It is the second most important city in Argentina. It was founded in 1573, before Buenos Aires, by an expedition coming from the north, because of its strategic location in the crossroad of the routes that lead from Chile and the Alto Peru (Bolivia at present) to the port of Buenos Aires; thus becoming the most important city during the colonial period.
Visiting Córdoba you discover the contrast that exists between modern buildings and its well-preserved historic wealth. Beautiful parks, historic sites, museums must be admired as well as its huge architectural heritage, such as: the Cathedral and the Cabildo both started to be built in the XVII century but finally finished by the XIX century; Bishop Mercadillo's Oratory, built at the beginning of the XVIII century; the Iglesia de Santa Teresa y Convento de las Carmelitas (Church and Convent of the Carmelite Nuns, also called Las Teresas), that at present houses the Religious Art Museum; and the Jesuit Block constituted by: the Monserrat School dating back to 1685, the Jesus Society Church, the oldest one in the country, which dated back to 1640, the Domestic Chapel and the University, created in 1613 which was one of the first ones in the continent. Thanks to the huge early educative labor of the Jesuit priests, the city was called "La Docta" (meaning 'the cultivated one') and has been always characterized by its permanent progressive and at the same time traditional spirit.

It is very easy for travelers to move around in the city due to the rectangular grid of the streets which is typical of the Spanish settlements. The best way to visit the historic center is on foot, since many of its streets are pedestrian ones. There are also many green spaces such as San Martín Square, the Independence Square, Sarmiento Park, the Paseo de las Artes, situated over La Cañada, a tree-lined narrow channel that crosses the city, San Martín and Las Heras parks, over the Suquía river, which runs also within the city. Córdoba also offers a considerable array of museums such as the Provincial Historic Museum, Sobremonte's household, the Art Museum, located in the residential neighborhood of Cerro de Las Rosas, near the Olympic Stadium and next to the Córdoba Fairground.

Leaving the city northbound along National Route 9 it is possible to reach several Jesuit Estancias, traveling the so-called Road of the Jesuit Estancias. In this area, the Jesuits developed one of the most important productive centers of agriculture and cattle-raising of Latin America; a series of ranches that in the year 2000 have been declared Mankind's Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. They established their large estancias (ranches) with the purpose of providing all the necessary supplies to their educative organization in the city. After the ejection of the Jesuit Order in 1767, the properties were left under the control of the State and were adapted to different uses; nowadays they have all turned into relics of great historic value.

A perfect example of these ranches is Estancia de Caroya, which was the first acquired by the Jesuit priests in 1616 and was later used as a vacation residence for the interns of the Monserrat School. Later on, it housed the first white weapon factory for the Northern Army during the wars of the national independence and eventually served as residence to the first Italian immigrants (from Friuli) that founded nearby the town of Colonia Caroya. It is an outstanding example of rural residential architecture. Nowadays there is a Visitor's Center and a thematic museum, which can be visited with local guides.

Nearby, in the village of Jesus María sits the Estancia de Jesus María, the second productive complex founded in 1618. It was characterized by its wine production, which achieved a high level of development and quality. The church, the residence, the cellar and some of the tools used in this production can be seen. The whole complex constitutes at present the National Jesuit Museum.

A dirt road, leads to the Posta de Sinsacate, located a few kilometers northward. The building was the cart halt for the wagons traveling from the Alto Perú to Córdoba or Buenos Aires. In the vicinity, stands the Estancia Santa Catalina, founded in 1622. Its church, with an imposing facade, two towers and curved porch is one of the best examples of the so-called "colonial Baroque style", which is a local adaptation of the center-European Baroque architecture. The estancia was the largest agriculture production center of the whole system with thousands of bovine and sheep cattle heads, and mules. It was also devoted to the production of apparels, iron-works and carpentry. Additionally, it had also a batan, two windmills and a great tajamar (man-made lake) fed by the underground water nourishment that came from Ongamira, up in the Sierras Chicas, several kilometers away.

It is also interesting to reach Ascochinga, with its important golf course and the Estancia La Paz, which used to belong to General Julio A. Roca, one of the important characters in Argentine history. On the way back to Córdoba, along the route of the Sierras Chicas, some attractive villages are crossed, such as Salsipuedes, with its nearby church, the Iglesia de Candonga, dating back to the XVIII century, which was originally a part of another now nonexistent Jesuit ranch. The way up to the church is a tortuous dirt road hard to travel but the place deserves the effort. The route goes then through Río Ceballos and finally Villa Allende, where there is another important golf course.

