Syria

Travel to Syria

Often called the cradle of civilisations, Syria is largely a desert country and makes a great tourist destination with many interesting sites to visit. These include impressive roman remains at Palmyra and Borsa, some of the oldest waterwheels in the world at Hama, crusader castles, and Damascus, the oldest continually inhabited city in the world. The northwest of the country borders the Mediterranean Sea and has some excellent stretches of sandy beach.

There are plenty of options available when planning a holiday to Syria. The capital, Damascus, makes a great starting point, with important sites like the Umayyad Mosque, which houses the tomb of Salad al-Din and allegedly the head of John the Baptist; the Azem Palace; and the famous suq al-Hamidiyya, a bustling, high arched bazaar. Heading east into the desert, the caravan station and Roman outpost of Palmyra has fantastic ruins of temples, tombs and colonnades. North of Damascus you can visit Hama, with its ancient wooden waterwheels, and Aleppo with its massive citadel dating back to the 9^th century BC. To the west the Crac des Chevaliers dominates the surrounding countryside and is the best preserved of the many crusader castles in the region. Those wanting some beach time can head to the northwest coastal town of Latakia, which has plenty of good quality hotels and beaches. More adventurous options involve heading out into the Syrian Desert, either in the comfort of in a 4x4 jeep or, for more of a challenge, on the back of a camel.

We offer a number of suggested holiday itineraries to Syria, some of which you will find below, and more can be found by using the tours search in the left menu. The suggested holidays can be booked as they are or can be used as a base for you to start tailor making your own holiday. Short extensions into Lebanon or south into Jordan can easily be added to any Syria holiday itinerary.

Read our guide to Syria