Whether it’s stunning beaches and bays that you are after or ancient historical sites and marvelous mosques, Turkey’s cities will never disappoint. Delicious cuisine and a friendly and welcoming population await you, and Turkey’s rich cultural heritage makes for an intoxicating experience that will surely live long in the memory.

Steeped in history with a landscape that encompasses beaches and soaring mountains, Turkey has acted as the gateway between Europe and Asia for thousands of years. Being a place of trade and of exchanging cultures has made Turkey a richly diverse country. The point where East meets West, the wealth of culture and breadth of influences has left its mark and is revealed in the country’s mouthwatering culinary landscape, as well as in the innumerable religious monuments and archaeological sites.

Istanbul is a city that wears its cultures and history well, blending them into an exciting city that has much to offer travelers from around the world. Founded during Neolithic times, Istanbul today is a modern city that remains true to its historic heritage through its mosques, basilicas and cathedrals, and ancient bazaars.

Iraq has a long and storied history and was home to some of the planet’s earliest civilisations. However, the country has been in chaos since the United States-led invasion in 2003 and the subsequent fall of Saddam Hussein. Post invasion governments have struggled to maintain peace, and the country has seen intense sectarian violence and a resultant weak economy, in spite of the country’s huge crude oil reserves. In 2014 the Islamic State group took control of large parts of the country, fuelling further violence, though it was eventually driven out by a government offensive in 2017. Even so, there continues to be a risk of terrorism, kidnapping and civil unrest.

Iraq should be one of the planet's most alluring travel destinations. It boasts fascinating ancient sites of Mesopotamia, Sumer and Assyria, including Babylon and the great Ziggurat of Ur; the 'Venice of the East', Basra; diverse ethnic groups including Kurds and Marsh Arabs; and of course the city that forms the focus of tales from the 1,001 Nights: Baghdad.

The Republic of Iraq forms part of the Western Asia group of countries. Iraq borders five other countries, including Turkey, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria. With a total land area of 437,072 square kilometers, Iraq is the world’s 58th largest country. The country has several important cities which have defined both the history and the existence of the country. Some of these cities, such as Karbala, Najaf, and Baghdad, are frequented by Muslims from all over the world because of their status as holy cities. Most of the cities in Iraq are political, administrative, financial, and commercial centers. The biggest cities in Iraq are looked at below.