Syria Tours and Travel

Day 1: Beirut, Lebanon – Damascus, Syria

• Arrival at your convenience into Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon which is well connected with flights from Europe, and the Middle East.
• You will be met at 8:00am by your driver to help you cross the Syrian border. It will take about 1.5 hours. The whole border crossing usually takes 1 hour to 2 hours, with the border guards being very friendly.
• Once clearing Syrian customs and immigration, you’ll continue your drive to Damascus, which will take roughly an hour and a half.
• On arrival, you will check into your boutique hotel – quite simply one of the best hotels in the Old Town of Damascus. This itself is a highlight.
• Next stop is lunch. You have not been to Damascus unless you have tried their shawarma, or falafel for those of the vegetarian persuasion.
• The duration of your walking tour of the old part of Damascus will depend on your arrival time, but you will make sure to explore the Old Town’s bazaar and shopping areas – a great spot for sampling local ice cream or some of the best street food in the Arab world.
• Later you can head to Naranj, one of the best restaurants in Damascus for dinner. We could write
• pages about Syrian food but you wouldn’t believe!
• Overnight in Damascus

Day 2: Damascus

• Enjoy a traditional Syrian breakfast at the hotel
• You will begin your day exploring the old town, with your first stop being the Ananias Church, Damascus’ oldest underground structure, which is said to be the remains of the home of Ananias of Damascus, where Ananias baptized Saul (who became Paul the Apostle). This pilgrimage by Saul/Paul is the reason why people say ‘the road to Damascus’
• Explore Umayyad Mosque – you will enter from the right side of the complex where you will adorn traditional clothing if necessary. You will visit the mausoleum of one of the greatest conquerors of Syria – Ayyubid Sultan Saladin. The mausoleum was built in 1196.
• Then, you will visit the main mosque complex which is the fourth holy mosque in Islam. Legend has it that John The Baptist’s head is buried in the mosque – something believed by both Christians and Muslims.
• You’ll continue the city tour of Damascus by exploring hidden gems, as well as the must-see places of historical interest, such as the former Jewish neighbourhood – now almost deserted – and historical Khans, and a caravanserai.
• Dinner at a family restaurant, for once again one of the best meals you’ll experience in Syria – with shisha available for those interested.
• You can head out to explore the nightlife of Damascus. We won’t spoil the surprise by giving away its quirks, but rest assured it is well worth it.
• Overnight in Damascus.

Day 3: Damascus – Maaloula – Aleppo

• Breakfast at the hotel
• You’ll drive to the outskirts of the city and you’ll get your first glimpses of the destruction caused by the recent conflict.
• Your first stop will be the harrowing Jouba district. This area was the hardest hit suburb in Damascus and served as the frontline between the former Assad government and the opposition factions. You will see almost incomprehensible levels of destruction, secret tunnels and craters left from bombs. This is also said to be the place of one of the Assad chemical weapons attacks during the war. While this is confronting, it is our first look at the destruction everyday Syrians faced under Assad.
• On the way, you will pass by the immigration building which was torched by Assad forces when Damascus began to be liberated by opposition forces. The building was completely torched as it is believed many important documents and secrets were kept within its walls.
• Our next stop will be the 6th of October War museum. This has always been a YPT destination – the complex was built by North Koreans as an example of the friendship between the Asad government and North Korea. Since the fall of Assad, the museum has been semi looted and all images of the Assad family have been damaged and scratched. The museum served as a propaganda tool for the 6th of October war with Egypt and Jordan against Israel in 1967.
• Continue your drive up north to Aleppo where you’ll pass destroyed buildings, abandoned villages, and industrial sites. You can stop for refreshments and photo opportunities.
• Your next stop will be at Maaloula, a small Christian town that was almost completely decimated by ISIS in 2014. This town is one of the last in the world where people speak the Aramaic language – the same language Jesus spoke, and it is possible to hear the Lord’s prayer being spoken using it.
• Visit the Greek Catholic church which was destroyed but has already largely been rebuilt and is now again doing services.
• This is also a great place to stop for a coffee, snack, or even to buy wine, arak or vodka produced by the Christians of the area (and yes, they offer free samples).
• This will be your first opportunity to properly explore the destruction that is now so commonplace in Syria, at the Safir Hotel. Until 2014, it was a 4 star hotel with plenty of international guests, but is now a shell filled with rubble. There are still “do not disturb” signs, menus, folders of guest information, time sheets, crockery and all sorts of other hotel items amongst the debris.
• Walk through a canyon to the St. Sergious and Bakhous Monastery where you may have the chance to meet nuns who were kidnapped and held hostage for several years.
• Quick stop at our favourite shawarma shop
• Continue the drive to Aleppo arriving in the late afternoon. On the way, you can make a quick photo stop at the famous “Welcome to Aleppo” sign!
• Check into your centrally located hotel to freshen up.
• For dinner, head to a lovely local restaurant with lovely waiters, serving local Aleppian cuisine.
• Particular favourites include the Aleppo Kebab and lamb testicles for the truly adventurous.
• Optional return to the hotel and head to the rooftop with abeautoful viewoverlooking the beautiful city.
• Overnight in Aleppo

