How do I visit famous mosques abroad as a tourist?

Check the visiting hours, dress modestly, and plan around prayer times. Famous mosques like the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, Sheikh Zayed in Abu Dhabi or the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca welcome visitors. As a Muslim you can also go in to pray, which is the best way to experience them.

Before you go

Check opening times online. Many big mosques close to tourists during the five prayers and on Friday midday. Some, like Hassan II, only allow non-Muslims in on guided tours.
Know the rules. A few mosques ask non-Muslims to stay in certain areas, and some sacred sites (Makkah, the inner parts of Madinah) are for Muslims only.
Pack a modest outfit. Loose clothes covering arms and legs; women bring a scarf. Many tourist mosques lend robes and scarves at the entrance.

Traveling with non-Muslim family? They're usually welcome too. See Can I visit a mosque if I'm not Muslim?

Inside the mosque

Take off your shoes and carry them in a bag or leave them on the racks.
Enter with your right foot and say the dua for entering. See What is the dua for entering the mosque?
Pray two rak'ahs before sitting if it's not a prayer time: the Prophet ﷺ said, "If any of you enters a mosque, he should pray two rak'ahs before sitting" (Sahih al-Bukhari 444).
Keep your voice low, don't walk in front of people praying, and ask before photographing anyone.

Pray, don't just look

Tourists often walk around the edge with cameras while you, as a Muslim, can join the congregation. Praying in the rows at the Blue Mosque or the Umayyad Mosque, shoulder to shoulder with locals, is something many converts describe as the highlight of their trip. Arrive 15 minutes before the adhan, make wudu at the fountains, and join in.

وَأَنَّ ٱلْمَسَـٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدًا "And the mosques are for Allah, so do not invoke with Allah anyone." Quran 72:18

The three special mosques

The Prophet ﷺ said not to set out on a journey specifically for worship except to three mosques: the Sacred Mosque in Makkah, his own mosque in Madinah, and al-Aqsa in Jerusalem (Sahih al-Bukhari 1189). He also said one prayer in his mosque is better than a thousand elsewhere, except the Sacred Mosque (Sahih al-Bukhari 1190). Scholars explain this is about traveling for extra reward; visiting other beautiful mosques while you're on holiday is still good.

Dress and manners

Dress as you would for your local mosque, maybe a little smarter. See What should I wear to the mosque? Be patient with crowds and guards; they deal with thousands of visitors every day.

Key points

Check visiting hours; tourist access often pauses at prayer times.
Dress modestly and take your shoes off.
As a Muslim you can pray there, so time your visit with a prayer.
Makkah, Madinah and al-Aqsa carry special reward.

Tip: Keep a light travel prayer mat, a small bag for your shoes, and a scarf in your daypack. Then you're ready whenever you pass a beautiful mosque.