City-break: Birmingham

Are you looking for your next short-break? Then how about Birmingham, the second largest city in the UK and more importantly an absolute shopper’s paradise! The city of Birmingham is located in the centre of the West Midlands. It’s the new shopping capital of Europe, the home of the famous football club Aston Villa and the New street station, the biggest railway station in the UK. Take a walk through the city centre and enjoy the mix of new and old architecture, which makes the city a great place to visit. Do you want to experience all-round shopping? Then head first to the Bullring with 160 shops and the iconic Selfridges, an architectural highlight, worth the trip itself.

If you want to see some designer labels then visit the Mailbox shopping centre, which lies next to the canal. It is a great place to grab a coffee while enjoying the view over the canal. And for all those who want to shop more, the Great Western Arcade’s Victorian elegance, the Pavilion Central, the Pallasades, the Martineau Place and the City Plaza are waiting. And for all jewellery lovers, you will find the famous jewellery quarter, the nation’s heart of jewellery.

Birmingham is indeed a fantastic place for families. How about visiting the IMAX cinema, the Sea life centre, the Public, an exciting creative arts centre or the Cadbury World, UK’s most famous chocolate brand, where you can see how the yummy stuff is made. And there is so much more to discover.

A must is also the Birmingham Central Mosque in the Highgate area, one of the largest Muslim centres in Europe. Other famous mosques and Islamic centres in the city include Central Jamia Masjid Ghamkol Sharif, the Green Lane Mosque or the Bordesley Centre. You will also find various Muslim bookstores and libraries. As in any other bigger UK city, you won’t have troubles finding halal restaurants. Try the Mahswii with Arabian cuisine or the Amer Tandoori. So what are you waiting for? Grab a big bag and head to Europe’s shopping mecca.

Head to the City of Angeles

Are you looking for a marvellous place with a little bit of glamour and stars? Then head to the City of Angeles and discover the home of the film industry!

If you want fun, entertainment and excitement, then visit the city of Los Angeles, one of the most vibrant cities in the world. If you want to discover the city, its beaches and its atmosphere then rent a car. This will give you the opportunity to be flexible and to visit different places around LA, such as Long Beach, Newport or Pasadena, where you should definitely visit Huntington Park and its amazing botanical garden. Insider tip: stay on the west side of Los Angeles and avoid the east side as a tourist.

Indeed, entertainment and fun also await you and your family in one of the entertainment parks, such as the Universal studio, Disney World or Magic Mountain. For all the sports lovers, the Dodger stadium and the LA Staples centre offer a variety of sport events. By the way this is your chance to watch the LA Lakers or the LA Dodgers, but book your ticket in advance. To experience Hollywood, take a walk on the Hollywood Boulevard and Rodeo Drive, hike to the famous Hollywood sign or visit the Kodak Theatre, home of the Oscars. If you want to relax for a bit then head to Venice Beach, Malibu, Santa Barbara or Santa Monica and walk at the most beautiful piers you have ever been to. But be aware of a little bit of craziness in Venice.

Los Angeles is also home of over 48 congregations and Islamic centres, such as the Masjid Ibadullah, the Masjid Omar or the Masjidus Salaam. After your prayers head to the Los Angeles County Museum and discover the Islamic art collection, one of the best sites for modern Arab art. You will also find various halal restaurants, such as the Makkah Halal Tandoori Restaurant or the Al Watan restaurant with Indian and Pakistani cuisine. So stop looking for your next holiday resort, Los Angeles is waiting for you!

The city of love and there is so much more!

If you have a couple of days off and you want a new cultural experience, then book your next flight to Paris, most famous for its Eiffel Tower, one of the greatest architectural wonders. Start the day with a café latte and a croissant in one of the bistros and enjoy the French lifestyle. Take a cruise on the ‘Seine’ and enjoy the magnificent view. Especially at night I guarantee you will be astonished. For all cultural lovers, there are plenty of things to do. How about visiting the most famous museum in the world, the Louvre, where you will find an exposition of Islamic art. Or discover a number of great architectural and historical sites, such as Notre dame, le place de la Concorde with the obelisk of Luxor, the Champs-Élysée with an amazing view over the Avenue de la Grande Armée or the Arc de Triomphe.

If you want to see one of the greatest chateaus, then you must visit the Chateau de Versailles, full of history and definitely worth for a day visit. If you are looking for an artistic atmosphere then take the metro and head to Montmarte Sacré-Coeur and to the Centre Pompidou, where you will meet many painters and artists who will show you their art. By the way this is your chance to get a portrait, a great souvenir! For all the shopping lovers, no question head to the Gallery Lafayette. And Paris is also one of the cities, where you will easily find halal-restaurants, try the most famous student quarter, le quartier de latin, where you can also visit the Sorbonne university on your way.

