In Granada and Sevilla we toured by ourselves using audioguides, which was rather frustrating, particularly in the Cathedral in Sevilla. In Córdoba we opted for having a guide. Although I dislike group tours, our guide who was a historian and archeologist was excellent and we learned a lot.

We came for the gardens and were not disappointed -- they are stunning. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable, although she spoke a bit quickly for us. The unexpected bonus was the gorgeous mosaic floors recovered from unearthed Roman ruins and painstakingly mounted on the walls inside the alcazar. Our guide explained the "legends" behind each work.

What a stunning place to see! We had a wonderful Tour Guide, Maria, who gave us a lot of information, answered our questions and was very funny. She wasn't in a hurry, was patient with our hundreds of pictures and also took pictures of my husband and I. Definitely recommend seeing the Alcázar, worth your time and money. We went in January and even though it was cold, we had the sun shining and were able to enjoy the place more as it wasn't packed.