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Travelling to Irak: what to know before you go

Iraq covers much of ancient Mesopotamia, the land between the Tigris and Euphrates where writing and some of the first cities appeared, and it has major sites of pilgrimage, marshlands and the mountains of the Kurdistan Region. It suits travellers with a deep interest in history and culture. Conditions vary by area and can change, so check your government's current travel advice before planning a trip.

Where to go

• Babylon. The site of the ancient city on the Euphrates, south of Baghdad, listed by UNESCO in 2019.
• Ur. The ancient Sumerian city in southern Iraq, near Nasiriyah, with a partly reconstructed ziggurat dating back about 4,000 years and the royal cemetery where famous treasures were found.
• The Mesopotamian Marshes. Wetlands in southern Iraq, part of the UNESCO-listed Ahwar of Southern Iraq, where Marsh Arab communities live in reed houses and travel by narrow boat among buffalo and birdlife.
• Baghdad. The capital on the Tigris has the Iraq Museum, home to an important collection of Mesopotamian artefacts, Al-Mutanabbi Street with its book market and cafés, and the Abbasid-era Mustansiriya school.

Best time to visit

Spring (roughly March to May) and autumn (roughly October to November) are the most comfortable times to visit. Summer is extremely hot across central and southern Iraq, with temperatures often among the highest in the world.

Staying online in Irak

Mobile coverage is generally good in Baghdad, Basra, Erbil and other cities and along main roads, with weaker signal in desert areas, marshes and mountains. Mobile internet is sometimes switched off nationwide for short periods, for example during national school exams, so keep offline copies of maps and documents. Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, though speeds vary. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.