Cordoba Spain is a beautiful city full of history, architecture, and culture. When I travel, I like to immerse myself in the city and learn as much as I can by wandering through the streets and taking in all the sights.

Cordoba is stepping back in time and letting one soak in all that has passed in these cobbled streets. When we finished visiting the Cathedral-Mosque we strolled the quaint streets until we got to a courtyard where we saw the Hotel De Balcon de Cordoba. A small luxury boutique hotel with only ten rooms. The hotel is very charming but what inspired me was the inner courtyard that housed the restaurant Pairi Daeza. We got there an hour before closing but the staff was exceedingly kind and let us have a beautiful table under a large orange tree.

Not only is the courtyard with the foliage and the architectural details mesmerizing but then we looked over the innovative menu and were transfixed with the selection using local and seasonal ingredients.

I started with a cold tomato soup, their version of a gazpacho and then the shrimp grilled with a sweet and sour sauce and fresh herbs that was beyond what I expected. The tastes were unique and sitting in the garden with the sun hitting my shoulders was nirvana.

Our servers told us about their rooftop terrace that had an expansive view of the Cathedral -Mosque and the town and she suggested we take our coffee and dessert on the rooftop. We made it to the roof top, and it was truly a stunning venue to relax, recharge and have our coffee/dessert. The whole experience was spectacular and a perfect end to a day of touring. The restaurant Pairi Daeza is a gem!