This is it. Your big dream finally comes true: you will travel to Sumer in a few weeks. You will arrive by boat in the resplendent city of Ur, the capital of the Land of Sumer. Everybody told you that it was the safest and easiest way to go to Sumer.
Right now, the great king Šulgi is reigning over the Land of Sumer and Akkad. It is the year 44 of his reign. After years of uncertainty and wars between cities, travelling between cities is safer nowadays (despite ongoing wars in the north). The king has constructed roads and dug canals so that travelling between cities is easy.
King Šulgi and his father before him have undertaken numerous buildings and construction works all over Sumer. Most cities now exhibit brand new monuments such as ziqqurrat, new temples and strong city-walls. Cities of Sumer are flourishing places of art and culture.
Get to know King Šulgi a bit better before you go: read one of his praise songs.
What does Sumer look like? Land in the rivers
Seashores of reeds and harbours in the marshes
The wild steppe
A human-made landscape
When to go?
Who are the Sumerians?
Few words of history
What to see
Getting here and there
Where to stay
What is on the Sumerian menu?
How to stay safe
Shopping
Packing list
Useful words
Now you are still hesitating a bit: will you spend a full week in the city of Ur? or will you travel around? Will you travel during one of the famous festivals or do you prefer going at a quieter time? What do you put in your luggage? What will you eat? And where to stay? Are all “guest-houses” really expensive? Is it a good place for backpackers? What about health conditions?...
You can already find information in the Traveller’s forum for the cities of Ur and Eridu, but we provide here further tips so that you spend the best possible time in Sumer.