Ramadi is the capital city of Al Anbar Governorate in central Iraq located at the coordinates 33°25′ N 43°18′ E. It is situated about 119 km west of Bagdad, the capital city of Iraq. Ramadi had a population of 483,209 according to the 2004 UN data. Fallujah and Haditha are the major cities of Al Anbar along with Ramadi.

Ramadi has an agricultural based economy and wheat, potatoes, autumn, barley, maize and fodder are the major agricultural crops grown in the regions of Ramadi. The important river flowing through Ramadi is Euphrates River.

History of Ramadi:

Before the 21^st century, Ramadi had a large population of Jewish Community and after the Independence war of Iraq, most of the Jewish community people left Ramadi and migrated to Israel. Ramadi was founded by Ottoman Empire in the year 1869 and conquered by British forces during the World War I.

Food, Culture and Shopping in Ramadi:

Ramadi locals have special hand in preparing variety of delicious and tasty non vegetarian and vegetarian dish. Some characteristic ingredients of Ramadi cuisine include bulghur wheat, halloumi, baharat, za’atar, feta, lime, dates, figs, sesame, tamarind, honey, date syrup, sumac, pine nuts and quince. The special types of dish among the surrounding regions of Ramadi are Gauss, Falafel, Kubbah, Bamieh, Tabbouleh, Turshi, Muhammara and Ghormeh sabzi.

Ramadi houses several prominent mosques, dance and music schools and few fine arts teaching centres. In recent years, the people of Ramadi are getting attracted towards football and the city organizes football matches during the summer season.

Ramadi houses numerous branded shopping centers of clothes, shoes, electrical, electronic, jewelry, perfume, bags, handicraft and also home to Iran, Saudi Arabia and western countries style food corners all around the city to attract the foreign tourists.

Connectivity to Ramadi:

Ramadi is well connected by both air and road mode of transport services. Buses are easily available at Ramadi City centre to reach Bagdad, Basra, Mosul, Erbil and Najaf at regular intervals. Also Taxis are widely used in the city by both locals and tourists. The nearest airport to Ramadi is Bagdad International Airport located about 120 kms from the heart of Ramadi City. One can hire Taxi to reach airport early and safely.

Places to see in Ramadi:

Baghdad Zoo:

Baghdad Zoo was inaugurated in 1971 considered as the biggest zoo of Iraq located in Bagdad. This zoo houses few endangered mammals and is situated about 125 kms away from Ramadi City.

Al-Faw Palace:

Al-Faw Palace is also called as Water Palace because of its near proximity with Tigris River. The outer structure of the palace is a prime attraction and is still in good condition.

Al-Shaheed Monument:

Al-Shaheed Monument was constructed in the memorial of brave Iraqi warriors who expired in the Iran-Iraq war. This monument houses lecture hall, exhibition gallery, cafeteria, library and museum.

Other tourist attractions near Ramadi include:

• National Museum of Iraq
• Umm al-Qura Mosque
• The Al Kadhimain Shrine
• Swords of Qādisīyah
• Monument to the Unknown Soldier
• Lake Habbaniyah
• Baghdad Tower
• Great Mosque of Kufa

Ideal time to visit Ramadi:

Throughout the year is best, especially between November and February is the ideal time to visit Ramadi.

Accommodation options near Ramadi:

The best hotels in Ramadi and the national capital Bagdad (120 kms from Ramadi) are listed below:

• Al Ramadi Hotel
• Hotel California
• Al Rasheed Hotel
• Coral Boutique Hotel Baghdad
• Rimal Hotel
• Palestine International Hotel
• Masbah Plaza Hotel
• Uruk Hotel
• Arasat Palace Hotel
• Baghdad International Airport Hotel
• La Petite Maison
• Cristal Grand Ishtar Hotel

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Najaf is a capital city of Najaf Governorate in Western Asian country of Iraq and is considered as one of the holy cities of Shi’a Islam. Najaf is positioned at an altitude of 60 meters and is located between 32°00′00″ N latitude and 44°20′00″ E longitude. According to 2008 Iraqi Census, Najaf had a population of 560,000 and the city is situated about 171 km south of national capital Bagdad.

Tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib, The Imam Ali Mosque and Wadi-us-Salaam cemetery have turned Najaf as the 3^rd holiest city among the Islamic countries. Najaf houses one of the most significant teaching centres of Iraq named as ‘The Najaf Seminary’.

