For almost eight centuries, much of Spain was part of the Muslim world. Al-Andalus gave us the Great Mosque of Cordoba, the Alhambra in Granada and some of the most important scholars in Islamic history. This guide covers the history, the places worth seeing and practical tips for visiting from the UK.
A short history of Al-Andalus
In 711, Tariq ibn Ziyad crossed from North Africa into the Iberian Peninsula. The rock where he landed still carries his name: Gibraltar comes from Jabal Tariq, "the mountain of Tariq". Within a few years most of the peninsula was under Muslim rule.
In 756, Abd al-Rahman I, a survivor of the Umayyad family overthrown in Damascus, founded an independent emirate with Cordoba as its capital. In 929 Abd al-Rahman III declared himself caliph, and Cordoba became one of the largest and most learned cities in Europe.
After the caliphate broke up in the early 11th century, Al-Andalus was divided into smaller kingdoms, the taifas, and was later ruled by the Almoravids and the Almohads from North Africa, who made Seville their capital in Spain. Cordoba fell to the Christian kingdoms in 1236 and Seville in 1248. The Nasrid kingdom of Granada held on for almost two and a half more centuries, until 2 January 1492, when Muhammad XII (Boabdil) handed the city to Ferdinand and Isabella.
Scholars of Al-Andalus
- Imam al-Qurtubi, author of the famous Quran commentary al-Jami' li-Ahkam al-Quran, was born in Cordoba.
- Ibn Rushd (Averroes), the Cordoban judge, physician and philosopher, wrote Bidayat al-Mujtahid, which is still studied in fiqh today.
- Abu al-Qasim al-Zahrawi, the surgeon whose medical encyclopaedia was used in Europe for centuries.
- Ibn Hazm, the jurist and author of The Ring of the Dove.
Cordoba
The Great Mosque (Mezquita). Begun by Abd al-Rahman I in 785 and enlarged by later rulers, the mosque's forest of red and white double arches is one of the masterpieces of Islamic architecture. The highlight is the mihrab added under al-Hakam II in the 960s, decorated with gold mosaics. After Cordoba fell in 1236 the building was consecrated as a cathedral, and in the 16th century a cathedral nave was built in the middle of the prayer hall. It is a working cathedral today, and Muslim prayer is not permitted inside.
Madinat al-Zahra. The palace city Abd al-Rahman III began building outside Cordoba in 936. It was sacked less than a century later, and its excavated ruins became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018.
Leave time to walk the narrow streets of the old town and to cross the Roman bridge over the Guadalquivir for the classic view of the Mezquita.
Seville
The Giralda. The bell tower of Seville Cathedral was the minaret of the Almohad great mosque, built between 1184 and 1198. The lower part is still the original Almohad brickwork, and inside, ramps instead of stairs lead to the top. The Courtyard of the Orange Trees (Patio de los Naranjos) was the mosque's ablution courtyard.
The Real Alcázar. A royal palace begun in the Muslim period and largely rebuilt in the 14th century for the Castilian king Pedro I by craftsmen working in the Andalusi style, with Arabic inscriptions, tiled courtyards and gardens.
Torre del Oro. The Almohad watchtower on the river, built in the early 13th century.
Granada and the Alhambra
The Alhambra was the palace and fortress of the Nasrid sultans, the last Muslim rulers in Spain. Most of what you see today was built in the 14th century under Yusuf I and Muhammad V, including the Comares Palace and the Court of the Lions. The Nasrid motto, wa la ghaliba illa Allah (there is no victor but Allah), is carved again and again on its walls. Above the palaces is the Generalife, the sultans' summer palace and gardens.
Across the valley is the Albaicín, the old Muslim quarter of white houses and narrow lanes. Its Grand Mosque of Granada, opened in 2003, was the first mosque built in the city for around 500 years, and its garden looks straight across to the Alhambra. It is a good place to stop for salah.
The Alpujarra
South of Granada, the white villages of the Alpujarra cling to the slopes of the Sierra Nevada. After 1492 this is where many Moriscos, the Muslims forced to convert to Christianity, held on to their way of life, until the revolt of 1568 to 1571, after which they were forced out of the region. The terraced fields and irrigation channels they built are still in use today.
Practical tips for UK travellers
- Flights: Málaga is the easiest airport for Andalusia, with direct flights from most UK airports. Granada is about an hour and a half away by road, Cordoba about two hours and Seville about two and a half.
- Visa: British citizens can visit Spain visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180. Your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before you arrive and be valid for at least 3 months after you leave. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) takes your fingerprints and photo at the border. See our UK visa guide.
- Alhambra tickets: entry is by timed ticket and numbers are strictly limited, so book well ahead, especially in spring and autumn. On our tours, tickets are arranged for you.
- Halal food: easiest to find in Granada, around the Albaicín and Calle Calderería Nueva with its Moroccan restaurants and tea houses. There are fewer options in Cordoba and Seville, so ask your guide.
- When to go: spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are warm but comfortable. In July and August, Cordoba and Seville can pass 40°C.
- Dress: cover shoulders and knees for the cathedral visits in Cordoba and Seville.
Visit Al-Andalus with Sabeel Travels
Our 6-day Andalus tour runs every month in 2027 from £595 per person (2 sharing). It covers Cordoba, Seville, Granada and the Alpujarra, with 5 nights' accommodation and breakfast, full transfers from Málaga and entrance fees included. See all 2027 Spain dates, or have a look at the January departure.
