Home > Why Choose Al-Andalus Experience?
Plan freely with your own choice of cities, transport, bookings, tours and guides. Connect the main historical capitals of Al-Andalus, modern Spain and surrounding regions. We provide guided tour options within our featured cities, for you to choose freely when you want to be guided at any location, and when not.
Enjoy our best offer and expertise, at your own pace and style. Our travel plans will connect you directly to our richly packed 3-night/4-day route through Toledo, Córdoba and Granada, should you choose these cities while planning.
- Our classic introduction to the origin, rise, and fall of Al-Andalus. This brief schedule is optimised and infused with historical narrative, exclusive insights, city highlight and UNESCO heritage tours, some time for arts, traditions, food traditions, opt-in rich dinner plans, nature plans, route extensions, further city connections, and more.
- Our routes continue along to Seville and back to Madrid, though you may also take on an independent travel approach from there also, with the help of your own mobile friendly travel schedule plan and anticipating on the booking options provided therein.
Here are some of the reasons why we call our service unique:
- A unique insider experiences that go far beyond the mainstream, simply due to our diverse backgrounds and multi-cultural ‘hybrid’ nature, there is more on that in our story.
- We strive to provide you the best of both worlds: independent vs organised, guided travel,
- All of our service configurations have flexible guided options available.
- We enable flexible booking options for you; beyond what any travel agency will do, because we aren’t a travel agency (any more, since Covid).
- You benefit of 15+ professional travel market experience as an incoming travel and hospitality company, or DMC.
- You also benefit from our strong partner bonds with main local travel agencies, tour operators, different logistic collaborations, event venues, we have sufficient resources to cater for groups from a friendly or family trip, to corporate events involving 1000+ guests.
- We help and guide you to your best convenience ahead of, and along the way through trip. From the planning stage to arrival, and from arrival through to departure of your group trip.
Get a start on any plan, create your own journey, for you and your guest list.
- Choices of road trip route options vs high speed train+taxis options;
- Guided vs independent options for any part of your trip, enables you to cater to your own trip experience from start to end.
- We are also flexible about how you make your room or accommodation bookings, to the extent of sharing links to confirm bookings if you choose to manage your own bookings.
- Optimise any travel route based on your own city choice and number of nights per city,
- Obtain a rainbow of options towards confirming the best travel experience for your group at every point of your trip, and digital schedule to guide you along the way, even when you are not travelling with our travel assisting guides or driven tour options.
Plan A Journey Worth Travelling
Beginning with programs to entertain our own intellectual or cultural interest, some leisure and shopping needs, we invite you to discover the opportunities to journey through the Andalusi Islamic heritage of Al-Andalus, to gain knowledge from today into any traditional art or science.
Unique Local Insights
Count with a team of locals from academic specialists to street wise managers to your service.
Guidance & Transportation Choices
Transport, guides and assistant options to your choice. You can also be the tour leader of your own group!
Flexible Booking Options
Turn key group travel package deals vs flexible booking choices and your own blend of service options.
Welcome Arrival Service
Welcome services in Madrid, Malaga and Seville.
Combine any Plans, Request any Extras
Make your trip a unique journey, add city activities, nature escapes, workshops, study or wellness programs, to your request..
Invite Your Guest list
Travel professional or not, we can help you spread the word and leverage bookings until your final group is confirmed.
Leisure and Culture Trips
Flexible and affordable group travel and event plans for everyone.
Our Travel and Event Planning Service empowers anybody to plan a trip or event in Andalusia, Spain, from elaborating a proposed itinerary for your group to confirming, booking assistance and any help you need in person during your trip.
Anticipate and gain full control of any situation with a local team of ground service managers, guides, experience, logistics and event venue providers in Andalusia, Spain.
Al-Andalus Experience can help you carry out your trip or event, guiding and assisting you or your group from arrival to departure in person through our own team of local travel assistants and guides, with online and phone support.
Plan your trip or event anywhere in Andalusia, Spain, extending to Portugal, Morocco, or beyond to your choice. Complement with your own information, media or documents. Finally, share with any guest list to join and journey with you.
Start Planning
*You will be guided on every step of planning and logistics towards your event. along with booking assistance to provide your own booking links or vouchers within a cohesive plan. Share your plan with your private guest list and have participants sign up for your own tours or events in Andalusia, Spain or beyond.