History of Najaf:

It is believed that, Najaf was formed by Abbasid Caliph Harun ar-Rashid in 791. Before British conquered Najaf in 1915, it was under the rule of Ottoman Empire and the city suffered from lot of bomb blasts during 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Culture, Cuisine and Shopping in Najaf:

Najaf is a city with full of world famous mosques and historical monuments. Other than mosques, Najaf houses several eminent cultural centres of dance and music. Najaf is home to more than 95% of Muslim population along with fewer percentage of Christian and other communities.

Food at Najaf is similar compared to other regions of Iraq. Non vegetarian items are the most favorite of Muslim citizens of Najaf and they also have interest in vegetarian soups like Fasoulia, Fesenjan and Ghormeh sabzi. One can easily find hotels from the different regions of the world all around the Najaf City.

Najaf is packed with abundance of shopping malls and restaurants. Due to the great demand created for handicraft products by the foreign tourists, there are plenty of handicraft shops in the city with variety of handicraft products to fulfill the requirement of local and foreign tourists.

Connectivity to Najaf:

Najaf is served by Najaf International Airport situated 7 kms away from the centre of the city. There are taxis and buses widely available to reach airport and tourist spots at Najaf City. Najaf has well maintained road infrastructure all over the city and to local travel, taxis and buses are best.

Tourist attractions in Najaf:

Tomb of Ali ibn Abi Talib:

Ali ibn Abi Talib Tomb also called as Imama Ali Tomb is a prime attraction of Najaf located in Najaf City centre. It is visited by most numbers of Shia Muslims from the major Arab countries like Kuwait, Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia and is considered as third most sacred place of Shi’a Islam.

Imam Ali Mosque:

The Imam Ali Mosque is a majestic construction with a gold covered dome and many expensive objects in the walls. The Mosque is surrounded by Wadi-us-Salaam cemetery, several hospitals, schools, libraries and Sufi convents. It is believed that, the Iranian ruler the Daylamite Fannakhosraw Azod ad Dowleh constructed this Mosque in 977.

The Najaf Seminary:

The Najaf Seminary is one of the major educational institutions located in the city of Najaf and is also a major landmark of Najaf City.

The list of other tourist attractions near Najaf is as follows:

• Baghdad Zoo
• Baghdad Tower
• Geli Eli Beg Waterfall
• Seleucia
• Hanging Gardens of Babylon
• Lake Habbaniyah

Ideal time to visit Najaf:

Between October and April is the best time to visit Najaf, when the grand cultural programs are held in two important mosques of Najaf.

Accommodation options near Najaf:

The hotels of Najaf are very much famous for their variety of mouthwatering dish and a special type of service. Prominent hotels near Najaf are:

• Ribal Hotel
• The White Palace Hotel
• Coral Boutique Hotel
• AlMasbah Plaza Hotel
• Baghdad Hotel
• Palestine Hotel
• Al Rasheed Hotel
• Al Mansour Milia Hotel
• Almas Hotel
• Hotel Sadeer Novotel
• Ishtar Hotel

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Mosul is one of the major cities of Iraq and the capital city of Nineveh Province. It is the third biggest city after Bagdad and Basra in the country and is situated about 405 km northwest of national capital Bagdad. Mosul City is placed on the banks of River Tigris at the coordinates of 36.34° N 43.13° E. The people of Mosul are generally called as Maslawis.

Mosul is very much famous in the productions of Mosul marble and the fabric Muslin. Iraq’s one of the leading educational institute ‘University of Mosul’ is placed in the heart of Mosul City and the important sport centres of Mosul include Mosul Stadium and Al Mosul University Stadium.

Culture in Mosul:

Mosul is populated with higher majority of Arab tribes like Assyrians, Turcoman and Kurdish minorities followed by Armenians, Assyrians, Kurds, Turkmens and Assyrian Christians. The languages spoken by the natives of Mosul include Aleppan Arabic, Levantine Arabic and Iraqi Arabic.

Compared to other regions of Iraq, Christians are highly residing in Mosul and the city houses several churches namely ancient Tahira Church and Mar Hudeni Church. The natives of Mosul have good hand in producing handicraft products of metalwork and variety of clothes.

Connectivity to Mosul:

Mosul is one of the commercial and cultural centres of Iraq and has a good connectivity with all the major cities of the country like Basra, Bagdad, Karbala, Kirkuk and Erbil. Mosul Airport is situated about 9 kms from the midpoint of Mosul City. Buses are accessible at Mosul City Bus Stand and other local terminals at regular intervals. One can hire Taxi to visit tourist destinations and to reach nearby cities.

Tourist Attractions in Mosul:

Mosul Museum:

Mosul Museum is a beautifully constructed museum situated in the centre of Mosul City. The entrance floor of the museum is designed with full of striking Mosul Marble and the museum has a large collection of ancient coins and photographs.

