Tucking in to a plate of chicken and salad in a floating restaurant in Basra, it is hard to imagine that guns and rockets ruled this city little more than a year ago. Crowds of people wearing colourful outfits and wide smiles throng the street outside, while families pack the nearby park and local fairground.

A security crackdown since last March drove away the armed militias that had controlled Iraq's second city, once a popular tourist destination. As a result, Basra, like much of the rest of the country, is finally returning to life.

Hinterland Travel has just taken its first package tourists into Iraq, but it will be years before the country appears on a list of must-go holiday spots. However, this ancient land, with its diverse landscapes, unique culture and tasty cuisine, has all the ingredients to become a tourism magnet.

Known as the birthplace of civilisation, Iraq is estimated to have between 20,000 and 100,000 historic sites, which should keep history-hungry travellers, as well as professional archaeologists, entertained for decades.

Among its landmarks is the Assyrian capital of Nimrud in the north, while to the south lie the sites of the ancient city of Ur (believed to be the birthplace of the prophet Abraham) as well as Babylon, once the greatest city on Earth. Anyone interested in religion is also in for a treat. Iraq has some of the most sacred sites in Islam, including the golden-domed al-Askari shrine in Samarra, north of Baghdad. Unfortunately, the dome, like many of the country's treasures, was destroyed in a bomb attack in 2006, although it is being rebuilt.

Judaism and Christianity also have deep roots in Iraq. Just outside Basra sits the tomb of the Hebrew prophet Ezra, while travellers who enjoy visiting churches will find them tucked away in side-streets in Baghdad and scattered across the north.

Years of war and sectarian conflict on top of decades of neglect during Saddam Hussein's regime have taken their toll on many of the country's prizes. The Baghdad Museum was looted after the 2003 invasion, and US troops were accused of harming artefacts when they built a base at the site of Babylon.

However, restoration is under way, making a visit worthwhile once the security situation becomes more stable.

Away from history and religion, holidaymakers to Iraq also have the chance to sample some of the country's food, based largely around chicken, lamb, beef and the trademark dish of masgouf - barbecued carp. Most meals also include small portions of salad, hoummos and bread or rice.

Restaurants, with plastic chairs and tables out front, line the Tigris River that runs through Baghdad, serving up plates of masgouf most evenings. Diners may choose to wash the fish down with cups of sugary tea - alcohol is not served in public - and a few puffs on a sheesha pipe.

Evening entertainment for travellers who like to stay out late revolves around a number of bars and clubs that have started to open thanks to the drop in attacks. Thursday is the best night to party because Friday is a holiday in Iraq.

Accommodation still has a long way to go before it meets Western standards. Many hotels suffered war damage, while electricity and running water are patchy at best. Staff, however, are usually friendly, bed sheets clean and the room rate reasonable. Most places also serve breakfast.

As for getting around, public transport is one option. Trains run once every 24 hours between Baghdad and Basra, while regular flights also connect the two cities. In addition, a new airport in Najaf, a holy city south of Baghdad that is popular with Iranian pilgrims, opened earlier in the year.

Private transport or tour-operated buses are probably the best bet, but be prepared to brave long queues at the countless checkpoints that dot the country's main highways and city centres.

No trip to Iraq would be complete without a look around Baghdad, which bears some of the deepest scars of the invasion and its aftermath as well as reminders of Saddam. The most symbolic landmark is the green zone, which was created by the US-led occupation but holds many of Saddam's palaces and monuments.

With so much on offer for the intrepid traveller, there is a chance that Iraq will one day be better known for its tourism than its car bombs.

Deborah Haynes is the Times's Iraq correspondent

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