Join Soumaya in the final episode of season one, where she speaks with Yasin Maymir, a local Spanish Muslim who's leading the way in researching, sharing and bringing to life Andalucia's Islamic heritage. It's from his base in a small rural town - only a stone's throw from the Alhambra - that Yasin is changing the way you travel through Spain, opening up experiences that are otherwise inaccessible.  We've partnered up with Yasin to bring to lost and forgotten stories from Andalucia. You'll...

Today Soumaya's joined by Samia and Nasra Bwana, two Kenyan Muslim women providing an alternative travel experience of their home country. Samia and Nasra run Halal Safaris, one of the only exclusively halal tour operators in Africa and the only one exploring Islamic heritage in the region. In this episode Samia and Nasra will share why the popular perception of Kenya being specifically known for safaris is more a colonial hangover than a true depiction of all that Kenya has to...

Maybe you've been to Istanbul once, twice, even three times before. You feel ready to explore in more depth the stories of this ancient city. But where do you start in the city that spans two continents?  You’ll take a virtual tour of Istanbul this episode, where Soumaya's joined by Haktan Tursun, Coordinator at Ibn Khaldun University, Islamic history and architecture enthusiast and an expert local guide in Istanbul. If you like mosques and Islamic architecture, you’ll love Haktan’s stories...

In part 2 of this episode Soumaya continues her conversation with Selma in Sarajevo, Bosnia. Selma was born and brought up in Bosnia's historic capital, Sarajevo, where (before the pandemic) she regularly took people on walking tours through her city. Today Selma will share with you her personal insights into what makes Sarajevo such a unique European city; what it was like for her growing up during the 90's war; and the impact of the Ottoman Empire in Bosnia, both past and present. To...

Throughout the Muslim world and particularly in the Ottoman Empire, Karavanserais and Hans would open their doors to travellers to stay, rest, eat and sleep for up to three days free of charge. Although few (if any) operate anymore, here in Sarajevo you can still experience what this might have been like in the heart of the city's old town. In fact, all over Bosnia there's beautiful Ottoman architecture that's still used by travellers and the local community today. What's even more...

What's it like being Muslim in Barbados? Soumaya speaks with local Barbadians Suleiman and Firhaana Bulbulia, a powerful father-daughter duo with vital leadership roles in the local Muslim community. You'll hear the story about how Islam arrived on the island from the Bay of Bengal, the inspiring work that Firhaana does to help elevate local Muslim women, along with some great tips on how to experience Barbados as a Muslim traveller. If you've ever wanted to make a trip to the Caribbean,...

OK, you know when, you're travelling to a new destination and you don’t have to check where the best halal restaurant is, or plan a daily itinerary, because you already have a local contact who you trust to give you an incredible trip? Obviously this only really is the case if you've got a good friend or family member who can host you, which only happens some of the time. But wouldn’t it be great if you had a local to help you travel better every single time? Salaam, I'm Soumaya, and I run...