The paths
Tree-lined avenues.
Levi Clancy — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Levi Clancy — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Sarchia Khursheed — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kushared (Mohammed Sardar) — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kushared (Mohammed Sardar) — CC BY-SA 4.0
Sami Abdul Rahman Park is Erbil's largest park, covering about 200 hectares west of the city centre. It is named after Sami Abdul Rahman, a former deputy prime minister of the Kurdistan Regional Government, and it is where townspeople go to walk, run and relax. Work on it began in 1998 on land that had been a military site, turning it into a wide green space. It has two lakes, a rose garden, a restaurant and a market, as well as a memorial, and the finish line of the yearly Erbil Marathon is here. You walk along long paths shaded by rows of trees whose leaves turn yellow in autumn, so the paths look like golden tunnels. On the main lake are a tall fountain and small boats, and families sit on the grass in the evenings. The park is finest in spring and autumn, while summer days are very hot, so come just before sunset. The Mudhafaria Minaret is about 1.6 km away in a straight line, and Erbil Citadel about 2 km. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all but essential travel to this area, so check official guidance before planning.
Tree-lined avenues.
Fountain and boats.
In spring.
West of central Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
In spring and autumn, and before sunset in summer.
Yes, a restaurant and kiosks inside.
