This post may contain affiliate links. This just means I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you for helping them promote their product or service. I don’t endorse any services I don’t personally use or recommend.
Bucketlists are always a good place to start. The handful of sights, attractions, and experiences that you can’t miss in your destination. And if your next destination is Iraq, then you’re in the right place. A bucketlist in any country is the collection of “must-sees” that get you out the guesthouse door. From there- it’s a serendipitous create-your-own-adventure depending on your timing and circumstances. Iraq is especially this way.
These are the 13 things you can’t miss in Iraq. They are the most beautiful + most famous places in Iraq. But these 13 things will also open the door to countless unique experiences within the country that I can’t collect in a short listicle.
I’ve done a lot of writing about Iraq. You can visit my Iraq page for destination + road trip guides, check out my piece on Against the Compass about female safety in the country, and a list on Fodor’s Travel dictating exactly why you should plan a visit to Iraq in the first place.
13 Famous Places in Iraq You Must Visit
Follow this rough map of the 13 best things to see in Iraq as a first-time visitor and I can guarantee your time in the country will be unforgettable.
1. Al-Mutanabbi Street in Baghdad
Baghdad is a sprawling city, mostly constructed in shades of yellow and often only a few stories high. Sparse greenery breaks up the dusty landscape. Al-Mutanabbi street is the “tourist center” of Baghdad if you can say there is one. Its other name is book street. Many years ago, the market on book street was hawking books in tens of languages by the pile. Today, it still has a modest market with outdoor and indoor venders selling a variety of international books.
The juice shops and tea houses, as well as the lively atmosphere, are the real reasons you should head to this street.
2. The Ruins of Mosul
Before the bombs, Mosul was home to 4 million Iraqi residents. Then ISIS overtook the city. The rest is modern history. 1 million of the residents fled and close to 3 million hunkered down in hiding. Thousands were killed in the fight to regain control of Iraq’s second most populous city.
And in 2017, Iraq won.
Today, you can visit the city safely and see the beginnings of rebirth. The local markets are open, people have returned to their half-crumbled pre-war homes, and the famous leaning mosque of Mosul is being rebuilt by UNESCO. To get the most from your visit I recommend contacting Bilweekend for a day tour of the most heavily bombed neighborhood, the mosque rebuild, and the catholic church that was once used as an ISIS hospital.
3. The Fairytale Panorama of Akre
Akre just looks straight out of a fairytale. Built along a hillside with a handful of panoramic vistas to soak in the scenery, it’s easy to get a good view of the town. Two mosques in particular are incredibly photogenic.
4. Sleep in the Iraqi Marshes
My night spent curled up on the floor of a marsh reed thatched hut was one of my favorite nights in all my time in the Middle East. This maze of marshes is threatened by climate change. The way of life of the “Marsh Arabs” is under threat too. Not only is this experience a once-in-a-lifetime travel moment, but it’s important when it comes to cultural preservation.
Keep Abou Haidar and his people living the life they love in their marsh homes.
5. Imam Hussein’s Shrine in Karbala
This is the single most spectacular man-made monument I’ve seen in my entire life. Even as an atheist, it’s impossible to not feel close to whatever god is, here. Beneath the dazzle of a thousand mirrors and bejeweled walls, this mosque-like shrine is truly a sight to behold.
There are many rules for women hoping to visit the shrine. You can visit. But be sure to read my female travel in Iraq guide.
6. The Streets of Babylon
Babylon isn’t much when compared to the rest of the sights Iraq has to offer. But the history here is far too much to pass up. Come see the walls and the speculated place of the lost Garden of Babylon –an original world wonder.
7. The Great Ziggurat of Ur
Dropped in the middle of the flat Iraqi desert, this structure is nearly 4,000 years old. It’s one of the oldest preserved ziggurat on planet earth today. The only one older is actually in Iran, which you can visit with Iran Nomads.
I wrote a very informative piece all about the history of this particular Ziggurat and the ancient civilization that crafted it for BBC Travel.
8. The Spiraling Minaret of Samarra
Unfortunately, on my 2-week adventure through Iraq, I didn’t make time to visit the thin spiraling minaret north of Baghdad. It takes a full day to reach independently due to its isolation. But I regret not going. Don’t make the same mistake I did.
9. The Barefoot City of Lalish
Those of you that are crossing the domestic border into Iraqi Kurdistan should consider renting a car and road-tripping the next 5 destinations using my Iraqi Kurdistan road trip guide.
The teeny town of Lalish is really no larger than a couple of football fields. Hidden away in the scrub brush mountains near some oil refineries, this town is the holiest site for the Yazidi people. The conical temples are photogenic and the entire city must be explored barefoot. It’s a must-see + an interesting cultural experience.
Another rule: Don’t step on any door sills.
10. Marvel at the Mesa of Amedi
Hands down the most photogenic spot in all of Iraq if you ask me. You just have to see this town to believe it.
11. See the Curl of Dore Canyon
To reach this impressive vista, you’ll have to tromp off-road through the thick brush to the rocky outcropping for this view. It’s very similar to the famous Horseshoe Bend in Arizona.
Maybe even more impressive because of the lack of people.
12. The Beginning of Humanity at Shanidar Cave
65,000-35,000 years old. That’s how old the skeletal remains pulled from scenic Shanidar Cave are. The cave itself is a large slit, gaping at the top of a mountainside staircase. Beautiful and phenomenally important from an archeological perspective.
The cave is a site of current digs and aside from the crazy old neandertal remains, it’s also thought to be the oldest ever intentional cemetery or gravesite.
13. Enjoy the Views at Gomi Felaw
Snowy mountain caps in Iraq? Yup. It’s got that too. Gomi Felaw is an incredible mountain range that will maintain its white peaks until mid-summer most years. It’s a sight to behold and a great day trip on some of the most scenic winding roads in Iraq.
If you visit all 13 of these famous places in Iraq you’ll have explored a majority of the country. You’ll gain a greater understanding of the various religious groups that reside there. You’ll enjoy varied Iraqi cuisine. And befriend a wonderful cross-section of locals with varying opinions of the state of the world and their home country. In addition to the incredible landscapes, attractions, and monuments that are actually on this list. Bucketlists have a way of pushing you beyond them if you leave room in your schedule.
Save This Post For Later!
No Comments