Also spelt Madinah, the ‘enlightened city’, Medina is one of the most sacred cities in Islam and is considered the ‘cradle of Islamic culture and civilisation.’

Founded in the 9^th century BCE Medina was long a successful settlement before Islam arrived, located on a number of trade routes among mountains, plains and oases. It was in the year 622 that that the Prophet, the last prophet according to the Islamic faith, fled Mecca to escape prosecution and found refuge in Medina and began to establish a Muslim community around himself.

It was at this time to Quba Mosque was built, considered the world’s oldest mosque, while at the city’s heart is the huge Al-Masjid al-Nabawi (The Prophet’s Mosque) is the burial place of the Prophet Mohammad and one of Islam’s holiest places. While non-Muslims cannot go into the city’s mosques, a recent relaxation of rules has meant visitors can now enter the city centre to better view Medina’s many religious and historical attractions.