We also compliment UNESCO Heritage sites in Cordoba and Granada with our own favourite local UNESCO Guides.
You can choose from multiple arrival points, and to extend our staple tour base cities with other optional city extensions, depending on the duration and nature of your intended trip.
- Most used by Group Travel or Event Organisers
- Multiple arrival points: Madrid (MAD), Málaga (AGP), Granada (GRX).
- Highlighted cities: Málaga, Cordoba, Granada, Toledo, Madrid.
- Optional city extensions: Málaga (AGP), Sevilla (SVQ). Barcelona (BCN), Lisboa (LIS)
- Airport / Station Welcome-Departure & Transfers.
- Choice of select Hotel/Hostel/Apartments – or your own bookings!
- Breakfast included with 3-4 Star Hotel choice only.
- The choice to include accommodation vs Ground Services Only.
- Local tour leader, guiding the group step by step from arrival to departure.
- Intercity transportation by coach or courtesy vehicle.
- Optional High-Speed Train version.
- UNESCO Highlight Tours in Córdoba and Granada.
- Flexible travel routes.
- Multiple standards.
- Custom, flexible service.
- Mobile app itinerary day by day guide.
- Share your plan with all of the participant group.
Study Trips and Workshops
Journeying through knowledge and traditions, at the heart of the spirit of Al-Andalus in Granada, Spain.
- Local artisan specialists in a wide range of arts and crafts: Islamic geometry, arabic calligraphy, biomorphic arabesque, decorations, ceramics, pottery, screen printing, perfume making, leather decoration, to mention a few.
- A range of local teaching or event venues within the historical cities and rural regions of Andalusia, Spain.
- Specialists available to any level of event, from street wise assistants to PHD mattter specialists, going through the best selection of a new generation of academics in Andalusi and Middle Eastern Studies, that cast new light and detail of a very bright history of Al-Andalus.
- Travel, city and logistics manager assisting onboard 24/7 during any trip or event.
- Meal plans with previous confirmation and any local meal advice on demand.
- Assistance with any group plans, tours, excursions, extra activities or plans during the duration of any event.
- Intercity transportation services available on demand, with a guided narration through the history of Al-Andalus by one of our local travel guides.
- Advice upon best accommodation and booking services available for hotels, touristic apartments and our own selection of rural homes or villas.
- Advice or thumbs up on your own preffered booking choice of hotels, AirBNB, Rural homes, Villas.
- Local communities’ closeness and support.
- Key local introductions and local specialist speakers.
- Local “know how” and “know what’s about” playing to favour your own trip and events.
With a wide range of local artisan masters and artists, as well as holistic healers, therapists and health coaches, we offer you to plunge and submerge into different fields of knowledge and tradition from Al-Andalus to China, in the most benight Andalusian rural setting for each occasion.
Wellness / Retreat Programs
Rural escapes, wellness and healthy lifestyle programs, in the most benign settings of rural Andalusia, Spain.
- Accommodation and venues within the most refreshing Andalusian rural bliss.
- Alpujarra vs Sierra Nevada, amongst other main natural parks and regions available in Andalusia.
- Healthy detox routine plan schedule.
- Meticulous meal planning to any standards or specification.
- Activities to keep you active.
- Time and exercises for relaxation.
- Health and wellness coaches available on demand.
- Therapists in Chinese Accupuncture, Rei-ki, Shiatsu, hijama amongst others available on demand.
- Group activities or formal teaching or presentation sessions on demand.
At the heart of traditional knowledge is a holistic approach, striving to perfect ourselves towards a better perception and understanding of existence. Beginning with programs to entertain our own intellectual or cultural interest, some leisure and shopping needs, we invite you to discover the opportunities that we offer to journey through knowledge from today into any traditional art or science. With a wide range of local artisan masters and artists, as well as holistic healers, therapists and health coaches, we offer you to plunge and submerge into different fields of knowledge and tradition from Al-Andalus to China, in the most benight Andalusian rural setting for each occasion.
