Basra, the Venice of the Middle East Located in the heart of a fertile area rich in oil, Basra is the second largest city in Iraq in terms of population. It is criss-crossed by a network of canals. Christian Sappa / Hoa Qui
Bassora, the date palm city where Sinbad the sailor took off, has been damaged by the Gulf war. However, you can still stroll along streets of unique architecture, among the canals.