Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Baghdad
Welcome at Baghdad International Airport. Your guide handles all formalities. Transfer to your hotel in central Baghdad. Afternoon orientation walk: Al-Mutanabbi Street (the legendary book market), the copper souq, and a first glimpse of the Tigris River. Welcome dinner at a traditional restaurant — masgouf (grilled Tigris carp), Iraqi mezza, and kleicha cookies. Overnight in Baghdad. (D)
Day 2: Baghdad — The Round City
Full-day Baghdad immersion. Morning: the Iraq National Museum — Assyrian winged bulls, Sumerian treasures, Babylonian artifacts. The Martyr’s Memorial (split turquoise dome) and the Abbasid Palace. Afternoon: the Shorja Market — Baghdad’s largest and most atmospheric bazaar — and tea at the historic Shabandar Café. Sunset cruise on the Tigris. Evening: explore Karrada district with its lively cafes and shops. Overnight in Baghdad. (B)
Day 3: Babylon & Karbala Day Trip
Early departure south. Arrive at Babylon — walk through the reconstructed Ishtar Gate with its blue-glazed dragons and bulls. Explore the Southern Palace of Nebuchadnezzar II (who built the Hanging Gardens), stand before the 2,600-year-old Lion of Babylon, and visit Saddam Hussein’s palace overlooking the ruins. Afternoon: continue to Karbala for the breathtaking golden shrines of Imam Hussein and Imam Abbas — among the most spectacular religious architecture in the Islamic world. Return to Baghdad. Overnight in Baghdad. (B)
Day 4: Ctesiphon & Baghdad Cultural Deep-Dive
Morning excursion to Ctesiphon — the Taq Kasra, the world’s largest single-span brick arch at 37 meters, built 1,500 years ago. This astonishing Sassanian structure is one of the most underrated wonders of the ancient world. Return to Baghdad. Visit the Baghdadi Museum (folk life dioramas), the Al-Kadhimiya neighborhood, and the Mustansiriya Madrasa (1227 AD, one of the world’s oldest universities). Afternoon free for last explorations — maybe the Rahma Jewellery Market or a final walk along the Tigris. Farewell dinner at a rooftop restaurant overlooking Baghdad. Overnight in Baghdad. (B, D)
Day 5: Departure
Final morning in Baghdad. Transfer to the airport. You’ve seen the cradle of civilization in five profoundly memorable days — Babylon, Baghdad, Ctesiphon, and Karbala.