Average Price Estimation per day for a group size of 4-10 participants, including our basic standard options
Leisure and Culture Trip
From 50 - 100 €/day
per person
Madrid - Toledo - Córdoba - Granada - ( Sevilla option) - Madrid VS
Málaga - Córdoba - Granada - (Sevilla option) - Málaga
Airport / Station Welcome and Transfer+
Local Group Leader+
3-4 Star city centre hotels+
breakfast included +
Intercity Transportation +
Guided Highlight Tours +
Optional extras not included:
Meals-
Night leisure program –
Workshops or extra activities –
Personal shopping assistant-
Wellness / Retreat Programs
From 50-200 €/day
per person
Córdoba - Granada
Airport / Station Welcome and Transfer+
Rural villa/home +
Schedule diary +
Activity program +
Optional extras not included:
Meal plan per day-
City Apartment / Rural Home –
Personal cook –
Personal therapist –
Personal acupuncture sessions –
Booking Assistance –
The costs above are listed as a reference and to provide a sample of each type of service and an example of inclusive and optional extra items. We will base ourselves on this estimation and your own request specifications when providing you with any trip or event quotation.
Fees for all of the necessary action and infrastructure to happen. Items listed in grey are options and can be quoted into your group price.
If you just want to join us for a casual group walk and talk in Granada our hometown, during your trip, you can save your place for that here, and still benefit from a broad vision of Al-Andalus, sharing any of your group questions or thoughts after traveling through Cordoba or other cities at your own pace and chosen style. To join our walking tour in Granada, please simply fill in this form:
admin.alandalus-experience.com/granada
“Seek Knowledge as far as China”
At the heart of traditional knowledge is a holistic approach, striving to perfect ourselves towards a better perception and understanding of existence. Beginning with programs to entertain our own intellectual or cultural interest, some leisure and shopping needs, we invite you to discover the opportunities that we offer to journey through knowledge from today into any traditional art or science. With a wide range of local new generation academic field specialists, artisan masters and artists, as well as holistic healers, therapists and health coaches, we offer you to plunge and submerge into different fields of knowledge and tradition from Al-Andalus to China, in the most benign Andalusian rural setting for each occasion.Invite your own guestlist to your journey.
Al-Andalus Experience is based on locals learning and experiencing our own homeland and liveliness, embracing and nourishing ourselves through a full mosaic of multi-cultural traditions and roots that we represent, while looking into the world's future and contributing to solve modern problems, through our own local blend of wisdom, diversity and singularity.
Knowledge can be transmitted in more and more ways by the day, and history in particular, can be looked upon and seen in as many ways as people cover the earth.
We like to train our travel guides on our tours, with real group trips, side by side, with another guide with years of experience, while acting as an assistant and "extra care" for our many of our group trips in Spain and beyond.
In this sense, we are honouring the tradition of apprenticeship, while also benefiting from a human-to-human transmission of not only facts but articulated knowledge, and one's insight and with mastering a science or skill, comes wisdom in time.
On the historical side, we like to distinguish the political side of history, from that of its people, tradition and popular culture. A different approach to the theoretical factual and dry political affairs, which are documented historically, along with associated legends, is to experience the tradition and diversity of a land, its 'spirit' and livelihood.
We invite you to experience history through tradition and synergies, rather than a dry political and warfare account. Learn arts and skills while realising the spiritual value in the transmission of knowledge and traditional apprenticeships. At the heart of traditional knowledge is a holistic approach, striving to perfect ourselves towards a better perception and understanding of our existence. Al-Andalus Experience is about you, where you stand today in a global civilisation and what you want to highlight or learn about, or to experience with your chosen company.
Granada is a city where we can find very different languages, and contrasting or antagonising cultures contrasts through time, however, what makes it singular has to do with translating different languages and views of reality. The secret is perhaps also manifested through each individual or every different family that has travelled through time and survived, and those who have passed or been killed, in their daily lives, their crafts, art, language, and expressions... all of which, and time itself disappears into one harmonious moment of peaceful joy, the moment we are learning or practising our mastery, and so the journey of learning is timeless.
This is why we try to both highlight amongst the local popular art, crafts, traditions, and culture, and also practice, in uniting a diverse range of local specialists and enthusiasts, in learning from each other and enabling travellers to engage in different experiences while walking through Islamic heritage and modern cities of Andalusia, and other parts of Spain.
This is what we feel we have achieved so far, regarding surely over a thousand travellers in the past decade, many small experiences of something special that still unites people around our home town Granada, to "discover the secrets of Muslim Spain". While those secrets are a live element, we do need to experience them, to truly interiorise and relate to them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Close to fifteen years of experience in group travel, from planning to performance is hard to put words to. Please feel free to contact us with any enquiries or questions, you will find some common questions answered below:
Do you offer full packages?
