Unrivalled in its offering of history, undaunted in its quest for democracy and stability, the nation of Iraq has endured perhaps more than any other in recent times. Today, while there is a steadily increasing stream of visitors making pilgrimages to the country’s various holy sites, there is no shortage of potential touristic draws to help put it back at the forefront of travel in the region of the Middle East.
The capital at Bagdad is a fabric woven from the threads of ancient Muslim caliphates and even more ancient imperial civilisations, all of which once made their base on these fertile plains in the very heartlands of Asia Minor between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.
Other great attractions include the magnificent city of Samarra, where the great mosque still stands as testimony to the Abbasid cultivation of Iraq and the ancient Assyrian Citadel of Erbil in addition to a whole cascade of other treasures in Kurdistan that offer a glimpse into this land where civilisation took flight so magnificently.
But for all its historical wealth, the darker, more recent history of this region dies hard in the modern consciousness, and anyone thinking about making the journey here should be sure to consult their government departments and an official Iraq tourist guide.