How to visit Erbil in 2025

Alexander
June 22, 2025
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How to Visit Erbil in 2025 – The Capital of Iraqi Kurdistan

Erbil is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world and damn does it have a lot of history to brag with. It’s also the most liberal city in Iraq, compariable to turkish cities. Erbil is lively, modern and welcoming yet full of ancient mosques, centuries-old bazaars and the massive Erbil Citadel in its center.

Despite all of this, Erbil is still mostly unknown to international tourists. In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to visit Erbil in 2025: how to get there, how to move around, what to see.

Travelling through Iraqi Kurdistan? Check out:

Iraqi Kurdistan – A Travel Guide

📜 Quick History of Erbil

At this point, you probably know that Middle Eastern cities tend to have long histories. Erbil however takes it to another level, as it’s been continuously inhabited for over 6,000 years. That’s older than Rome, older than Athens, older than basically everywhere. At its center sits the Erbil Citadel, a massive, circular fortress that’s been watching over the city since at least 2,000 BC. Some even argue it might be the oldest continually lived-in settlement on Earth.

Back in ancient times, Erbil was known as Arbela and played a big role in regional trade routes — especially during the Assyrian and later the Persian Empires. Alexander the Great even fought the famous Battle of Gaugamela nearby.

Then came the Parthians, the Sassanids, the Arabs, the Mongols, the Ottomans — basically, Erbil has had more rulers than a UN meeting.

But what’s really wild is that you can still see traces of all those eras. You’ve got Assyrian ruins, ancient mosques, traditional Kurdish houses, and some very Soviet-looking concrete architecture all mashed into one city.

And while in the United States, a church that’s 100 years old gets historic status, the sidewalk you’re walking on in Erbil is probably older than the U.S. Constitution.

🚕 How to get to Erbil

Entering Erbil is relatively straight forward.

Enterin Erbil By Air

Erbil is connected to Istanbul, Athens and a few major european airports. Just note that there are no domnestic flights going from Iraqi cities.

Entering Erbil By Land

You can get into Erbil overland from:

Turkey – Buses run regularly from Turkish cities like Diyarbakır or Van to Zakho or Duhok, crossing the Habur–Ibrahim Khalil border.
Iran – Longer and more time-consuming route. Along my travels I met people who took this route before and reported it to be more time consuming and a bit chaotic.
Mosul & Baghdad: Shared Taxis go here from the Terminals of the cities.

💡 Note that you won’t be able to go further into Federal Iraq when coming from Turkey due to visa reasons. For more information read How to travel Iraqi Kurdistan

🛬 How to Get from Erbil Airport to the City

Erbil International Airport has tight security procedures so entering and leaving the airport takes some extra time.

Shuttle Bus from Terminal: After your arrival, you’ll need to take a free airport shuttle that brings you from the terminal to the outer security gate. This is because cars are not allowed directly to the terminal aspart of Erbil’s layered security setup.
Taxi Options:
- Once you exit the shuttle, you’ll find regular city taxis waiting. These usually charge around 25€.
- A much cheaper option is using the Careem app. During the day, a ride into the city will cost you only around 10,000 IQD.
Going Back to the Airport: Be sure to arrive early for your departing flight. You’ll pass through multiple security checks in separate buildings, as well as a vehicle check, before reaching the main terminal.

🛏️ Where to stay in Erbil

Finding cheap hotels in Erbil can be a tricky, since budget-friendly places don’t show up online. Here are two options I personally checked out:

Janet Bludan Hotel – At 15.000 IQD per night, this is the most affordable hotel I found in Erbil. The rooms are very basic and not the cleanest, and you’ll have to pay extra if you want a fresh towel. But if you’re on a tight budget like me and just need a place to crash, it works.

MyHotel Erbil – If you’re arriving late at night and want to avoid haggling or wandering around looking for a place, MyHotel is a solid option. It’s the cheapest hotel in Erbil available for online booking. The rooms are clean, and a decent breakfast is included. However, it’s on the pricier side at 450000 IQD (30€) per night.

🚕 Getting around in Erbil

Getting around Erbil is relatively easy, especially if you’re staying close to the city center.