The Great (Nuriddin) Mosque:

The Great (Nuriddin) Mosque was constructed in 1172 AD by Nuriddin Zangi, located in the vicinity of famous Umayyad Mosque. This mosque is very much famous for its outer structure.

Church of St. Thomas:

Church of St. Thomas is a historical church named in the memory of St. Thomas. It is believed that, this church was constructed in 770 AD.

St. George’s Monastery:

St. George’s Monastery is one of the ancient churches situated to the north of Mosul City. It was constructed during the end of 17^th century and named in the remembrance of St. George.

Mar Petion Church:

Mar Petion Church is considered as the first Chaldean Catholic church of Mosul. It was reconstructed several times due to the destruction.

Mar Hudeni Church:

Mar Hudeni Church was built during 10^th century named in the memory of Mar Ahudemmeh Maphrian of Tikrit.

 Mosul Stadium:

Mosul Stadium is the major stadium of Mosul currently used for football matches located in Mosul. The stadium has a seating capacity of 10,000 people.

 The list of other tourist attractions near Mosul is as follows:

• Mashad Yahya Abul Kassem
• Bash Tapia Castle
• Qara Serai
• Mosque of the Prophet Yunus
• Shamoun Al-Safa
• Monastery of Mar Behnam
• Mar Matte

 Ideal time to visit Mosul:

January, December and July are the ideal months to visit Erbil.

 Accommodation options near Mosul:

The best hotels in and around Mosul are:

• Ninavah International Hotel
• Ar Rafidiaain Hotel
• Ashur Hotel
• Atlas Hotel
• Rafidain Hotel
• Divan Erbil Hotel
• Noble Hotel
• Van Royal Hotel
• Jabar Palace Hotel
• DMDM Hotel
• Mondeal Hotel
• Altin Saray Erbil Hotel

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Karbala is considered as one of the cities in Iraq located between 32°37′ N latitude and 44°02′ E longitude. It is the capital city of Karbala Governorate situated about 107 km southwest of Bagdad City. After Mecca and Medina, Karbala is a major holy place of Shia Muslims. According to 2003 Iraqi Census, Karbala had a population of 572,300.

Karbala is well known for the Karbala Battle happened in 680 and is very much famous for one of the sacred place of Iraq ‘Imam Husayn Shrine’. Karbala City is divided into two divisions Old Karbala and New Karbala and the whole city houses more than 100 mosques and 23 religious schools. Karbala has a hot desert climate.

History of Karbala:

Karbala has several argues about its name origin. One source claim that Karbala derives its name from Aramaic language word Karb or Qarb means ‘God’. Another source argues that the name Karbala came from Arabic word Karbalah means “soft earth”.

Cuisine, Culture of Karbala:

Karbala is a heaven of worship places and the famous holy places of Karbala include Al Abbas Mosque, Hadrat Abbas Shrine and Imam Husayn Shrine. Other than mosques Karbala is home to cultural centre of dance and music and Karbala Football Club. Karbala is populated with more than 95% of Muslims, followed by Christians and other communities.

The natives of Karbala use olive oil and pine nuts to cook their food and also the locals have great interest in non vegetarian food items than vegetarian food items. The popular dish of Karbala includes Dolma, Kibbeh, Kofta, Pastırma, Sujuk, Khichdi, Mujaddara, Quzi and Shawarma.

How to reach Karbala?

Karbala is a holy place of Iraq houses plenty of mosques all around the city and is visited by most numbers of pilgrims and tourists from all over the globe. Due to this reason, there are ample numbers of buses frequently running between Karbala and other main cities Iraq to provide healthy transport facility to the tourists.

Karbala is served by Karbala Northeast Airport located about 54 kms from the heart of the city.

Places to see in Karbala:

Imam Husayn Shrine:

Imam Husayn Shrine is one of the ancient mosques in the world located in Karbala City. It is visited by millions of pilgrims annually for its holiness and historical importance and is located in the vicinity of Al Abbas Mosque. There are two ways to reach Imam Husayn Shrine from Bagdad City and Najaf City.

Al Abbas Mosque:

Al Abbas Mosque also termed as Masjid Al Abbas is located near Imam Husayn Mosque in Karbala. This holy place is very much famous among the surrounding regions of Karbala.

Hadrat Abbas Shrine:

Hadrat Abbas Shrine is a historical monument situated in the vicinity of Imam Hussain Shrine in Karbala City. It is visited by plenty of Shia Muslims in the month of Muharram every year.

