Stephanie P.
Yelp
Ehhh... the Paseo del Buen Pastor was talked up pretty highly in our Lonely Planet guidebook, but I thought it was just OK. Maybe we caught it at a less exciting time when there wasn't much going on, but it wasn't the happening nightlife spot that our book made it out to be.
By day, the Paseo is an attractive building with covered outdoor walkways that have free art exhibitions. (Apparently it was a women's prison for about a century before being updated into a cultural space.) When we were there, it was a contemporary photography exhibit by local photographers. The pictures were interesting, but they were so cheaply mounted (I assume because of weather exposure) that the overall effect was a little cheesy and amateurish.
There seems to be an indoor art/event space, but it was closed off and didn't appear to have anything going on.
There are several pieces of cool outdoor art -- our favorite incorporated the illusion of a swimmer's "reflection" on the surface of the decorative pool. Outdoor benches and seating are all over, and it's a nice spot to take a break in the shade and rest for a bit.
At night, the building is colorfully lit and the square livens up. People stroll through, walk their dogs or let them play off-leash, and couples and groups sit everywhere to hang out. We sat for a while and enjoyed the people-watching. There were a few buskers working the crowd and some kids trying aggressively to sell trinkets, but overall the atmosphere was pleasant and felt safe. There just wasn't as much going on as I'd expected.
Overall, a nice stop as you're walking around Cordoba and worth checking to see if there are any interesting exhibits or performances happening, but not a must-see.