Local Taxis: Short rides within the city typically cost around 5,000 IQD, depending on distance. Most don’t use meters, so agree on the price beforehand.
Careem: I only discovered this on my last day but it’s a game-changer. Careem works really well in Erbil and is much cheaper than regular taxis. For example, a ride to the airport during the day costs just 8,000–10,000 IQD.
Public Buses: There are local buses that run through the city for very cheap, but the routes and schedules aren’t clearly posted and frankly, I didn’t bother figuring them out.

💡 The main terminal for shared taxis and buses heading to other cities is located here.

🕌 What to do in Erbil

While Erbil has an insane amount of history there are only a handfull amount of sites to visit.

🏰 Erbil Citadel

The Citadel lies right in the center of Erbil and is a UNESCO heritage site since 2014. Not gonna lie, I have no idea why it took until 2014 for the Citadel to get UNESCO World Heritage status. This place might actually be the oldest continuously inhabited settlement on Earth. Unfortunatley the citadel is closed for quite some time by now to the public due to restoration. If you find an official tour guide you might have a chance to enter though. Either way just in front of its gate is the best panorama view in all of Erbil.

🏷️ Qaysari Bazaar & Erbil Main Square

Just below the Citadel you will find a colorful maze of shops selling everything from spices and textiles to Kurdish scarves and fake designer shoes. Additionally you’ll spot people sitting behind small glass boxes filled with bills, a very old-school way of exchanging currency. What’s wild is that during prayer times, and sometimes even overnight, they leave those boxes unattended. It’s a small detail that speaks volumes about how safe Erbil and the rest of Iraqi Kurdistan really are.

🕌 Jalil Khayat Mosque

Often referred to as the “Blue Mosque of Erbil,” the Jalil Khayat Mosque is one of the largest and most beautiful mosques in Kurdistan. Built in Ottoman architectural style, it’s worth visiting for its peaceful atmosphere and intricate tile work.

🌳 Chill At Sami Abdulrahman Park

This park is one of the biggest in the middle east and actually built on the site of a former military base. Throughout the day there are barely any people around, while in the evening quite many families come here for picnics, shisha and socializing. It’s located 2km west of the main square. I marked it here.

🏚️ The Abandoned Arab Quarter

Quite close to the main Square of Erbil lies an abandoned neighbourhood. The place is full empty alleys, abandoned houses and graffitis on the wall. Besides some kids playing football there I didn’t see any other people here. It’s not a tourist spot per se, but if you’re into urban decay photography or just want to see a different side of the city, it’s worth a stroll. It’s not marked on Google Maps, so here are the coordinates: 36°11’22.8″N 44°00’20.3″E

🕌 Mudhafaria Minaret

Standing 36 meters tall on the western side of Erbil, the Mudhafaria Minaret is one of the city’s oldest surviving Islamic monuments. It was built between 1190 and 1233 CE. It’s all that remains of a once-grand mosque complex.

🤝 Where to socialize in Erbil

Kurdistan is one of the friendliest places you’ll ever visit. Locals are curious, generous, and always up for a chat (often over tea).

🧆 Iskan Street

Iskan street marks the main food place of Erbil.

🍵 Maçko Teahouse

Right below the citadel it’s basically impossible to miss this spot. There is a outside area with a view over the main square as well as a very tradtional kept inside area.

🍹 Ankawa

Ankawa is the Christian district of Erbil, just a short drive east from the airport. Unlike most of the city, here you’ll find bars, liquor shops, and even nightclubs.

🚗 Day Trips from Erbil

As the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan, Erbil is a perfect base for exploring the surrounding region. You can find shared taxis or minivans going to all of those places from Erbil Terminal.

Akre

A historic town with one of the oldest mosques in Kurdistan. It’s about 2 hours away and can be reached by shared taxi.

Check out my full guide: How to Visit Akre

🕯️ Lalish

Lalish is the holiest site of the Yazidi religion. It’s a unique cultural experience and visitors must remove their shoes before entering the sacred grounds.

Check out my full guide: How to visit Lalish

⛰️ Soran & Rawanduz

The Rawanduz Canyon is favourite sight in all of Iraqi Kurdistan and one of the most jaw-dropping natural places in the middle east. A landscape no one would expect of Iraq.

Check out my full guide: How to visit Soran & Ranwaduz

🔗 A Full Guide to Travel Iraqi-Kurdistan