The list of other tourist attractions near Karbala is as follows:

• Ahlulbait University College
• Karbala
• Al Abbas Mosque
• Great Mosque of Samarra
• Baghdad Tower
• Geli Eli Beg Waterfall
• Seleucia
• Hanging Gardens of Babylon

Best time to visit Karbala:

Winter season is the ideal time to visit Karbala, while the weather remains in favor of the tourists.

Accommodation Options in Karbala:

The major hotels in and around Karbala are as follows:

• Hotel Alsaffar
• Burj Al Forat Hotel
• Nahher Al Janah Hotel
• Almanasik International Hotel
• Bab Alhwaej Hotel
• Burj Al Zahra Hotel
• Sama Hotel
• Al Mansour Hotel
• Hotel Al-Rasheed
• Babylon Hotel
• Badia Cham Palace

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Kirkuk also written as Karkuk or Kerkuk is a city located in Northern Iraq, the capital of Kirkuk Governorate situated about 235 kms north of national capital Bagdad. In 2010, the ministry of culture of Iraq named Kirkuk as ‘the cultural capital of Iraq’.

Kirkuk Governorate is surrounded by Arbil Governorate in the north, Sulaymaniyah Governorate to the east and Salah ad Din Governorate towards southwest. Kirkuk City is placed between 35°28′0″ N latitude and 44°19′0″ E longitude and features a hot semi-arid climate. The important landmarks of Kirkuk include Kirkuk Citadel, Tomb of Daniel and Qishla of Kirkuk.

History of Kirkuk:

The literal meaning of Kirkuk in Aramaic and Syriac language is “Beth Garmai” means “place of bones”. Neo-Assyrian Empire ruled Kirkuk for very long time and Kirkuk also witnessed the rule of Babylonia and Media.

Culture and Cuisine in Kirkuk:

The population of Kirkuk comprises of Arabs, Assyrians, Iraqi Turkmens and Kurds. Tikriti are residing higher in majority than Hadidi in Kirkuk. The famous archeological sites of Kirkuk are Qal’at Jarmo and Yorgan Tepe and most of the Kirkuk archeological sites were destroyed during World War I.

Kirkuk is rich in its food culture famous for non vegetarian dish among the other regions of the country. The famous non vegetarian dish of Kirkuk includes Pastırma, Sujuk, Biryani, Sabich and Shawarma. Also the city houses several eminent restaurants from the different regions of the surrounding Arab countries.

Connectivity to Kirkuk:

Kirkuk has got good connectivity with its surrounding regions and the major cities of the country through road and air mode of transport. Erbil International Airport is the nearest airport to Kirkuk. Kirkuk is at the distance of 83 kms from Arbil, 150 kms from Mosul, 115 kms from Tirkit and 97 km from Sulaymaniyah. Also there are regular buses accessible at Kirkuk City to reach Bagdad, Basra and Erbil, to travel within the city taxi is the best option.

Tourist Attractions in Kirkuk:

The Kirkuk Citadel:

The Kirkuk Citadel is situated in the heart of Kirkuk City. It is said that, the citadel was constructed between 884 and 858 BCE by King Ashurnasirpal II.

The Qishla of Kirkuk:

The Qishla of Kirkuk is a historical monument located in Kirkuk. It is believed that, Qishla was constructed in the year 1863. This building is spread over an area of about 6 acres situated in the heart of Kirkuk City.

Citadel of Erbil:

Citadel of Erbil is a historical mound located in Erbil and is placed about 80 kms from Kirkuk City centre. It is one of the must visit places in Iraq and the bathing rooms and a textile museum are the prime attractions of Citadel.

Other tourist attractions near Kirkuk include:

• Daniel’s Tomb
• Bazari Pirehmerd
• Franso Hariri Stadium
• Mudhafaria Minaret
• Qaysari Bazaars
• Assyrian Christian Church
• Hewler Wall
• Sami Abdulrahman Park

Ideal time to visit Kirkuk:

Between November and May is the best time to visit Kirkuk.

Accommodation Options in Kirkuk:

Hotels located near Kirkuk are well known for their upgraded class hospitality services and the facilities available in the hotels of Kirkuk include laundry, internet connectivity, doctor on call, hot water, 24 hour electricity, fridge, cable TV, garden area, vehicle parking and the food from the different regions of the world including Iran, China, India, Africa, Italy, Japan and Australia. The prominent hotels situated near Kirkuk are:

• Kirkuk Palace Hotel
• Divan Erbil Hotel
• Jabar Palace Hotel
• DMDM Hotel
• Mondeal Hotel
• Sunhells Hotel
• Noble Hotel
• Van Royal Hotel
• Safeer Hotel
• Erbil Rotana Hotel

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Erbil also spelled as Arbil or Irbil is the 4^th most populous city in Iraq located at the coordinates 36°11′28″ N 44°0′33″ E. It is the capital of Arbil Province in Kurdistan region and is situated about 389 km north of Bagdad, the capital of Iraq. Erbil was formed in 9000 BC and is one of the ancient continually colonized cities in the world.