Yes, the bulk of our bookings is produced as fully comprehensive travel packages, including accommodation, transport, guidance, activities and meals. We are currently covering all group bookings through solid partnerships with local well reputated wholesale tour operators. This way we cover all group bookings with ease, allowing the core of our service to focus on attaining high standard travel plans to meet Muslim travel needs in Andalusia, Spain, Portugal and beyond.
Do I need a local assistant?
Why Should We Hire a Travel Assistant Local Guide?
Group guide to connect all of the locations and events on your trip or event plan.
Welcome service and local information.
Trip or event narrative guide.
Guaranteed 100% program times optimization
Large group logistics manager.
- Transport not included.
- Courtesy driving of your own rental vehicle, is free, and recommended.
- Groups Requiring bus transport should inlcude our bus+driver service separately.
What Do You Get With Your Travel and Group Event Planning Service?
The best of Al-Andalus Experience’s local team supporting you with our knowledge, experience, contacts, resources and tools.Guarantee to get best local fair prices and a mapped cohesive plan for all your trip and event expenses.Direct bookings link to our best options to your need, accommodation, transportation, meals, activities, guides, tickets, all attached to your plan in an “important document” section of easy access within our mobile app support.Best travel plan route and text guides for your custom group need.Day by day location and event-based plan for your trip or event.A tidy list of all of our opt-in services, throughout your trip or on a per city basis, for you to confirm upon choice ahead of finalizing your travel or event plan.Professional and digital support with administration, participant registration and booking processes.Email invitation to guest lists after the plan is confirmed and ready to share.Option for all of any group participants to download any of your trip or event plans onto a native mobile app support format.Offline option for night-time or aeroplane reading of our text guides.Add media or document assets to your program per event in your plan’s schedule.Ask us if you need any further help and we can discuss a flexible way to solve your need to the best standards and final outcome, “in shaa a’ Allah”.
Best European Standards along with local insight and know-how.
Human Heritage Sites and natural attractions available and mostly sunny all year around.
Journeys to quench any thirst
Meal planning and special dietary needs.
Traditional knowledge built into local wisdom.
Easy to jump start any group trip or event
Plan Your Journey
Invite your guestlist!
Can we choose our own accommodation?
Certainly. Given the multiple options toward short term accommodation in our favourite cities and regions of Andalusia, we can only hope to use our advice as a reference to your own choice and further research. We will be happy to include your accommodation in our favourite selection of city hotels to any standard or above! While also providing you our own favourite apartments and rural villas, or advice on any property that you may find on AirBnB or other popular property booking pages.
Tell me more about the meal plans.
Meals can be pre-booked and paid for at the establishment. If you prefer to choose your own meals on the go, you may use our schedule’s built-in restaurant suggestions. Spain not being a specifically 'halal' standard by default, we can help you choose from amongst the best local offer available at each location. Should you require any other particular health or wellness diet standards to be met throughout your trip or event, just ask us and we will be at your disposal to help with any dietary specifications.
Do you work with worldwide tour operators and travel agencies?
Yes, with local Spanish tour operators and others abroad, as well as smaller group travel organizations, schools and institutions. Our service is flexible so professional travel or event organisers may choose where we help them and how they may draw in their own value to their offers, being innovative and competitive, and performing at the highest standards with our assistance.
Still hesitating?
Feel free to contact via WhatsApp,
Email or the forms below on this page.
Thank you!
— make your choice —
What is your Covid-19 Policy?
Since the emmergence of Covid-19 we have observed strict social distancing, desinfection and face mask policies throughout our service and collaborator network. Following all government restrictions and advice, closing our service when required. Today leading onto 2022 we continue to observe the strictest health and safety advice when traveling or in closed atmospheres as a group. Indivudual preferences are for you to observe beyond the local regulations which we are obliged to follow as a government and general health and safety measure in Spain, which as per 2024 are only relevant within hospitals or medical centres.
Who is behind Al-Andalus Experience?
Ahmad Zaruq Summers
Specialist in Andalusian & Islamic traditions.
I work for individual, independent travellers, Schools, Teachers, Scholars or Institutions and some of the leading worldwide Tour Operators around the Muslim world as a Professional Travel and Event Planner in Andalusia Spain.
You can contact via WhatsApp, or fill in our Travel Planning Form for us to follow up promptly with any request: Start Planning Here
Thank you!
Hoping to meet you in Andalusia, Spain.
