
Iraq
Bradt Travel Guides (Publisher)
4th Edition
Will be published approx. on 16. April 2027
Book
Paperback/Softback
440 pages
978-1-80469-392-6 (ISBN)
Description
The updated Bradt Iraq guidebook, now in its fourth edition, remains the only English-language guide from a major publisher that is dedicated to this fascinating Middle Eastern country. Iraq's rich, inspirational history - all too readily forgotten amid the turmoil and instability of the early 21st century - manifests itself in a wealth of fascinating architectural and cultural sites that demand exploration. Iraq, after all, is where writing began, where zero was introduced into mathematics and where modern timekeeping started.
The updated Bradt Iraq guidebook covers history, archaeology and culture, including iconic sites such as Babylon and Ur, the stunning architecture of the country's mosques, the world's greatest concentration of holy Shia sites and beautiful Iraqi handicrafts. Up-to-date travel information is provided alongside essential security details. Even if parts of the country are off-limits to tourists, there is plenty to see elsewhere, ranging:
. from Kurdistan's capital, Erbil (one of the world's oldest inhabited cities) to the dazzling shrines of Kerbala, Najaf and Kufa;
. from the ruins of ancient Mesopotamian cities, such as Babylon, to sites of recent US military history such as Fallujah;
. from the grave of Gertrude Bell (who explored, mapped and excavated the world of the Arabs and provided intelligence for Lawrence of Arabia's military activities) to the tombs of the Iraqi royal family; and
. from the Arch of Ctesiphon (the world's largest free-standing brick archway) to archaeological proof of the great flood, as mentioned in the Bible and the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Moreover, Iraq is not just about human culture. As the updated Bradt Iraq guidebook also makes clear, the country boasts a wealth of contrasting natural landscapes - from the Mesopotamian marshes of the south, via the desert that characterises central parts, to the snow-covered peaks of the Zagros Mountains that characterise Iraqi Kurdistan, in the north. Meanwhile, delicious cuisine will delight foodies and cooking enthusiasts. Packed with expert advice and travel insights, rich in cultural understanding and brimming with intimate detail, the updated Bradt Iraq guidebook is invaluable for anyone curious about visiting one of the world's most remarkable countries. Visit now before it all changes.
The updated Bradt Iraq guidebook covers history, archaeology and culture, including iconic sites such as Babylon and Ur, the stunning architecture of the country's mosques, the world's greatest concentration of holy Shia sites and beautiful Iraqi handicrafts. Up-to-date travel information is provided alongside essential security details. Even if parts of the country are off-limits to tourists, there is plenty to see elsewhere, ranging:
. from Kurdistan's capital, Erbil (one of the world's oldest inhabited cities) to the dazzling shrines of Kerbala, Najaf and Kufa;
. from the ruins of ancient Mesopotamian cities, such as Babylon, to sites of recent US military history such as Fallujah;
. from the grave of Gertrude Bell (who explored, mapped and excavated the world of the Arabs and provided intelligence for Lawrence of Arabia's military activities) to the tombs of the Iraqi royal family; and
. from the Arch of Ctesiphon (the world's largest free-standing brick archway) to archaeological proof of the great flood, as mentioned in the Bible and the Epic of Gilgamesh.
Moreover, Iraq is not just about human culture. As the updated Bradt Iraq guidebook also makes clear, the country boasts a wealth of contrasting natural landscapes - from the Mesopotamian marshes of the south, via the desert that characterises central parts, to the snow-covered peaks of the Zagros Mountains that characterise Iraqi Kurdistan, in the north. Meanwhile, delicious cuisine will delight foodies and cooking enthusiasts. Packed with expert advice and travel insights, rich in cultural understanding and brimming with intimate detail, the updated Bradt Iraq guidebook is invaluable for anyone curious about visiting one of the world's most remarkable countries. Visit now before it all changes.