The important tourist landmarks in Erbil include Erbil Clock, Minare Park, Mechko Coffe, Assyrian Christian Church, Hewler Wall, Citadel of Hewler, Old Minaret and Franso Hariri Stadium. Other than tourist destinations Erbil is home to top educational institutions and health centres as well.

History of Erbil:

Erbil is one of the oldest regularly occupied cities in the globe and ruled by famous regional powers such as the Babylonians, the Medes, the Persians, the Greeks, the Arabs, the Seljuk, Ottoman Turks and Assyrians.

Cuisine and Culture of Erbil:

Football is the most lovable sport in Erbil and the city hosts one football stadium named as ‘Franso Hariri Stadium’ located in the south division of central Erbil. Arbil SC is the neighboring football team plays football matches at Franso Hariri Stadium. Also the natives of Erbil have a great interest in classical music and dance.

The people living in Erbil give more importance to heath, so they have a special restriction in taking food. The staple food of Erbil natives are onion, potato, courgette, spinach, leeks, artichokes, raisins, apricots, plums, figs, grapes, melons and feta. Erbil City houses Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Persian, Iranian and Thai along with local flavor food centres all over the city.

Connectivity to Erbil:

Erbil is served by Erbil International Airport situated about 10 kms from the midpoint of the city. This international airport is well connected with other main airports of the country namely Baghdad International Airport, Basra International Airport and Najaf International Airport. Tourists can board buses at regular intervals at Erbil City Bus Stand and there are taxis available at reasonable rent to reach airport and tourist spots.

Places of attractions in Erbil:

Erbil’s Archaeological Museum:

Erbil’s Archaeological Museum is one of the major museums of Iraq located in Erbil City. It has a large collection of pre-Islamic relics and is also a best site to archeological project conductors.

Citadel of Erbil:

Citadel of Erbil is a historical tell placed in Erbil and the top building of the tell spread over an area of 102,000 sq. km. The bathing rooms and a textile museum of the citadel are must see.

Sami Abdulrahman Park:

Sami Abdulrahman Park is a beautiful park located in the heart of Erbil City. It is considered as the largest park of Iraq houses a splendid rose garden, a lake, the Martyrs Monument and a restaurant.

Other tourist attractions in Erbil are:

• Kurdish Textile Museum
• Franso Hariri Stadium
• Mudhafaria Minaret
• Qaysari Bazaars
• Assyrian Christian Church
• Hewler Wall

Best time to visit Erbil:

December, January and July are the ideal months to visit Erbil.

Accommodation options in Erbil:

The tourist places of Erbil attract tourists fro all over the globe for historical importance. The city of Erbil houses plenty of star hotels with variety of food from the different regions of the world because of the visit of higher majority of foreign tourists. The famous hotels in Erbil are:

• Divan Erbil Hotel
• Noble Hotel
• Van Royal Hotel
• Jabar Palace Hotel
• DMDM Hotel
• Mondeal Hotel
• Altin Saray Erbil Hotel
• Erbil Rotana Hotel
• Sunhells Hotel
• Helen Plaza Hotel

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Baqubah also written as Baquba or Baqouba is the capital city of Diyala Governorate in Iraq placed at 33°45′ N 44°38′ E. It is located about 61 km northwest of Bagdad, the capital city of Iraq. Baqubah is considered as the heart of Iraq’s profitable orange groves.

Baqubah is one of the gradually developing cities in Iraq houses several top grade educational institutions, health centres and the cultural centres of dance and music. Agriculture is the major economic source of Baqubah.

History of Baqubah:

USA forces started a war operation in Baqubah against Iraqi militants in the year 2007. Also the city suffered by several bomb blasts during the independence war with the British Army. Now the city is gradually recovering from the earlier awful incidents.

Food, Culture and Shopping in Baqubah:

The higher majority of people living in Baqubah are Muslims. The people of Baqubah speak Kurdish, Arabic and South Azeri. The natives of Baqubah give more importance to religious festivals like Moharam and Ramzan. During the time of national festival people will be joining together and celebrate festivals with great enthusiasm.

The locals of Baqubah like mixture of non vegetarian and vegetarian dish. Kadaif, Laffa, Ka’ak, Burek, Markook, Baharat, Baklava, Kleicha, Qatayef, Sabich and Khichdi are the special type of dish very famous among the regions of Baqubah. The hotels of Baqubah serve with food from the different regions of the world along with local food items.

