Iraq: the cultural resilience of a war-ravaged country
It is now possible to visit Iraq’s ‘thriving’ neighbourhoods and ‘sun-baked’ attractions

It is 20 years since the US-led invasion of Iraq, and the Foreign Office still advises against travel there, owing to risks including kidnapping. But although the country is “by no means stable”, it is “just about functioning as a rare Arab democracy”, says Sophy Roberts in the FT – and these “green shoots” are now attracting a few pioneering tour operators, such as the US-based Geographic Expeditions.
On one of its trips from Basra to Baghdad, you will visit “thriving” modern neighbourhoods, and some of the world’s greatest archaeological sites. This is not a journey “for everyone” – the horrors of the recent past cannot be ignored; but you do get an impressive sense of cultural “resilience”, and a welcome wherever you go.
Basra is no longer the idyllic city of canals and rambling gardens it once was, but there’s still life and beauty here, from the grand Ottoman mansions of the historic quarter to the main corniche, where fashionable young men pose for photographs among hawkers selling candyfloss. To the north lies Nassiriya, which has an “atmospheric” bazaar selling Iranian saffron, jewellery and scents. And then come the great sites of ancient Mesopotamia, including the 4,000-year-old Ziggurat of Ur, “its central steps etched sharp against the sky”, and Uruk, the Sumerian city that features in The Epic of Gilgamesh. Equally impressive are the “sun-baked” ruins of Ctesiphon, and the 8th century fort of Ukhaidir, an “Escher-esque labyrinth” of vaulted halls and stairs.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
At the Shia pilgrimage site of Najaf, the crowd flows between marble pillars, over crimson carpets and under arches covered in tiny mirrored tiles towards Imam Ali’s shrine in the splendid domed mosque. Baghdad has a lively secular life, from buzzing coffee houses and streets full of bookshops to the Iraq Museum, a “world-class” repository of ancient treasures.
An 11-night small-group trip with Geographic Expeditions costs from £8,650pp; geoex.com
Sign up for the Travel newsletter for destination inspiration and the latest news and trends.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
September 14 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday’s political cartoons include RFK Jr on the hook, the destruction of discourse, and more
-
Air strikes in the Caribbean: Trump’s murky narco-war
Talking Point Drug cartels ‘don’t follow Marquess of Queensberry Rules’, but US military air strikes on speedboats rely on strained interpretation of ‘invasion’
-
Crossword: September 14, 2025
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
A tour of Sri Lanka’s beautiful north
The Week Recommends ‘Less frenetic’ than the south, this region is full of beautiful wildlife, historical sites and resorts
-
Giorgio Armani obituary: designer revolutionised the business of fashion
In the Spotlight ‘King Giorgio’ came from humble beginnings to become a titan of the fashion industry and redefine 20th century clothing
-
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale – a ‘comfort’ watch for fans
The Week Recommends The final film of the franchise gives viewers a chance to say goodbye
-
The Paper: new show, same 'warmth and goofiness'
The Week Recommends This spin-off of the American version of The Office is ‘comfortingly and wearyingly familiar’
-
Rachel Jones: Gated Canyons – ‘riotously colourful’ works from an ‘exhilarating’ painter
The Week Recommends The 34-year-old is the first artist to take over Dulwich Picture Gallery’s main space
-
Born With Teeth: ‘mischievously provocative’ play starring Ncuti Gatwa
The Week Recommends ‘Sprightly’ production from Liz Duffy Adams imagines the relationship between Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe
-
Art review: Lorna Simpson: Source Notes
Feature Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, through Nov. 2
-
Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is more
Feature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more