Overview
Syria is a country on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the area is about 180,000 km2. There are 14 governorates in Syria,A lot of civilizations lived in Syria because of the importance of its strategic site. So, the Sumerians, Amorites, Hittites, Arameans, Phoenicians, Persians, Greeks, Saluccans, Romans, and the Byzentines left their relics all over Syria. This history can be applied on all cities of Syria. The Romans looked after the Syrian cities well. There used to be Roman emperors from Syria such as Septimus Severus, Carkalla, Elagabal, Alexander Severus, and Philip the Arab.
Syria is considered a museum in the open air.
Note: hover on the dotted text in places section to read more about the hovered landmark
Itinerary
After having breakfast at the hotel, pay a visit to the National Museum of Damascus which consists mainly of three parts, the Classic, Byzantine, and Islamic parts. The garden of the museum is considered as an open-air museum.
Have a look at Al Hamadiyeh Souq or the market place to explore different kinds of goods.
At the end of the Souq stands Omayyad Mosque which is unique in its architecture and mosaic.
Then move to the Ottoman Al Azem palaceand Asaad Basha caravan serai that gives us an idea about the 18th century life; and the style of the Damascus houses.
Lunch will be at one of the local restaurants in the old city.
After that walking along The straight street to explore the beauty and the Byzantine architecture of the Mariamite Cathedral.
Go on walking to get to the eastern gate of Damascus where the coach is, to have a panoramic view of Damascus from Qasioun Mount.
Then back to the hotel to have dinner; and overnight.
Having breakfast at the hotel, then visiting the Church of St. Paul in Artouz which is about 18 Km in the south of Damascus. In the monastery, there is the Road to Damascus and the conversion of St. Paul.
Then back to Damascus to explore Kisan gate where St. Paul was suspended.
Start a five-minute’s walk to get to the eastern gate where Nasan’s Palace is, it is sample of the 18th century houses.
Nearby is the Chapel of saint Hananyas who baptized St. Paul.
Walk along the lanes of old Damascus to see Bab Touma gate.
Start an orientation by bus to explore the modern part of Damascus to have an idea about the social life of the people.
Then continue to have lunch in Bludan which is a place of interest.
After lunch, explore Moses Grotto in the area, where you can sail in small boat in it.
At the end of the day, back to the hotel to have dinner, and overnight.
After breakfast, drive to Palmyra via Homs to imagine the caravans of the silk road, and enjoy the silence of the desert to be awarded by the visit of the world treasure, Palmyra.
Lunch will be among the ruins, as lunch boxes.
Drive back to Hama to have dinner at the hotel and overnight.
After having breakfast, drive to Misyaf, to explore the 12th century Misyaf castle whose entrance carved in rocks.
Drive to Al-Wadi to enjoy the natural scenes on the way.
Have lunch at one of the local restaurants there.
After lunch explore the amazing monastery of St. George that goes back to the Byzantine Period.
Arrive at the hotel to have dinner and then overnight.
After breakfast, enjoy visiting the Mideral castle, The crac des Chivaliers that gives us an idea about the Crusade castles on the Mediterranean coastline.
Have lunch in a local restaurant.
Then continue to the second seaport Tartous, arrival to the hotel to have lunch and overnight.
After breakfast at the hotel, explore the splendid architecture of the Byzantine Tartous cathedral that houses the museum.
Pay a visit to Amrit where the 5th century BC temple is surrounded by water and the stadium.
Continue to visit the remaining Tower of the Castle Blanc in Safita, enjoy the nice scenes on the way to an Aramaic Temple which is known as Suleiman’s Fortress which stood for Zeus in the Roman Period.
Have lunch boxes in the fortress, then back to the hotel in Tartous to have dinner and overnight.
After breakfast leave Tartous to the first seaport, Lattakia to visit Ugarit where the first alphabet was found, and goes back to the 13th century BC.
Drive to Saladin’s crusade castle which was detached from other mountains by carving rocks and leaving a magnificent odalisque.
Drive back to the hotel in Tartous to have dinner and overnight.
After having breakfast at the hotel, drive to Maaloula to explore the caves where the primitive man lived in Maloula.
Visit the Monastery of St. Sergius and Bacchus who were the first myrtars of Christianity.
Walk in the split as St. Takla did to enjoy visiting St. Takla Convent to listen with the element of suspense to her story.
Continue to visit the convent of Our Lady in Seidnaya, which means the hunting of the deer.
It is Byzantine convent built on top of a hill.
Lunch will be in one of the local restaurant there.
Drive back to Damascus to have dinner at the hotel and overnight
Included services
- Breakfast
- dinner
- Entry fees of the sites
- Accommodations
- The tour guide
- Transportation
- Lunch boxes and the snack
- The tips for porters at hotels
Excluded services
- Lunches at local restaurants
- Drinks at meals