It is very easy to purchase handicraft items and daily usable products, because Baqubah houses concoction of ancient and modern shopping centres. Also Baqubah is home to many shopping malls and several spicy food corners.

Connectivity to Baqubah:

Baqubah is well connected with its surrounding regions and major cities of the country by road and air transport. The closest airport to Baqubah is Al-Rasheed Airport in Baghdad situated at a distance of 63 kms. This important airport has good connectivity with all the prime airports of the country. Taxis and Buses are good to travel within the city.

Places to see near Baqubah:

Bagdad Tower:

Baghdad Tower earlier known as International Saddam Tower is a TV Tower located in Bagdad at a height of 205 meters. It is situated about 60 kms from Baqubah City. The tower was inaugurated in 1994 named as International Saddam Tower and renamed as Baghdad Tower after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Baghdad Tower is located between 33°18′12″ N latitude and 44°21′15″ E longitude.

National Museum of Iraq:

The National Museum of Iraq also called as Iraq Museum situated in the heart of Bagdad City. This museum was inaugurated in the year 1926 and is still in good condition. It contains more precious objects from the Mesopotamian civilization and is placed about 65 kms away from Baqubah City.

The list of other tourist attractions near Baqubah is as follows:

• Great Mosque of Kufa
• Victory Arch
• Geli Eli Beg Waterfall
• Seleucia
• Hanging Gardens of Babylon
• Lake Habbaniyah
• Baghdad Zoo

Ideal time to visit Baqubah:

From the beginning of winter season to the start of summer season is the best time to holiday Baqubah, in this time several cultural events organized in the main worship places of Baqubah.

Accommodation options near Baqubah:

The best top rated hotels in and around Baqubah are as follows:

• Palestine Hotel
• Al Mansour Milia Hotel
• Al Rasheed Hotel
• Baghdad Hotel
• AlMasbah Plaza Hotel
• Coral Boutique Hotel
• Hotel Sadeer Novotel
• Ishtar Hotel
• Babylon Oberoi Hotel
• Cristal Grand Ishtar Hotel
• Al Rasheed Hotel
• Coral Boutique Hotel Baghdad
• Rimal Hotel

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Sulaymaniyah is a cultural capital of Kurdistan Region in Iraq positioned at an altitude of 882 meters. It is the capital city of Sulaymaniyah Governorate and is located about 332 km northeast of national capital Bagdad. Sulaymaniyah was founded by Kurdish prince Ibrahim Pasha Baban in the year 1784. Sulaymaniyah experience a semi-arid climate and located at the coordinates 35°33′ N 45°26′ E.

Sulaymaniyah is bounded by Baranan Mountain to the south, Tasluja Hills on the west and Goyija Range, Qaiwan Range, and Azmer Range towards northeast.

Agriculture and oil production are the major economy sources of Sulaymaniyah and it exports higher majority of wheat to foreign countries. University of Sulaymaniyah and The American University of Iraq are the prime universities of Sulaymaniyah and the country as well.

History of Sulaymaniyah:

Sulaymaniyah named in the memory of Sulaiman Pasha, the father of Sulaymaniyah’s founder the Kurdish prince ‘Ibrahim Pasha Baban’. Sulaymaniyah was formed in the year 1784.

Food and Culture Sulaymaniyah:

Since 1992 Sulaymaniyah is constantly being recognized as the cultural capital of Kurdistan Region in Iraq. Sulaymaniyah people celebrate world music day annually. Compare to other regions of Iraq, Sulaymaniyah natives give more importance to cultural events and the city houses several ancient and modern cultural centres as well.

Food at Sulaymaniyah is slightly different compared to Bagdad, Mosul and Basra regions. The natives like mixture of vegetarian and non vegetarian dish and prepare food with lot of love and care. Sulaymaniyah is home to several famous Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Italian food corners.

Yaprax and Kofta are very prominent delicious dish in Sulaymaniyah and these are not available all around the city, tourists can only get in Sara Restaurant and this restaurant is also very much famous for Kebab, Goshty brzhaw, Brnj shla. For Pizza and Italian food Roma restaurant is popular, located in Tooy Malik. Pasha’s coffee is very nice available all around the city. The Zara Supermarket and Amazon Shop are the best shopping centres at Sulaymaniyah.

How to reach Sulaymaniyah?

Sulaymaniyah International Airport is one of the important airports of the Iraq with daily flights to Middle Eastern cities namely Amman, Doha, Beirut, Damascus, Dubai and European and Eastern countries cities like Frankfurt, Stockholm, Malmo, Munich and Eindhoven. Airport is located about 13 kms from the midpoint of Sulaymaniyah City. Tourists can hire Taxi to reach Airport at reasonable rent.

