Erbil (also spelled Arbil or Irbil) is the capital of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth. The great tell at its centre — the Erbil Citadel — has been occupied for at least six thousand years, a fact recognised by its UNESCO World Heritage listing in 2014. From the street below, the citadel mound rises dramatically above the modern city like a ship above a harbour.
The citadel itself is mostly unoccupied and awaiting restoration, but you can walk the narrow lanes of the old quarter and look across the rooftops. The mudbrick facades are extraordinary, even in decay. The Kurdish Textile Museum inside the citadel is well worth an hour of your time.
Below the citadel, Erbil is a prosperous, lively Kurdish city. The Qaysari Bazaar at the base of the mound is a working market where you can find spices, cloth, jewellery, and the everyday goods of Kurdish commercial life. Sami Abdulrahman Park in the western city is where Erbil's families come in the evenings — one of the best places to see the city as it actually lives. Restaurants serving grilled meats, dolma, and Kurdish rice dishes line the streets around the park and the citadel.
Erbil functions as the main base for travellers visiting the Kurdistan Region. It has good hotels (including international chains), functioning ATMs, and a genuine tourist infrastructure. It is also considerably more relaxed in terms of dress and atmosphere than Arab Iraq — alcohol is available in restaurants, and the Christian district of Ankawa has a particularly open social scene.
Destinations in Arbil
- Sulaymaniyah — the region's second city, with a different political tradition and a strong cultural scene
- Duhok — northern Kurdistan, near the Turkish border, mountain scenery