And explore the third largest mosque in Europe, the great mosque of Paris built after World War I with its 33 metre high minaret. You can also visit the Institute of the Arab world, where you will discover expositions, music, dance or movies. And there is so much more to discover – so book your ticket and experience one of the most amazing cities I have been to.

City break: Sheffield

Looking for a short-break? Why not travel to Sheffield and explore the greenest city in the UK. In the heart of South Yorkshire lies the city of Sheffield, most famous for its history of steel, FC Sheffield, the oldest football club in the world and the annual World Snooker Championships. But the city has much more to offer. If you are passionate about sport you will find two world-class football teams and various world-class venues, such as Ponds Forge, Don Valley Stadium, ICE Sheffield or Sheffield Arena, where loads of sports events are annually held. However, if you rather want to explore art and culture, the city offers you the two biggest theatres outside London, the Crucible and Lyceum Theatre, regular music festivals and plenty of museums such as the Millennium Gallery. If you like to take a break and enjoy the nature, just visit some of the parks in the city, my favourites: Western Park, Botanical Garden, Peace Garden and the ‘indoor’ Winter Garden in the heart of the city.

Wanna go on a hike? Explore the Peak Districts, the first National Park in the UK, which is on your doorsteps. And for all you shoppers out there, one of the biggest european indoor malls, Meadowhall is waiting. And for the hungry-ones, there are various halal-restaurants in the city, my favourite the award winning ‘Aagreh’ at Leopold square with Kashmiri cuisine. Lastly, discover Sheffield’s Islamic landmark, the Medina Mosque at Glover Road, close to the city centre, an Islamic centre with a library, a day centre and two large prayer halls.

The Top 5 Western European cities with Islamic history

Ever thought of exploring the Islamic roots of the so called old continent? halaltrip presents the Top 5 cities in Western Europe still shining with the old Islamic legacy that shaped the continent. Maybe you’ll find your next holiday destination as summer is about to come.

5.) Vienna: The Ottoman Empire tried to capture unsuccessfully the Austrian capital in 1529 and later in 1683. Beside the military siege both countries exchanged various cultural aspects of life within the last centuries. Today Vienna is famous for its great coffee shops, the “Wiener Schnitzel” and the “Stephansdom”, where the bells of the church were made out of the left behind guns from the Ottoman. The architecture of the city is partly based on oriental designs like flat roofs or the similar like a mosque built “Karl Church” with its kind of minarets. Moreover you’ll find some wall paintings remembering the sieges. You’ll even find a Yunus-Emre-Fountain located in the Türkenschanzpark that was a gift from the Republic of Turkey to Austria in 1991.

4.) Algarve: Derived from the Arabic word “al gharb” meaning “the west” this southernmost region of mainland Portugal was once the west border of the Moorish empire. Various architecture aspects are mainly affected by that time. Especially the twisting and narrow streets protecting people from the hot sun and many small minarets on houses are one of the most famous Islamic legacy. Also many Arabic words have influenced the Portuguese language.

3.) Sevilla: Once the capitol for the Kings of the Umayyad Caliphate and important centre of Al-Andalus Sevilla is still a beautiful city in the heart of Spain. As a prestigious UNESCO World Heritage Site the Moorish aesthetic and urban influences continued and are very present in contemporary Seville. If you do check out this great city, visiting the Cathedral of Sevilla is a must. Once known as The Great Mosque with its beautifully ornamented and world famous minaret called Giralda the church is one of the biggest in the world nowadays.

2.) Cordoba: In 766 Cordoba was elected as capital of the independent Muslim emirate of al-Andalus. At that time nearly half a million people lived in Cordoba not only making it the world’s second largest city but one of the most advanced in the world. The city acted as cultural, financial, economic and political heart of the Muslim empire. Also the construction of The Great Mosque of Cordoba dates back to this time once being the largest library in the world. Today the Christian Mezquita is one of the most famous tourist hot spots in the region. This incredible building is without a question one of the most impressive in Europe.

1.) Granada: Only the massive area of the Alhambra would be worth to visit this great city. Built during the mid 14th century the Alhambra acted as a palace and a fortress complex today it is one of the most viewed hot spots in the world. Travellers are waiting hours standing in line only to purchase some tickets. So please visit the official website before visiting this historic monument.