Muslims first arrived in Portugal in the year 714 as part of the overall introduction of Islam to the Iberian peninsula. This region came to be known as Gharb Al-Andalus and they remained here for over 5 centuries. During this period they had a profound impact on the country in terms of its culture, cuisine, agriculture and lifestyle.
This specially curated 6-day tour offers a mixture of heritage, culture and coastal beauty. Beginning in the capital Lisbon we explore the vibrant neighbourhoods of Baixa and Alfama, and the nearby town of Sintra famed for its palaces and Arabic influenced castle. We then head inland to Évora, with its iconic Roman ruins, followed by Mértola where Portugal’s only remaining medieval mosque building still lies intact albeit as a church. Our tour is concluded in the picturesque Algarve region where vestiges of Islamic architecture can be seen in towns such as Silves, Faro and Tavira.
This tour provides a unique insight into the deep and often overlooked legacy of Islam in the western part of the Iberian Peninsula. Those who wish to extend their trip in the region may travel east to Seville before continuing to explore the rest of Al-Andalus in Spain.