Tourist attractions in Sulaymaniyah:

Sulaimani Museum:

After the national museum in Baghdad, Sulaimani Museum is the biggest museum of Iraq located in Sulaymaniyah city. It has a large collection of Kurdish and ancient Persian historical objects.

Aram Gallery:

Aram Gallery is one of the best places for art lovers in Iraq. It is located in Sulaymaniyah, shows Kurdish and foreign films at night.

Zamwa Gallery:

Zamwa Gallery has a great collection of the works of the artists of Sulaymaniyah City situated in the centre of the city.

Other tourist attractions near Sulaymaniyah include:

• Amna Suraka Museum
• Chavy Tourism City
• Newroz Amusement Park and Zoo
• Daiyk Park
• City Cinema
• Bowling Center

Best time to visit Sulaymaniyah:

During the months of winter season is the ideal time to reach Sulaymaniyah to visit museum, park and zoo.

Accommodation Options near Sulaymaniyah:

The hotels of Sulaymaniyah provide facilities of air ticket bookings, pick up and drop to airport and swimming pool. The best hotels in Sulaymaniyah are as follows:

• Sulaymani Palace
• High Crest Hotel
• Lalazar Hotel
• Abu Sana Hotel
• Grand Millennium Hotel
• Shahram Hotel
• Mihrako Hotel
• Alborz Hotel
• Assos Hotel
• Shwan Hotel

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Nasiriyah also written as Nassiriya or Nasiriya is the capital city of Dhi Qar Governorate in Iraq. The city of Nasiriyah is located about 356 kms from Bagdad, the capital of Iraq. Nasiriyah was founded in the year 1840 and has a population of Shia Muslims, Mandaean and Sunni Muslim communities. Nasiriyah is placed between latitude 31°03′ in the north and longitude 46°16′ in the east.

Boatbuilding, carpentry and silver working are the occupations of the natives of Nasiriyah. The major landmarks of Nasiriyah include Nasiriyah Water Treatment Plant and The City Museum. Nasiriyah experience a desert climate.

History of Nasiriyah:

Nasiriyah was formed by Sheikh Nasir Al Sadoon of the Muntafiq ethnic association in 1872 and the city named in the memory of him. Nasiriyah witnessed the World War I during the beginning of 20^th century.

Food, Culture and Shopping in Nasiriyah:

Nasiriyah natives have good hand in preparing non vegetarian dish. Okra, onion, potato, courgette, spinach, leeks, artichokes, plums, figs and melons are the commonly used staple food in Nasiriyah. The mouthwatering special dish in Nasiriyah include Hummus, Kibbeh, Sarma, Pastırma, Biryani, Khichdi, Mujaddara, Quzi and Geimar.

Nasiriyah people give equal importance to both national and religious festivals. The religious festivals like Muharram, Ed ul Fitar and Ramzan are celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervor by the locals of Nasiriyah. The population of Muslim is very high in all the regions of Nasiriyah.

Nasiriyah is packed with full of modern shopping centres of cloth, jeweler and daily usable product centres. Also Nasiriyah houses handicraft and archeological product shops, Chinese, Italian and Japanese food corners.

Connectivity to Nasiriyah:

Nasiriyah is served by Basra International Airport located about 190 kms from the centre of Nasiriyah city. Other than airways, Nasiriyah has a good connectivity with the important cites like Basra, Erbil, Bagdad, Karbala, Kirkuk and Mosul through well maintained roadways. There are luxury buses accessible at Nasiriyah to reach Bagdad and Basra City and also taxis play a major mode of transport in Nasiriyah.

Places to see in Nasiriyah:

The City Museum:

The City Museum is one of the prime attractions of Nasiriyah located in centre of the city. It contains a large collection of Sumerian, Assyrian, Babylonian, and Abbasid historical objects. It is surrounded by several famous food corners and mosques.

Ziggurat of Ur:

Ziggurat of Ur is a very famous tourist destination among the regions of Nasiriyah located about 20 km from Nasiriyah City centre. It was built by King Ur-Nammu.

Imam Ali Mosque:

Imam Ali Mosque also called as Masjid Ali is one of the holy places of Iraq in Najaf and is placed about 160 kms from Nasiriyah. It is said that, the Iranian ruler the Daylamite Fannakhosraw Azod ad Dowleh built this Mosque in 977. Imam Ali Mosque was rebuilt in the year 1086 by Seljuk Malik Shah after being damaged by fire.

