Jaw Dropping Festival Flora in Córdoba, Spain
In awe of artistry
I’d pretty much given up on seeing flowers in late autumn while travelling in Europe. But then it dawned on me—Festival Flora in Córdoba, Spain, was taking place in mid-October. We were already in Portugal for a work trip, and Córdoba was just a short flight and train ride away. When the chance to squeeze in a weekend stop popped up, it was an absolute no-brainer. Luckily, hubby G (now a proud convert to flower fandom) was fully on board.
This year marked the 7th annual Festival Flora, a week-long celebration of contemporary floral art that wrapped up on October 24th, the Feast of Saint Raphael (a local holiday). Founded by Zizai Cultura and supported by Córdoba’s art, tourism, and government sectors—plus a team of enthusiastic volunteers—it is billed as the world’s largest event of its kind.
The festival isn’t just about jaw-dropping floral installations. It also includes free guided tours, live music, dance, food events, and workshops for both locals and visitors. The 2024 theme, “Multispecies,” explored the connection between humans, plants, animals, and the environment—big vibes for a floral art festival, right?
The Installations
This year’s lineup featured six international artists creating five large-scale installations in Córdoba’s historic courtyards. Visitors could drop in to see the artists at work during the 4-day construction period.
We got lucky with a delightful last-minute booking at Eurostars Azahar hotel in the historic city centre, just a 10-minute walk to all five locations. The 23°C weather was perfect as we strolled through the charming narrow, cobbled stoned streets with the sound of cooing pigeons and alley cats lounging in quiet corners. The buzz of crowds grew louder as we approached each courtyard, long but moving queues of people waited patiently for their turn. Inside, futuristic music played while people snapped selfies and soaked in the atmosphere of the installations. We were so captivated that we came back later in the afternoon for a second look—fewer crowds, moody twilight lighting, and the installations were even more mesmerizing. Oh, and did I mention entry was free?
Highlights: Artists and Their Creations
The festival brought together some serious talent from across the globe, each interpreting the theme in their own unique way. Here’s the rundown:
Carolin Ruggaber (@carolinruggaber) from Germany wowed us with “Fusion” at the Orive Palace. Inspired by a maidenhair fern poking out of the pavement, her 5-metre-tall installation used 4,000 potted ferns, red grapes, and pansies. Futuristic music, billowing fog, lights and undulating flexible mirrors created a surreal atmosphere.
“Fusion” highlighted by spotlights and undulating mirrors 
The highlights of "Fusion" including the inspiration for the designm a maiden hair fern growing in the crack of the pavement Emily Thompson (@emilythompsonflowers) from the USA gave us “Investments” in the Mosque-Cathedral’s Patio of Oranges. Three 5-metre tall metal-framed arches backed onto historic walls. The focus of the centre arch was a natural olive tree, with cascading cacti, pumpkins artichoke flowers and kale. The 2 outer arches featuring curved cycad leaves with red hot pockers, cacti and grasses spilling from the base. The historic bells chimed in the background as if to say come and see! My personal favourite! I could have sat there all day and just people watch as they mingled around the arches, the orange trees and the historic buildings, chatting and taking selfies.
The central arch, an absolute stunner! especially love the roped branches 
Highlights of Emily Thompsons 'Investments" This Humid House (@thishumidhouse) from Singapore took first prize with “Between Magnolias” at the Palace of Merced. The 5-metre tall bird’s nest shaped installation sat atop a historic fountain, made of palm fronds, inflorescence, and hanging luffa gourds, all set to the soothing sound of futuristic music and the tinkling of the flowing fountain. A community workshop was involved in helping make the hanging insect feeders.
This Humid House - “Between Magnolias” featured bird and insect feeders Lauren Sellen (@coyoteflowers) from Canada presented “Unshattered” at the Viana Palace. This installation drew on Salvador Dalí's surrealism style and together with Laurens experience in theatre, her design incorporated an arch laden with copious amounts of spanish moss as a theatrical backdrop. The characters were the flower arrangements laden with purpley-green coloured hydrangeas, burgundy and white Asiatic lily, and orchids.
Spanish moss laden theatrical arch formed the backdrop to Lauren Sellen’s “Unshattered” 
Highlights of Lauren Sellen's "Unshattered" installation Local artists Eugenio Ampudia (@eugenioampudia) and Alejandro Banejas (@alejandrobanejas) collaborated on “A Plant Thought” at Vimcorsa. This installation featured giant neuron shapes made of steel, wire and plaster, highlighted by flashing lights, ethereal music, and botanical elements to simulate the electric energy of neuron activity.
“A Plant Thought” - Neurons in the Vimcorsa 
Highlights from "A Plant Thought" And the Winners Were...
The judging panel awarded This Humid House first place, while Emily Thompson snagged second—and also took home the public’s choice award. Experiencing all six artists’ work in one place was like a dream come true. Their different styles, interpretations of the theme, and the sheer scale of their creations were mind-blowing.
Beyond the Flowers
We also attended a panel discussion with the artists, where they shared their inspirations, creative processes, and even how they felt about the final outcomes. A translator kept things flowing in English and Spanish, making it easy to follow along. It was fascinating to hear the behind-the-scenes stories straight from the artists themselves. I felt in awe of being in the room with such talented artists, rather than just seeing their creations on social media. Hearing the artists speak and explain their creations was priceless from a floral designers perspective. I must admit I was a little star struck!
If you’re even remotely into art, flowers, or just wanting to experience something truly unique, put Festival Flora on your radar. My only criticism would be that I wish that the installations had been open at night time to maximise the lighting and the music in the quiet of the evening. More people could have then visited them. For more information check out www.festivalflora.com.
For hubby G and I, the weekend was the perfect mix of art, culture, and a little autumn sunshine. Who knew scouting flowers could be so rewarding?
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Cerina- This festival NEEDS to come across the ocean so I could see it. 🤓 I particularly love the Spanish moss piece.