Day 1: Arrival and Introduction at Madrid: From Islamic medina to modern capital of Spain.

We start out this tour at Madrid, the capital of modern Spain, moving straight into our historical narration by staying the first night at Toledo, Medieval capital of Iberia, ‘mosaic’ and ‘bridge’ between the three main cultures & religious traditions in Al-Andalus. After that e start travelling South from Toledo, the capital of the Visigothic Kingdom in Iberia (pre-Muslim Spain).  The tour will also present the deeper roots of Iberian tradition and the Moorish-Morris fusion into our modern time through the very words of reading our Spanish top literature master Miguel de Cervantes.

Day 2: From Toledo to Córdoba, Capital of the Umayyads

This morning we will take our romantic looks at the city of Toledo, capital of former Castille, a flagstone in Spanish history and culture. Then we continue further south along the ‘Route of Don Quixote’, through Castilla La Mancha to Andalusia to reach Córdoba, the Umayyad Capital of Al-Andalus. As we move into Andalusia, we will also be shifting in time, to Al-Andalus. The trip is an introductory summary with unique insights into the history of Iberia, Spain and Al-Andalus, Muslim Spain.

Toledo provides a context for a vast historical narrative, so as we travel South we aim to connect the dots and explore freely the origin and history of Al-Andalus. To do this we will learn about the context where Al-Andalus emerges, land distribution, political arrangements and affairs, main Kingdoms and players present, the population and religious diversity present during the roman and Visigoth rule of Iberia up until the arrival of Musa Bin Nussayr to Toledo.

Day 4: Granada, the last Muslim Kingdom of Al-Andalus. Tour of the Alhambra court city, palaces and gardens.

On this day we finally enjoy the guided visit to the Alhambra palatial town, including the Nasrid Palaces, Alcazaba fortress, Generalife summer palace & gardens, and the old medina of the Alhambra. Afterwards, we move on to visit the old medina of Garnatta and its main areas, divisions, and city walls.