Towards the northwest of Córdoba, the the Punilla Valley stretches in a North-South direction. The height of its hills vary from 600 (1,990 feet) to 1,980 meters (6,594 feet) above see level in the Uritorco hill, its highest altitude. The area offers a varied tourist infrastructure of different categories. One of the most attractive tourist centers frequented by the Argentineans is the city of Villa Carlos Paz, located on the margins of San Roque Lake, formed by the dam of the same name. Nautical sports are available as well as a large array of entertainment activities and an intense nightlife. Other important cities along the Punilla Valley are: Cosquín, National Capital of the Folklore; La Falda, a quiet tourist center; La Cumbre, a beautiful village with sophisticated old residences and one of the best golf courses in the country; Los Cocos, with its smart households; and finally, Capilla del Monte, at the foot of the Uritorco Hill, which might be said to have a certain aspect similar to a typical town of La Puna, something that is breath of fresh air, maybe.

In the old times, the surrounding sierras were occupied by the Comechingones, local aborigines. They lived in stone huts, were devoted to agriculture, hunting and fishing, and produced pottery and knitted articles. In all cities beautiful handicrafts can be acquired, especially in the Road of the Craftsmen, near La Cumbre.

In the Calamuchita Valley, towards the southwest of the province, the Jesuit presence appears once again, in the city of Alta Gracia, around the Jesuit Estancia of Alta Gracia, which still preserves untouched its architectural heritage that dates back to the XVII century. The ranch has also historic relevance because it was residence of the former Viceroy Santiago de Liniers during the colonial times and was also prison for the English soldiers taken as war hostages after the British Invasions to the Rio de la Plata Viceroyalty at the beginning of the XIX century. It is possible to visit its XVIII century church, and the residence which exhibits objects belonging to its different stages of the household. It is particularly interesting to see the blacksmith's forge and the tajamar which is an important highlight in the city.

Going on southwards, skirting the artificial lake of Los Molinos, there is a picturesque village called Villa General Belgrano, where lots of central-European immigrants settled, attracted by the peacefulness and beauty of the region, building an Alpine-style village. Its popular feast have also a strong European flavor, such as the Feast of the Viennese Patisserie, the Feast of the Alpine Chocolate and particularly the Oktoberfest , during which all the accommodation in the city is always fully booked.

Another enchanting village that can be visited from Villa General Belgrano is La Cumbrecita, a paradisiacal tiny town situated on the hill of the same name, at a height of 1,450 meters (4,828.50 feet) above sea level, in the middle of dense forest of pines and other local species. It is also a typically central-European village, which has the enormous pride of having been declared, in 1996, the first pedestrian town of the country. Cars must be parked at the entrance of the town and the visit must be done on foot. Some other important towns along the valley are Santa Rosa de Calamuchita, Villa del Dique and some smaller towns, till reaching the huge artificial lake of Embalse Río Tercero with its nuclear power plant.

To arrive in the Traslasierra Valley visitors have to cross the Sierras Grandes(High Sierras), through the tortuous road known as Road of the High Peaks whose maximum height reaches up to 2,400 meters (7,992 feet). Half way between Córdoba and Mina Clavero, the traveler can find the Parque Nacional Quedrada del Condorito(Condor's Ravine National Park), which has been created in order to protect the characteristic fauna and morphology of the area, and to preserve the Andean condor, an endangered species that chooses this place as its abode. The park is visited on foot in a walk that takes several hours.

Back along the main route (the most important vial work in the province), it is possible to observe its fascinating scenery of deep ravines, abysses and a few cascades. Eventually one reaches the small villages of Mina Clavero and Cura Brochero, two typical summer vacation spots where the rivers have waters that are considered to have curative properties due to its mineral contents.

Besides the practice of nautical sports that the numerous rivers and artificial lakes of the region allow, both Calamuchita and Punilla Valleys are quite appropriate places to practice some adventure activities: particularly trekking, horseback riding, climbing (level: moderate to difficult), rappel, paragliding and other extreme sports. The ascent to Mount Champaquí, starting at the village of Yacanto, makes an exciting challenge for those who prefer more demanding climbing alternatives.