Calleja del Pañuelo

Peer into that gap between the houses. This is the Calleja del Pañuelo, the Handkerchief Lane, the narrowest street in Córdoba and one of the narrowest in Europe. Its official name is calle de Pedro Jiménez, but nobody calls it that.

1How wide is a handkerchief?

The explanation you hear all over Córdoba is that, at its narrowest point, the lane is as wide as a gentleman’s handkerchief unfolded. What is certain is that it is a remnant of the Andalusi street plan, a web of narrow, crooked passages that provided shade and access to houses packed tightly around the great mosque.

It is also said that the official name recalls a soldier of the Flanders regiments, Pedro Ximénez, who supposedly brought to Andalusia the grape that bears his name. It is an oft-repeated story, but no documents support it.

2A secret little square

If you walk on, the lane ends in a tiny dead-end square with orange trees, a fountain and a pebbled floor. Many of these houses belonged to the cathedral chapter because they were so close to the church. Its present look dates from a 1953 makeover, when it was paved, given lanterns and planted with orange trees.

You have reached the end of the route. The taverns of the Jewish quarter, just a step away, are the best place for a dinner of salmorejo or fried aubergines with honey.

3What to look for

• The narrowest point, right at the entrance.
• The fountain in the little square at the end.
• The pebbled paving, typical of Córdoba.