Exploring Medina: A Spiritual Journey Into A Sacred City
Only a short time ago, travel to Medina was off limits for most tourists. Specifically, people who are non-Muslim were not allowed to visit Islam’s second holiest city. Like most travellers from the Western world, I once thought like the average explorer and said that Medina, let alone, Saudi Arabia, would be impossible to travel to. This all changed in only a few short years.
As part of the Vision 2030 program put into place to bring Saudi Arabia into the modern age, a key component of these changes is tourism into the country. This included opportunities for curious travellers to be able to visit Medina, provided their with a licensed tour operator and local guide.
Continuing my journey with 88 Destinations, our next featured stop on the itinerary was Medina. I felt excited, yet, nervous to be entering a holy city, knowing the customs and rules are much more conservative and would need to be on my utmost professional behaviour. As always, I preach about respect being mandatory wherever travelling and practiced breathing, patience, remaining calm and following the guidelines of Hashem, our tour coordinator.
First Impressions:
A three and a half hour journey brought us to Medina, where I was astounded by the number of mosques I encountered. Big surprise right!!! I had made it to Islam’s second holiest city. There were (mostly) little mosques on every block of the city. Of course, the Grand Mosque of Medina was visible from almost every corner of Medina (see more below).
The group and I checked into our three star hotel before heading for dinner to Lebanese Grills, a local restaurant where a private room was organized featuring stone marble walls and chairs with elegant gold coverings. I feasted on the chicken shawarma plate and processed the fact that I was going to be learning more about Islam’s second holiest city the next day.
Al-Masjid an-Nabawi Grand Mosque (Prophet Mohammad’s Mosque):
We were introduced to our local guide, Fahd, who welcomed the group and I, providing royal treatment with the most fascinating, overwhelming, yet, informative tour of Medina. Enthusiastic, full of charisma and sense of humour, Fahd kept us focused and prepared for the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi Grand Mosque, (or the Prophet Muhammad’s Grand Mosque), the feature part of our program in Medina.
Throughout my travels across the Muslim world, I have had the opportunity to experience visiting many mosques becoming immersed spiritually with Islamic culture. Walking outside the walls of the Prophet Muhammad’s Grand Mosque was an opportunity of a lifetime. With over ten minarets, ten thousand bathrooms built in the underground structure and capable of hosting between 1.5 million and 3 million people praying at one time, it was a overwhelming, fascinating, grand and spiritually connected me to Islam as a non-Muslim, providing me a new appreciation for the Muslim world.
The Green Dome and Symbolism of Islam
The large green dome situated in the grounds of the mosque is the mausoleum of the Prophet himself. For context, green is the colour of Islam, symbolizing purity, prosperity and paradise and representing iconography of the faith adopted by Shiite societies, but widely used in Sunni Muslim nations such as Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, where green is the colour of the flag of both countries.
Note: due to high demand for pilgrimage to Medina (and Mecca), the Saudi government is faced with the difficult task of limiting the number of visitors, who require permits to legally visit the holy sites as stampede incidents have occurred in the past leading to tragic deaths of innocent people making the pilgrimage. According to Fahd and Hashem, only three percent of Muslims from predominately Muslim countries around the world will be granted access to visit. With over two billion Muslims around the world, I can understand the logic behind this difficult, yet, necessary practice to protect the security and safety of the locals and people visiting abroad.
Standing outside the Grand Mosque of Medina. The large green dome in the background is the site where the Prophet Muhammad is buried.
Disclaimer: While it is possible for Non-Muslims to enter the Grand Mosque, Medina is still a highly conservative society that opened to foreigners recently, meaning many Muslim people making the trip to Medina may not always be the most receptive when seeing a white Western foreigner. For liability reasons, our tour operator advised us not to enter the mosque and view it from the outside walls. Though I am still rather questioning the decision, it is better to be safe than sorry and as always, respect of religious customs is mandatory in Muslim countries and all other religions in non-Muslim countries.
