In recent years as Iraq has become more stable and has once again opened to the world of tourism with the launching of a fantastic visa on arrival for some thirty countries. Sometimes however, information on travel to a country like Iraq can be few and far between, and even when you’re in the country it may be hard to find information on how to get to a site, or which sites to visit. Here is our list of unmissable sites when travelling in Iraq.
1. The Ziggurat of Ur
We personally love a ziggurat. We love the word, we love the shape, and most of all we love visiting them in Iraq. The main one that everyone will see is the Ziggurat of Ur which dates back to 2100 BCE. This epic structure sitting out in the desert is absolutely incredible and is a must see for anyone traveling to Iraq, and especially for all you history buffs out there. You can no longer climb the structure, a restriction put in place in order to protect it, but just seeing it from the outside is amazing enough.
2. Uruk
This is another ancient site, but one far older than the Ziggurat of Ur. Uruk is the site of what is commonly referred to as “the first city”. Not just the oldest city in the world, but the first city, as this is one of the first places on planet earth to show signs of organised agricultural society and is considered the birthplace of writing. This site is a little out of the way, so why do we think it’s worth it? Well, there are few places left in the world where one can simply walk through an ancient site without guard rails, and Uruk is certainly one of them. This site is raw and untouched and is littered with ancient pottery and artefacts all over the ground. When visiting this site you will find coloured pottery, like you'd find in a museum, just strewn all around the place, making you feel truly like one of the first people to visit here. Just remember when visiting that you leave only footprints and take only memories, because fines for stealing these precious pieces of pottery are huge and could even land you in jail. This site is truly special and its historical significance is almost unmatched!
3. Najaf and Karbala
We acknowledge that religious sites aren’t for everyone, however we think it would be wrong to visit Iraq and not visit the holy Shia sites of Najaf and Karbala. These two cities (considered the holiest in Shia Islam) house the shrines of Imam Ali and Imam Hussein. These two shrines are marvels of architecture with an epic mirrored interior. You should visit these two shrines not just to appreciate the buildings themselves, but also to feel the atmosphere, with the many hundreds of thousands of pilgrims that visit them each day. The emotion of the people visiting these religious sites, as well as the friendly atmosphere of the outside markets, is truly special and absolutely a highlight of any trip to Iraq, even for those who don’t consider themselves religious or particularly interested in religious sites. On top of this, Najaf has the world’s largest cemetery, stretching to the horizon as far as you can see, containing more than 8 million people!
4. Markets of Baghdad
Baghdad itself is a cool and vibrant city that will shock many people in a good way! The markets and small windy streets are very authentic and provide a great way to see local life, interact with locals and pick up some awesome souvenirs. Everyone who visits Baghdad should go to the copper market and also to Al Mutanabbi street to fully experience the vibe of Baghdad. While on Mutanabbi street it would be a crime not to stop for a tea at the Shabandar café, or if tea isn’t your thing, you can even find hipster coffee places. Yes, that’s right, hipsters have even made it to Baghdad - it seems that truly nowhere is safe!
5. Samarra
Samarra is only a few hours’ drive north of Baghdad and is home to one of the most iconic monuments of the country, the Great Minaret of Samarra. While the site of the actual minaret is closed to visitors, you can view it from the outside. Nearby as well is another similar minaret that you can climb, if you're game. You might not realise it from the photos you've seen, but with a very narrow path, no handrails, and quite a height, it's not for the faint of heart! This site seems to just appear out of the desert with the remains of a large mosque surrounding it. When you visit here you can truly get a grasp on how big and important this site must have been 1000 years ago. It also makes for some great iconic Iraq travel photos.
6. Saddam's Palace in Babylon
Sitting above the ancient site of Babylon is the remains of one of the palaces of Sadam Hussein. This lavish mansion has some incredible interior design to check out and also is an example of the extreme wealth that this man once had. We can get special access to explore the site and it is truly a highlight and a great way to learn about more of the modern history of Iraq. For anyone who loves some urb-ex (urban exploration) this is an absolute must-see, but even if you're not really into urb-ex in general, it's still absolutely fascinating.
If these sites sound like your cup of tea, then join us on our next
group tour
. Or if group tours aren’t your thing, then
get in touch
and we can help you organise a private trip.
