Highlights of Syria
- See Marqab
- Not far from Crac Des Chevaliers, Marqab is much less visited but equally impressive, thanks to its size, strategic location and black basalt construction.
- See Marqab
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- Visit Apamea
- Often regarded as a poor cousin of Palmyra, Apamea is actually more extensive and enjoys a prettier setting. Her colonnaded main street runs arrow-straight for 2 kilometres.
- Visit Apamea
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- Explore old Damascus on foot
- Ancient souqs, informative museums and one of the most impressive mosques in the world, Damascus is one of the very best Middle Eastern cities to wander around.
- Explore old Damascus on foot
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- Visit Deir Mar Musa monastery
- Our favourite of the numerous monasteries to visit in Syria, it`s one of the hardest to get to, but rewards you with amazing views and peace and quiet.
- Visit Deir Mar Musa monastery
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- See the amphitheatre at Bosra
- The amphitheatre at Bosra is one of a handful that can claim to be the most impressive from the Roman world. The extensive surrounding city is also worthy of note.
- See the amphitheatre at Bosra
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- Take in the views from the citadel in Aleppo
- Superficially like Damascus, Aleppo differs in its population influenced by the proximity to Turkey. An equally fascinating city.
- Take in the views from the citadel in Aleppo
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- Visit St Simeon's
- St Simeon was a 5th century saint who lived on a pillar. Around him his devotees built a huge religious complex, attractively intact to this day.
- Visit St Simeon's
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- Wander around the ruins of Palmyra
- Tombs, vast temples and intact colonnaded streets are all looked over by a fairytale castle. A vast site, spend at least one full day exploring here.
- Wander around the ruins of Palmyra
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- Explore Crac Des Chevalier
- The apogee of Crusader military architecture, vast curtain walls tower over the steep knoll where this amazing castle is located.
- Explore Crac Des Chevalier
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Our country specialists have travelled the length and breadth of Syria - here are a few of their favourite things to do
Culturally and historically Syria is probably the richest country in the Middle East and is a must-see destination for anyone with an interest in the past and present of this fascinating region.
Continuously inhabited since the Neolithic period, all the great Mediterranean cultures have held sway here. Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Arab caliphates and crusaders have all left their mark in extensive remains and archaeological sites.
Highlights
Palmyra is one of the greatest archaeological highlights of the region, fully justifying a visit to Syria in its own right.
Great cities like Damascus and Aleppo trace their origins back into darkest antiquity and today are intoxicating blends of ancient citadels, Roman streets and exotic souqs overlaid by a bustling modernity.
Traders peddle their wares against a backdrop that would be instantly recognisable to their ancestors from past centuries. Visitors returning from Syria always talk about the people, invariably friendly, always ready with a smile and unwaveringly hospitable.
Visiting Syria
Whilst it is slowly developing as a destination, there are still precious few visitors to Syria and for the most part they are on group coach tours. Travelling more independently gives you every chance of having important sites like Palmyra and Crac des Chevaliers practically to yourself.
Popular Places to visit in Syria
Aleppo's historic position as a trading crossroads has given the it a cosmopolitan air, from the ancient churches of the Christian quarter to the imposing edifice of the Arab citadel that dominates the city.
View place
South of Damascus near the border with Jordan, Bosra is a fascinating place. It is most famous for its fabulously preserved Roman theatre, complete with banked seating facing a towering backdrop of columns and arches.
View place
The Umayyad Mosque is at the heart of the labyrinthine streets and alleys of Old Damascus, where traders display their wares against a backdrop of Corinthian columns and delicate Mamluke stone-work.
View place
Palmyra is a desert oasis north-east of Damascus which prospered thanks to trade links between the Mediterranean and the Euphrates Valley. What is left today is so extensive and wonderfully well preserved that it gives a remarkable idea of what Palmyra was like in its heyday.
View place
Practical Info
Flight time from UK
5 hours (Damascus)
When To Go
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