More details
Edition
4th Revised edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Buckinghamshire
United Kingdom
Edition type
Revised edition
ISBN-13
978-1-80469-392-6 (9781804693926)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
The late Geoff Hann was a veteran overland traveller and adventurer who had explored the Middle East and Asia since the 1960s. His travels variously included being blown up by the Taliban, shot at by the Syrians and getting caught up in the Iranian Revolution. In the early boom years of overland-to-Asia expeditions during the 1970s he personally drove and led over 20 group departures from London to Kathmandu by road, many via Iraq, others through Afghanistan. More recently he led small groups to various parts of India, Tibet, China, Bangladesh, Central Asia, Iran and Iraq. During the Iran-Iraq conflict (1980-88) the tourist groups he took to Iraq were often the only travellers in the country. In October 2000, he renewed his archaeological/historical tours to Iraq. Hann died in Iraq in 2022 and is buried in Baghdad's Christan Cemetery.
Yorkshire born and bred, Tina Townsend-Greaves has travelled extensively throughout the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and Afghanistan, including exploring Iraq many times with co-author Geoff Hann prior to his passing in 2022. A former civil servant who shared Hann's lifelong love of learning, Townsend-Greaves' degrees in law and security management often came in useful on their travels. A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, she is the co-author of Bradt's Iraq guidebook.
Maria Oleynik is a freelance translator fluent in 10 languages, including Persian (her main passion and interest) and Arabic: being a polyglot serves her wanderlust admirably. She is an expert in Central Asia and the Middle East, has studied Arabic in Egypt, Lebanon and Yemen, and is the only foreigner with a degree in Persian Literature from the University of Shiraz. An avid and endlessly curious traveller, she is an experienced updater of Bradt guidebooks, having worked since 2013 on titles covering Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kazakhstan, and Ladakh, Jammu and the Kashmir Valley. Methodical in her approach, Oleynik has an eye for tiny details (for example, that miniature plaque across the street whose meaning you could not fathom), gains privileged insights from conversations in local languages and loves to share discoveries with readers. She splits her time between the Middle East and her native Russia, travelling and hiking whenever and wherever she can.
Yorkshire born and bred, Tina Townsend-Greaves has travelled extensively throughout the Middle East, the Indian subcontinent and Afghanistan, including exploring Iraq many times with co-author Geoff Hann prior to his passing in 2022. A former civil servant who shared Hann's lifelong love of learning, Townsend-Greaves' degrees in law and security management often came in useful on their travels. A Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, she is the co-author of Bradt's Iraq guidebook.
Maria Oleynik is a freelance translator fluent in 10 languages, including Persian (her main passion and interest) and Arabic: being a polyglot serves her wanderlust admirably. She is an expert in Central Asia and the Middle East, has studied Arabic in Egypt, Lebanon and Yemen, and is the only foreigner with a degree in Persian Literature from the University of Shiraz. An avid and endlessly curious traveller, she is an experienced updater of Bradt guidebooks, having worked since 2013 on titles covering Iran, Iraq, Israel, Kazakhstan, and Ladakh, Jammu and the Kashmir Valley. Methodical in her approach, Oleynik has an eye for tiny details (for example, that miniature plaque across the street whose meaning you could not fathom), gains privileged insights from conversations in local languages and loves to share discoveries with readers. She splits her time between the Middle East and her native Russia, travelling and hiking whenever and wherever she can.
Content
Introduction
PART ONE GENERAL INFORMATION
1 Background Information
2 History
3 Archaeology
4 Practical Information
PART TWO BETWEEN THE TWO RIVERS
5 Baghdad and Environs
6 East and West of Baghdad
7 Northwards to Kirkuk and Mosul
8 The Road South
9 Return from Basra
PART THREE IRAQI KURDISTAN
10 Practicalities in Kurdistan
11 Erbil and Environs
12 Duhok and Environs
13 Sulaymaniyah and Environs
Appendices: Language, Further Information, Bibliography
Index
PART ONE GENERAL INFORMATION
1 Background Information
2 History
3 Archaeology
4 Practical Information
PART TWO BETWEEN THE TWO RIVERS
5 Baghdad and Environs
6 East and West of Baghdad
7 Northwards to Kirkuk and Mosul
8 The Road South
9 Return from Basra
PART THREE IRAQI KURDISTAN
10 Practicalities in Kurdistan
11 Erbil and Environs
12 Duhok and Environs
13 Sulaymaniyah and Environs
Appendices: Language, Further Information, Bibliography
Index