Basra has faced the sea for more than 1,300 years. Its Corniche on the Shatt al-Arab — where the Tigris and Euphrates meet — is lined with palms, while the old quarter preserves beautiful shanasheel: carved wooden balconies of the Ottoman era.
Southern Iraq
Basra
The Venice of the East — a port city of canals, date palms and the Shatt al-Arab, gateway to the marshes and home of Sinbad's legend.
- Region
- Southern Iraq
- Location
- Basra Governorate
- Recommended stay
- 2 days
Journeys including Basra
Baghdad → Baghdad
7 Days in Ancient Mesopotamia
Walk through five thousand years of history — from the ziggurat of Ur to the gates of Babylon and the golden age of Baghdad.
From $1,850 per personDiscover
Najaf → Basra
Southern Iraq Cultural Journey
Holy cities, date-palm rivers and the marshes of the Ma'dan — the soul of southern Iraq.
From $1,390 per personDiscover
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