Day 4: Aleppo

• Breakfast at hotel
• Aleppo was arguably one of the worst affected cities during the Syrian war. Here you’ll get the chance to see some of the terrible destruction as well as the opportunity to witness the early stages of rebuilding that Syrians are now partaking in as they slowly return to their homes.
• You will head to not only one of the highlights, but also probably the saddest part of Aleppo, visiting the formerly bustling Souk. This was previously the biggest and most profitable in the Arab world, but now lies in ruins. It is slowly starting to rebuild and as well as destruction you will witness its slow rebirth.
• You’ll stop by a Syrian institution – the Aleppo Soap company, where they have been making the soap using the exact methods for over 800 years, excluding the years it was under ISIS control. Aside from seeing how it is made, you will also get the chance to buy some – they make for great souvenirs.
• You can also stop by the world’s largest soap bar, located in Aleppo!
• Explore the famous Aleppo Citadel, or Aleppo Castle. This is a truly amazing experience and you will take a hour or two exploring here. During the Syrian war, Assad’s army troops were blockaded in the citadel for over a year and you will still see bullets strewn around. More recently, some of the iconic photos of the fall of the Assad government came from when militias took control of the Citadel. Historically, those who had control of the Citadel had control of Aleppo.
• You can stop for a tea and coffee break at a café with a beautiful view of the citadel. This is also a fantastic spot for people watching.
• For lunch, stop by Aleppo’s best falafel store – and what we believe to be the best in the region. Often there are 15 men cooking in the kitchen and tens of people waiting for their orders.
• Your next site marks another highlight and lowlight with seeing the Baron Hotel, the oldest in Syria. While not currently operational, it is still worth a visit, with previous guests including Lawrence of Arabia and Agatha Christie among many many others. The manager here is quite a character, so you may have to sneak in unnoticed…
• Head for sunset at one of our secret spots overlooking Aleppo sipping tea with shisha options, before returning back to the Aleppo Citadel area for dinner.
• Overnight in Aleppo

Day 5: Aleppo – Idlib – Hama – Krak des Chevaliers – Homs

• Breakfast at our hotel
• Begin your drive to Idlib – a city that remained inaccessible for over a decade. Known as the birthplace of the 2024 revolution against the Assad regime, Idlib played a pivotal role in the spread of the rebellion across Syria. During your visit, you’ll observe a unique economic system distinct from other regions.
• Visit local refugee camps, providing a deeper understanding of the daily struggles faced by displaced families and the remarkable resilience of the community.
• Lunch in Hama and you’ll make your way back towards the south
• Explore Krak des Chevaliers – a stunning medieval castle and one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world. The site was first inhabited in the 11th century by Kurdish troops garrisoned there by the Mirdasids. You’ll be given full access to the castle.
• Drive to Homs – Syria’s third largest city and one that suffered the most during the civil war. Visit St. Mary Church of the Holy Belt, the Seat of the Syriac Orthodox Church, where the Virgin Mary’s belt was kept until shortly before the war. Fortunately, the belt was already removed before the church was looted and all the icons and artwork were burnt or stolen. It is now back to its original place.
• Stop by the recently renovated Khalid ibn-al-Walid mosque, standing in the middle of a devastated neighbourhood. Homs was, with Aleppo, the most destroyed city during the war – particularly the old town. Many of the inhabitants never came back, so entire neighbourhoods are now empty.
• Dinner at our favourite restaurant in town and if you are up for it you can explore the café nightlife scene.
• Overnight in Homs

Day 6: Homs – Palmyra – Damascus

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Drive east towards Iraq to the ancient city of Palmyra – on the way stopping for photos at the iconic road sign of Iraq, Damascus and Palmyra.
• On arrival you can begin your exploration of Palmyra – one of the most famous sites in the entire Middle East. Once a lush city on the Silk Road, Palmyra was even briefly its own empire in the 3rd Century, stretching from Turkey to Egypt. Although the old city was ruined, it was famously in spectacular condition and exceptionally well preserved. Sadly though, in 2015 it fell under the control of ISIS and a lot of the structures and buildings were brought to the ground.
• Here, you can visit the formerly unreachable ancient sites.
• Before you depart Palmyra, you can enjoy a Bedouin cooked lunch inside tents to avoid the desert heat.
• Begin your return to Damascus, stopping for breaks and refreshments along the way. It is not uncommon to see many locals and military outposts along the path.
• Check back into hotel in Damascus to refresh before heading our for dinner
• Overnight in Damascus

Day 7: Damascus – Beirut, Lebanon

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Last chance to do some last minute exploring and shopping in Damascus. You can buy everything from a national football jersey, to the independence flags!
• Farewelling Damascus, you’ll head back towards the Lebanese border. Including the border crossing – which usually takes longer in this direction – and a few stops, you will hopefully arrive back in Beirut around 4:00pm. We recommend not booking flights earlier than 6:00pm – preferably night flights.
• Alternatively, you can depart with an included transfer to the Damascus international airport