Meeting People From The Muslim World:
As mentioned during the course of this article, Muslims make the journey to Medina and Mecca to perform Hajj. It was a regular day, yet, the grand mosque was packed with people walking in and out. From Turkey, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, Indonesia and Malaysia, I had the opportunity to have conversations with people from these countries about visiting Medina and expressing my gratitude and appreciation for how much I enjoy travelling the Muslim world as a non-Muslim.
Our local guide, Fahd (aka King Fahd), was the most informative, patient and consistent local guide during my time in Saudi Arabia. Immersed with unique knowledge and lots information on the history of Islam, Fahd took my group and I through time to study Islam and provide a spiritual experience for us. Most of all, he made sure my group and I were safe during our visit to Medina.
Quba Mosque:
Our day was filled with an itinerary. If one holy mosque isn’t enough to visit, how about two of them. I had the opportunity to visit the fourth holiest mosque in Islam, the Quba Mosque. Its pure white exterior and tall minarets reminded me of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi. Fahd enriched our visit with historical context and even treated us to a traditional Islamic prayer song for us with Arabic orchestrated lyrics.
Quba Mosque in Medina, considered the fourth holiest mosque in Islam. The white marble architecture resembles a small version of Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi.
Exploring the Famous Date Market in Medina
No visit to Medina is complete without trying its famous Saudi dates. For those unfamiliar, a date is like a large raisin, usually with a pit in the middle, that grows on trees in warm tropical climates and are widely produced through the Middle East and North Africa regions.We stopped by a bustling date market, where we sampled a wide variety—from dry and chewy to sweet and sticky. I first discovered dates in Abu Dhabi in 2019, and Medina elevated that experience to new heights. These nutritious fruits are a staple in Saudi hospitality, offered in hotels, restaurants, and homes throughout the country.
Visiting the date market in Medina. The taste and sweetness of the dates was a real treat throughout Saudi Arabia.
Summing Up My Experience:
As a non-Muslim traveller, it was the closest you can get to Islam and the impact of feeling the presence of Allah was spiritual and an eye-opening experience. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to experience this part of Saudi Arabia. I’ll admit, I was certainly prepared as I have visited over 14 Muslim countries and been inside many mosques, which always bring me a sense of relief, peace and reduces anxiety for me. The call to prayer is soothing and something I find fascinating when it sounds five times a day.
A quick peak inside Quba Mosque. Unfortunately, my group and I were not allowed inside and were given permission to take photos from the prayer hall entrance.
Can I Recommend Medina for Autistic Travellers?
This is an interesting one. As a vast majority of travellers who go to Medina are Muslim, many people in Arabic and predominately Muslim countries have people on the autism spectrum, some who want to make the journey once in their lives. On a holiday like Ramadan, the Grand Mosque in particular gets overwhelmingly crowded which would pose a challenge for autistic people. Fortunately, Medina has new modern hotels built for the purpose of hosting people for pilgrimage. For autistic travellers considering a visit, I’d recommend:
Traveling during off-peak seasons
Booking with an experienced tour operator like 88 Destinations
Staying in hotels with quiet zones or private dining
Being upfront about sensory needs with guides and staff
Conclusion: Why Medina Should Be on Every Respectful Traveler’s Bucket List?
Traveling to Medina as a non-Muslim was a humbling, spiritual, and once-in-a-lifetime experience. With proper preparation, respect for local customs, and an open heart, you can witness a side of Saudi Arabia that few outsiders ever get to see. For anyone passionate about interfaith dialogue, cultural immersion, and sacred architecture—Medina is unforgettable.
As we departed Medina, I reflected on my experience and realized how blessed I am to have been presented with this unique opportunity to visit this sacred city. Would I come back one day if the opportunity presents itself? Absolutely! Until then, I am off to the port city of Jeddah, Saudi’s former capital and entertainment hub on the Red Sea.
The eccentric and modernly clean train station in Medina, where I would take the bullet train south to Jeddah, the final stop on my journey through Saudi Arabia.
