Syria :

Practical information about Syria:

Where to Go in Syria:

Damascus | Latakia | Homs | Palmyra | Crac Des Chevaliers- Crusader Castle | Aleppo



Practical information about Syria:
Currency: Syrian pound (SYP)
Dress code: No restrictions are imposed on tourists.
Time difference: GMT +2 hours
Dialing code: 963

Climate: mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically in Damascus.



Where to Go in Syria:

Damascus
Damascus is the capital of Syria, it is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world.
There are many places to visit in Damascus, below you will find some of the places recommended:

· The Walls and the Gates:
The Wall was built in the Roman era with large, tapered stones.It was oblong in shape, designed in the manner of Roman military camps, cities, and fortifications.There are seven gates in it

· The Ommayad Mosque
This great Mosque stands at the heart of the Old City at the end of Souq al-Hamidiyeh.It was built by the Omayyad Caliph al-Walid ibn Abdul Malek in 705 A.D. when Damascus was the capital of the Arab Islamic Empire.

· The Azem Palace:
It is an astonishing example of a Damascene house, where the simple, almost primitive, exterior contrasts rather sharply with the beauty and sophistication of the interior.

· The Damascus Citadel:
The only fortress in Syria built on the same level as the city, it does not top a hill or a mountain like all other castles and citadels.

· The Souqs
The old covered souqs of Damascus have a unique flavour you can savour with eyes closed.As you walk about in the warm darkness of these streets with their fragrant scents, spices, and colourful merchandise spilling out of the shops onto the pavements, you enter the strange world of exotic legends.Most prominent of these souqs are:
-Souq Al Hamidiyeh
- Souq Al Hamidiyeh
-Souq Midhat Basha
-Souq Al Harir
-Souq Al Bzourieh

· The National Museum:
The National Museum of Damascus is generally recognised as one of the finest of its kind in the world.Visitors can see artifacts of the great civilisations that emerged and flourished in Syria.There are thousands of statues, stamps, pieces of jewerelly, weapons, precious stones; sculpture, masks, tablets, textiles, mosaics, glass-work and earthenware, coins, and manuscripts from the ancient Syrian kingdoms of Ebla, Ugarit, Palmyra, Tel Sukas, Mari, Doura Europos, Bosra, Shahba and others.

· The City of Damascus Historical Museum:
An eighteenth-century building, which, like al-Azem Palace, is considered a fine example of old Damascene houses.It contains historical documents relating to the inhabitants of the city of Damascus.

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starting from SAR398


Latakia
This is the Syrian Arab Republic’s principal port and the metropolitan city of the country. Set on the Mediterranean coast, Latakia is a major holiday resort. The city stands at the foot of the forested chain of mountains overlooking the coastal strip on one side and the edge of the Fertile Plains (the ‘Cradle of Civilization’) on the other. There are a number of antiquities, including the ruined Temple of Bacchus and a triumphal arch.

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Homs
Is the 3rd most important city in Syria.It lies 160 km to the north of Damascus. Like Petra and Palmyra, Homs was an Arab emirate in the 2nd century B.C. It was also the 3rd station on the 'Silk route' after Doura Europos and Palmyra.
It still retains this position of importance today, as the oil pipelines pass through the city.
This historical city produced many impressive personalities. Bassianos (an emir of Homs), through his daughter's marriage to the Roman emperor, Septimium Severus, who ruled Rome from 193 to 211, sired three rulers, Caracalla, Heliogabalus and AlexanderSeverus.The city was the birthplace of the famous Syrian philosopher, Longenius, counselor to Queen Zenobia, and of the famous physician, Marlian.
Among the most significant historic constructions remaining in Homs is the mosque of Khaled Ibn al-Walid, the great commander of the Muslim Arab armies. Two very tall white-stone minarets lend lightness to the imposing structure. The slender colonnade in black and white stone horizontal rows is representative of traditional Syrian architecture.
Many churches still stand in Homs from the days of early Christianity in Syria. One of these churches is said to possess the girdle of the Blessed Virgin.The church of St.Elian is unique for its collection of fine frescoes discovered in 1970.These bear inscriptions in Greek and Arabic, and date back to the end of the 12th century. The Nuri mosque also dates back to the 12th century, distinguished for its beautiful entrance.

Palmyra
is in the heart of the Syrian desert, and is often described as 'the bride of the desert'. Its magnificent remains tell of a heroic history during the reign of Queen Zenobia.
The 'oasis' as it sometimes called, is located near a hot-water spring called Afqa. It was mentioned in one of the Assyrian tablets of the 20th century B.C. It was also mentioned in the tablets of Mari. Palmyra was an ideal halt for the caravans moving between Iraq and al-Sham (present-day Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan), trading in silk from China to the Mediterranean.
Palmyra lies 210 km northeast of Damascus and 155 km east of Homs. A tour among the ruins, which cover an area of 6 sq. km, requires a full day in order to form an adequate idea of the beauty of the architectures which has remained. Worth visiting are the Baal temple, the Arch of Triumph, the amphitheatre, the baths, the 'Straight Street', the Congress Council and the Cemeteries
This is the second capital of Syria (350 km north of Damascus), and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in history. Abraham is said to have camped on the acropolis which, long before his time, served as the foundation of a fortress (where the Aleppo citadel is standing now). He milked his grey cow there, hence Aleppo's name:'Halab al-Shahba'.

Crac Des Chevaliers- Crusader Castle:
It is situated on hilltop in Syria, 60Km west of Homs and 40 Km from Tartus on the Mediterranean coast. The castle was established in 1031. A French Author called it: "Fortress of Knights" and T E Lawrence described it as: " the best preserved and most wholly admirable castle in the world”. It is one of the greatest sights of Syria. 

Aleppo
Is the second capital of Syria 350 km north of Damascus, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in history. A draw for visitors is the 12 kilometers (8 miles) of covered bazaars, or souks , where visitors and locals come to haggle for goods; it is also possible to see craftsmen at work.

Aleppo is famous for its architecture; for its attractive churches, mosques, schools, tombs and baths.
The Great Mosque , or Ommayad Mosque , was built in AD 715 and is one of the best examples of Islamic architecture in Syria, it is located in the northern edge of the souk area.

Ottoman caravanserais , or inns, where traveling merchants and pilgrims used to stay, the Archaeological Museum and the many 17th-century merchants’ houses, a reminder of the city’s importance, both past and present, as a commercial centre.

Turkish Bath (Hammam Yalbougha al-Nasri )
it has different opening times for women and for men, so everyone can just drop by and visit it. Inside it's truly lavish and "historical", as it dates back to the 15th century. From then until now it has changed and been repaired/rebuilt several times - but the old charm is still there.
Some practical info:
Ladies: Saturday, Monday, Thursday, Wednesday (winter only). 9 am - 5 pm
Men: Sunday, Tuesday, Friday, Wednesday (summer only) 10 am - 1.30 am
Entrance is 200 SP, massage 100, rubbing 50, soap 25, loof 15 and drinks 25 (basically 415 SP in total)
Phone: 3623154
Address: sharia al-qala'a
Directions: neat the citadel main entrance gate and government palace
Other Contact: chamyalb@net.sy

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