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Known above all for its dozen historic courtyards, the Palacio de Viana in Cordoba is sometimes called the museum of patios, a title that captures its standing as one of the finest places to appreciate the Andalusian tradition of the enclosed garden. Occupying a noble residence whose origins reach back to the fourteenth century and which grew over the following five hundred years, the palace was the seat of the Marquises of Viana before passing to a foundation that opened it to the public. Its great attraction is the sequence of patios, each different in character, planted with cypress, orange trees, jasmine, geraniums and climbing roses, cooled by fountains and paved with river-pebble mosaics, that lead one into another and demonstrate the evolution of the form across the centuries. The patios reflect the city's deep attachment to the courtyard, a heritage recognised by UNESCO and celebrated each May in a famous festival. Beyond the gardens, the richly furnished rooms display tapestries, paintings, leatherwork, tilework, weapons and an important collection of decorative arts assembled by the family. Visitors may tour the patios alone or combine them with a guided visit to the interiors. The interplay of architecture and planting, the play of water and shade and the sense of centuries of careful cultivation make the palace a serene retreat from the bustle of the city. Tickets can be booked at the gate or online, and the gardens are at their most fragrant in spring throughout the year across every season of the calendar. The contrast between the formal, geometric patios and the wilder, more romantic ones illustrates changing tastes across the centuries, and information panels and guides help visitors read the history embedded in each space. The palace plays a prominent part in the city's annual patio festival, when courtyards across Cordoba open to the public and compete for recognition, and a visit here at any time of year conveys why the tradition was deemed worthy of international protection. Set a short walk from the historic centre, it makes a peaceful counterpoint to the grandeur of the great mosque, rewarding those who venture a little beyond the main tourist circuit.