The tour begins in the Courtyard of the Orange Trees, the open-air forecourt where Muslim worshippers once performed ritual ablutions before entering the mosque. The guide introduces the historical context of the site before entering the building.

Inside, the visit traces the first construction phases initiated by Abd al-Rahman I and the subsequent enlargements carried out by Umayyad emirs and caliphs. The layered spatial logic of the building becomes clear as each phase is identified.

The group moves through the celebrated hypostyle hall, where hundreds of columns topped with distinctive red-and-white voussoir arches create a forest-like atmosphere. The guide explains the engineering solutions and the origin of the recycled Roman and Visigothic columns.

A highlight of the visit is the gilded mihrab, the prayer niche indicating the direction of Mecca, surrounded by Byzantine mosaic decoration sent by the Emperor of Constantinople. The craftsmanship and political significance of this commission are explained in detail.

The tour concludes inside the Renaissance cathedral nave built at the centre of the mosque in the sixteenth century, along with the surrounding Christian chapels and altars. The guide addresses how this intervention was received both then and now, and what it reveals about the site's layered identity.