The must-see sites are the Great Mosque and its Malwiya Minaret, the Al-Askari Shrine, and the vast Samarra Archaeological City along the Tigris River.\n\nThe Malwiya Minaret is a 52-meter spiral tower, while the Al-Askari Shrine is one of Iraq's most important Shia sites. The archaeological city includes Abbasid-era palaces and ruins. For more info: Samarra