Things to Do in Erbil
Top attractions, best neighborhoods to wander, and the food you shouldn't skip in Erbil, Iraq — 2026 traveler picks.
Top places to see
Erbil Citadel (UNESCO)
One of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities (7,000+ years). UNESCO-listed. IQD 5,000 entry. 2-3 hours. Central Erbil.
Qaysari Bazaar (Grand Bazaar)
Historic Kurdish covered market — spices, textiles, gold, chai stalls. Free. Bargain hard. 1-2 hours.
Kurdistan Museum + Textile Museum
Small but excellent modern museums showing Kurdish heritage + history. IQD 5,000 entry each. 90 min for both.
Sami Abdulrahman Park + Naz City
Modern upscale Erbil district with restaurants, cafés, malls. Safe evenings. Kurdistan's cosmopolitan face.
Book tours + skip-the-line tickets
Compare tours + attractions in Erbil across GetYourGuide, Tiqets and Trip.com — free cancellation on most, and prices match direct booking.
Things to do in Erbil
Lock in a few experiences before you go — the good ones sell out.
Tours, tickets & day trips
Our pickGetYourGuide has the deepest catalogue for Erbil and free cancellation on most experiences — book now, decide later.
Browse ErbilJust need timed-entry attraction tickets? Try Tiqets.Want a private driver-guide? Trip.com Private Tours in Erbil.Eat here first
Kebabs (Kurdish-style, cardamom-scented). Dolma (stuffed grape leaves). Kubideh. Ash reshteh (noodle stew). Kaka (Kurdish flatbread). Tea (chai) service. Kurdish sweets (baklava variants).
Local tip
EBL is 5km NW of Erbil — one of the world's closest airports. Careem/InDrive taxi apps work well (IQD 10-25k = USD 7-19). Kurdistan is one of the Middle East's most stable + tourist-friendly regions — English widely spoken, safe day + night, modern infrastructure. NOT Baghdad or Basra — different security context. For 6h layovers: Citadel + Qaysari Bazaar. For 12+: add Kurdish evening at Naz City restaurants. Note: Kurdish (Sorani + Kurmanji) is dominant language; some Arabic.
Where to stay
Hotels across Erbil — filter by neighborhood + budget on the map below.