granada, there’s a good chance you might have spotted it out of the window.

The castle is 28km from the city of Córdoba, and can be reached by car or public transport - full details below.

The view from the train window

Is the Castle of Almódovar worth visiting?

In short - yes! I’ve spent several years living in and travelling through Andalucía, and this is one of my favourite castles to visit. That’s partly because of its well-preserved buildings and partly because of the truly spectacular views from many different points across the castle grounds. 

If you’re staying in Córdoba for a few days, the Castle of Almodóvar makes an excellent day trip. Plus, if you’re travelling by car, you could easily combine a visit here with a visit to Medina Azahara, a fascinating archaeological site located between the castle and Córdoba city. You could also visit both in one day by public transport, but it would be trickier to coordinate. 

A brief history of the Castle of Almodovar 

The castle dates back to the 8th century, when it was built as a defensive bastion by the Muslim rulers of the Emirate of Córdoba. It was later conquered by the Christian rulers of the Kingdom of Castile, falling to King Ferdinand III “The Saint” in the 13th century. 

The crown sold the castle to Francisco del Corral y Guzmán in 1629, and it has remained in the same aristocratic family ever since. After centuries of deterioration, it was extensively restored in the early 20th century by the 12th Count of Torralva, who reinforced the existing nine towers and added structures such as the chapel and the neo-gothic palace within the castle grounds. 

The castle gained global fame when it became one of the filming locations of season seven of the TV series Game of Thrones, representing Highgarden, the family seat of House Tyrell.

Signs throughout the castle identify Game of Thrones locations

How to get to the Castle of Almodóvar from Córdoba

Getting there by car

It’s about a 30-minute drive from the city of Córdoba to the castle, and once you arrive, there’s plenty of parking at the foot of the hill. You can’t drive all the way up to the castle gates (at least not on weekends), but on weekends and public holidays, there’s a shuttle bus taking people to and from the parking lot to the castle for €2 return. This bus doesn’t run year-round, so check their website ahead of your visit to see if it’s available when you visit.

If there’s no shuttle, it’s a 10-15 walk uphill to get to the castle gates. There are some great photo opportunities of both the castle and the views over the countryside on the way. 

Getting there by public transport

The best option is to take the bus. The M-250 bus from Córdoba’s bus station takes around 45 minutes, drops you off at the foot of the hill and costs €2.15 each way. If you don’t have a Córdoba bus card, you’ll need to pay in cash. Note that the drivers can’t usually provide change for notes bigger than €10 (exact change is best). 

Be sure to check the bus schedule in advance (the Google Maps app is also a good way of planning your travel) as you may find there are only a couple of departures from Córdoba in the first half of the day.

What about by train? You can get a train from Córdoba to the nearby town of Posadas, but you would then need to take a bus or taxi from there anyway, so I would not recommend it. 

Getting there by taxi

When I visited, I took a taxi to the castle and the M-250 bus back. The taxi cost €40 from the taxi rank outside Córdoba’s train station, and this could be a good option if you are short on time, don’t have much flexibility in your schedule or are travelling in a small group (to spread the cost). It takes around 30 minutes. 

I had trouble finding a taxi to bring me back as none of the local taxi companies were answering the phone, which is why I ended up taking the bus. 

What not to miss

Once you arrive you can scan a QR code at the ticket office to download a map of the site. The map is available in Spanish, English, French, Italian, German, Russian and Chinese, and it shows the main points of interest, including Game of Thrones filming locations.

Here are some of my favourite places in the castle (all of these are marked on the map):

The Jardin de la Liza 

The Garden of the Castle Yard, as it’s called in English, is in the space between the perimeter wall of the castle and the castle itself. One of the castle’s staff told me this quiet corner often gets missed by visitors. As well as a mini botanical garden planted with seeds that the Count collected on his travels, there’s a viewing platform with wide, unobstructed views over the countryside. 

Balcony of the Torre del Homenaje 

The best photo spot in the castle. Clearly the Game of Thrones crew thought so too, as it’s this Juliet-style balcony that Lady Olenna Tyrell leans out of to watch the arrival of the Lannister army. 

I visited solo, so no photo op for me! But plenty of people took photos here

The swords display

An outdoor “sword museum” in a space called the Revolcadero, this is a collection of swords from different cultures and periods of history, such as a reconstruction of a Roman legionary’s sword and an ornate Arabic cutlass. 

The swords display area also has great views

Torre Cuadrada (Square Tower) 

This tower houses a display about the castle’s defensive use in the medieval period, with two scale models - one showing the castle during peace time, and another during war. 

Torre del Maestro (Tower of the Master)

The second-largest tower after the Torre del Homenaje, this one contains a collection of archaeological finds from within the castle grounds and a display about the castle’s restoration, including before-and-after photos. The views from this tower are particularly impressive. 

Medieval re-enactment days 

The jornadas medievales (medieval days) are historical re-enactment days that take place a couple of times a year, usually in March and October. It’s definitely worth booking ahead if you’re visiting then, and one of the reasons why October is such a good time to visit Córdoba. 

I attended one of these days and really enjoyed it, though it’s worth noting that the activities are all in Spanish. The programme typically includes a cetrería (falconry) display, medieval banquet-style meal (not included in the ticket price), mock medieval battles and dancing and music. There are lots of activities for kids. 

Here’s a video I made showing some highlights of the day: 

Almodóvar Castle FAQ

• What are the opening hours?

  The opening hours vary a lot by season and day of the week, so it’s best to check their website before planning your visit. 

• Do you need a car to visit the Castle of Almódovar?

  No, you can get here by public transport, taking the M-250 bus to and from Córdoba. It costs €2.15 each way if you’re paying in cash and takes about 45 minutes. 

• Does the Castle of Almodóvar have parking?

  Yes, parking is available at the foot of the castle’s hill.

• How much is a taxi to the Castle of Almodóvar?

  From Córdoba tran station a taxi cost me €40.

• How much is a ticket to the Castle of Almodóvar?

  Tickets for adults are €10, concessions are €7.50 and children (5 to 13 years) are €5. 

• Do you need to book a ticket in advance?

  I would recommend it, as it would be a shame to travel all the way there and miss out. You can book tickets in advance via their website. 

• Are there guided tours of the Castle of Almodóvar?

  Guided tours are available but not via the castle website. You can book a guided tour (with castle admission included) via GetYourGuide (affiliate link), but you will still need to make your own way to the castle as transport is not included.