Most pilgrims spend three or four nights in Madinah, and the ziyarat can be done comfortably in one morning. You do not need a long tour and you do not need to see everything.
Here is what the main sites actually are, what to expect at each, and a route that works.
Masjid Quba
The first mosque built in Islam, on the spot where the Prophet, peace be upon him, stopped when he arrived in Madinah. It has been rebuilt and expanded many times and is now a large, beautiful white mosque about six kilometres south of Masjid an Nabawi.
There is a well known hadith about the reward for praying two units of prayer here, which is why almost every pilgrim makes this the first stop. The Prophet used to visit on Saturdays.
Time needed: 30 to 45 minutes including prayer Worth it: yes, this is the one not to skip Note: it gets busy. Early morning after fajr is the calmest and the light is beautiful.
Mount Uhud and the Martyrs’ Cemetery
The site of the Battle of Uhud, where seventy companions were killed, including Hamza, the Prophet’s uncle. The cemetery sits at the foot of the mountain and there is a viewing area looking up at the slope where the battle turned.
Standing here does something that reading about it does not. It is a small, unremarkable hillside, and knowing what happened on it is affecting.
Time needed: 30 minutes Worth it: yes Note: the ground is uneven and there are steps up to the viewing area. Not easy in a wheelchair, though you can see a good deal from the car park. There are hawkers selling tasbih and snacks, which some people find intrusive.
Masjid al Qiblatain
The mosque of the two qiblas, where the Prophet was praying when the direction of prayer changed from Jerusalem to Makkah. The current building is modern and striking, and the old mihrab facing the original direction has been preserved in the design.
Time needed: 20 minutes Worth it: yes, and it is quick
Jannat al Baqi
The cemetery beside Masjid an Nabawi where many companions and members of the Prophet’s family are buried. It is a plain, unmarked field of stones, which surprises people who expect monuments.
Practical point that matters: access is restricted and women are generally not permitted to enter. It is visible from outside the walls and from the upper levels of the Haram, and the gates open at limited times for men. Do not plan a family visit inside.
Time needed: 15 minutes Worth it: yes, and it costs you nothing in time since it is right there
The Seven Mosques area
A cluster of small historic mosques near the site of the Battle of the Trench, including Masjid al Fath. They have been redeveloped and there is now a large new mosque on the site.
Time needed: 20 minutes Worth it: optional. Interesting if you like the history, skippable if you are tired.
Masjid al Ghamama
A small mosque very close to Masjid an Nabawi, on the site where the Prophet is said to have prayed for rain. Easy to add because it is walking distance from the Haram.
Time needed: 10 minutes
The date farms and date market
Not a religious site, and one of the most enjoyable stops of the day. Madinah dates, particularly ajwa, are famous for good reason. The farms let you walk among the palms and taste before you buy, and the prices are far better than at the airport.
Time needed: 45 minutes if you are buying Worth it: yes. Buy your gifts here, not at the terminal. Note: dates travel home fine in checked luggage and are allowed into the US. Ajwa is expensive and worth it. Buy a mix.
Wadi al Jinn
A valley outside Madinah where cars appear to roll uphill. It is an optical illusion caused by the terrain, and it has nothing to do with Islamic history, but it has become a popular stop and drivers will offer it.
Time needed: two hours or more with the drive Worth it: only if you have a spare afternoon and you enjoy that sort of thing. We would not recommend it over resting before a Rawdah slot.
Dar al Madinah Museum and the Quran Exhibition
Two genuinely good indoor options, both air conditioned, both near the Haram. The museum covers the history of the city with models and artefacts. The Quran exhibition covers the preservation and calligraphy of the Quran.
Worth it: yes, especially with children, and especially in summer when outdoor ziyarat is punishing.
A half day route that works
Leave after fajr prayer. You will be back by mid morning before the heat.
- Masjid Quba. Pray two rakah. 45 minutes.
- Masjid al Qiblatain. 20 minutes.
- Mount Uhud and the cemetery. 30 minutes.
- Date farms. 45 minutes.
- Back to the hotel by around 10am.
Add Jannat al Baqi and Masjid al Ghamama separately on foot, since both are beside the Haram.
That covers everything most pilgrims want, in one morning, without wrecking the day.
How to arrange it
Private car with a driver. Three to four hours, agreed price in advance. The most comfortable option and the best value for a family. Ask your hotel or your agent.
Shared ziyarat van. Cheap, fills up with other pilgrims, runs to a fixed route and a fixed pace. Fine if you are on your own.
Taxi by the hour. Works, but you spend the trip negotiating.
Included in a package. Most group departures include a guided ziyarat with someone who can explain what you are looking at, which adds a lot. Ours do. See our group departures.
A guide makes more difference here than anywhere else on the trip. Uhud with someone who can tell you what happened on that slope is a completely different experience from Uhud as a photo stop.
Practical tips
- Go early. After fajr, every time. By 10am it is hot and crowded.
- Dress for mosques. You will be entering several. Women should have a scarf to hand throughout.
- Carry water. Obvious, routinely forgotten.
- Take small cash. For dates, drinks and tips.
- Do not schedule ziyarat on your Rawdah day. Rawdah slots are timed and you do not want to be stuck in traffic. Keep them separate.
- Zamzam is available in Masjid an Nabawi too, not just Makkah. See Zamzam water in Masjid an Nabawi.
- Mobility. Quba, Qiblatain and the date farms are all manageable in a wheelchair. Uhud is the difficult one. See Umrah with a wheelchair.
One thing worth saying
The sites are good, and the history is moving, and you should go. But the best hours most people spend in Madinah are not on the ziyarat route at all. They are sitting in Masjid an Nabawi doing nothing in particular.
Do not fill every day. Leave time to just be there.
If you want a Madinah stay with the ziyarat arranged and a guide who knows the history, tell us your dates.