Other tourist attractions present in Nasiriyah are:

• The Great Mosque of Samarra
• Great Mosque of Kufa
• Lake Habbaniyah
• Hanging Gardens of Babylon
• Baghdad Zoo
• Lake Habbaniyah

Best time to visit Nasiriyah:

During the months of winter season plan your holiday to Nasiriyah to visit historical worship places.

Accommodation Options in Nasiriyah:

• Urk Hotel
• UR Hotel
• Zamzam Hotel
• Shabbad Hotel
• Al Rasheed Hotel
• Coral Boutique Hotel Baghdad
• Rimal Hotel
• Palestine International Hotel
• Masbah Plaza Hotel
• Uruk Hotel
• Arasat Palace Hotel
• Cristal Grand Ishtar Hotel

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Basra also spelled as Basrah is the capital city of Basra Governorate in Iraq. It is located on the borders of Iran and Kuwait which occupies an area of 181 sq. km. and is placed at an altitude of 5 meters. Basra had a population of 2,009,767 according to 2012 Iraqi Census. It is said that, Basra was founded in 636 CE and contributed a major role in initial Islamic history.

Basra ranks second in the area and the population after Bagdad in Iraq. Basra is situated about 552 km southeast of national capital Bagdad and is placed between 30°30′ N latitude and 47°49′ E longitude. Basra features a hot desert climate.

Basra is playing an important role in the economy of Iraq. Basra houses most of the oil reserves of the country and also has big hand in producing agricultural products like maize, corn, barley, pearl millet, wheat, dates and rice. Ali Bin Abi Talib mosque, Basra Sports City and Basra International Hotel are the main landmarks of Basra.

History of Basra:

There are several theories about the origin of name Basra. One source claim that, Basra derives its name from Akkadian language and another source argues that, Basra got its name from the Persian word ‘Bas-rah’. Basra was formed in 636 CE and is popularly called as “the mother of Iraq”, “the prosperous city” and “the reservoir of Arabs”.

Cuisine, culture and shopping in Basra:

The higher majority of Basra population is filled with tribal Arabs of the Adnanite or the Qahtanite communities. Bani Asad, Bani Ka’ab, Bani Malik, Shammar, Bani Khalid, Bani Sa’ad, Al-shwelat `Anizzah, Suwa’id, Al-bo Mohammed and Bani Tamim are the major tribes are living in Basra. Basra also houses a minority of Christians and Afro-Iraqi citizens.

Non vegetarian staple food like mutton, chicken and fish are playing a major role in the daily dish of Basra natives. Other than non vegetarian food items, the locals use the spicy and dairy items namely Baladi cheese, Jibneh Arabieh, Lahmacun, Jameed, Labaneh, Khubz, Lavash, Sammoun and Markook.

Basra is rapidly developing in shopping sector along with industrialization and tourism. The shops that located in Basra have the ability to fulfill the requirement of foreign tourists with upgraded facilities. Basra has well maintained road network and this will help to tourists to travel all around the city.

Connectivity to Basra;-

Basra is the second biggest country of Iraq and has good connectivity with all the regions of the country and the nearby countries Kuwait and Iran as well. Basra hosts one of the important international airports of the country with connection to Bagdad city served by Iraqi Airways situated at a distance of 13 kms from the city centre. Taxis and Buses are good options to move within the city and to reach tourist destinations as well.

Places to see in Basra:

Sayyed Ali al-Musawi Mosque:

Sayyed Ali al-Musawi Mosque also called as ‘the Mosque of the Children of Amer’ placed on Al-Gazear Street in the heart of Basra City. It was constructed for Sayyed Ali al-Moussawi, the leader of Shia Imami’s.

The Fun City of Basrah:

The Fun City of Basrah presently known as Basra Land situated in Basra City. This oldest entertainment park has a variety of game options.

Akhora Park:

Akhora Park is one of the ancient parks in Basra City placed in Al-Basra Street. It is surrounded by several famous star hotels.

Other tourist attractions near Basra are as follows:

• Indian Market
• Hanna-Sheikh Bazaar
• The Latin Church
• Corniche al-Basra
• Palm tree forests
• Sayab’s House
• Sinbad Island
• Ali Bin Abi Talib mosque

Best time to visit Basra:

From October to March is the great time to reach Basra.

Accommodation Options in Basra:

Basrah International Hotel is only a five star hotel in Basra city and other famous star hotels in Basra city are:

• El Rahaal Hotel
• BSC Hotel
• Manawi Basha Hotel
• Basrah Airport Hotel
• Qaser Al-Sultan Hotel
• Shat Al Arab Hotel
• Hamdan Hotel
• Sultan’s Palace Hotel

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