Syria in October with Latakia

Day 1 – Beirut and Damascus

The tour will start at 8am in Beirut, the capital of Lebanon, from where we will drive towards the Syrian border and Damascus.

The whole journey takes around 3-4 hours, with border crossing included.

Once in Damascus, we will check in at our hotel, followed by a traditional lunch and a stroll around the old city.

Nightlife in Damascus is particularly vibrant, especially in the Christian district during the weekend, an area filled with bars and restaurants, where we can all go for dinner and a few drinks.

Day 2 – Full day in Damascus

With more than 5000 years of history, Damascus might easily be the oldest capital in the world, a city absolutely packed with historical sites, as well as lively souks and bazaars.

We will spend the entire day exploring the city’s most well-kept secrets, as well as landmarks such as the Umayyad Mosque (where Yahya is buried, John the Baptist for Christians) and Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque, one of the most important shrines for Shia people.

As always, we will be visiting the city at our own pace, with plenty of time for photography and local interactions.

Overnight in Damascus.

Day 3 – Maaloula and Mar Musa (overnight in Aleppo)

On day 3, we will drive towards Aleppo, first stopping in Maaloula, one of the most important Christian towns in the Middle East, and one of the very few places in the world where people still speak Aramaic, the language of Jesus.

Once occupied by Al-Nusra, Maaloula was largely destroyed due to the recent war, but its most important churches and monasteries have been rebuilt, and we will visit two of them, where we might get the chance to meet nuns who were kidnapped and held as hostages for three months.

After Maaloula, we will also stop in Mar Musa, a mindblowing, skyscraper-shaped, 6th-century monastery raised in the middle of rocky mountains.

We should arrive in Aleppo in the evening. Free time for dinner and drinks.

Overnight in Aleppo.

Day 4 – Full day in Aleppo

Once the most populated city in Syria, and one of the most prominent cities in the Middle East, Aleppo was one of the most affected cities by the Syrian war.

Life, however, is coming back to Aleppo, visible in the ongoing reconstruction and all the people who are slowly returning to their beautiful home city.

During our visit, we will visit the Citadel of Aleppo – the last Syrian Army stronghold – as well as the historical souk and vibrant Christian district, which remained pretty untouched by the war, and is today filled with absolutely delicious restaurants serving Lebanese wine.

Overnight in Aleppo.

Day 5 – Latakia & Saladin

From Aleppo, we will head towards the Syrian coast to the city of Latakia.

This is where President Bashar al-Assad is from, by the way. 

We will have a relaxed morning somewhere along the Syrian coast and then, after lunch, we will go to the Citadel of Saladin a citadel built by the Franks in the middle of the forest, on a rocky peak. 

The history of this stronghold is long: the Phoenicians had already fortified the place, Alexander the Great seized it, as well as the Byzantines a few centuries later.

It is the Crusaders who, in the 12th century, gave the castle its current shape. At the time, it was called “Château de Saône” (named after a crusader). Its current name was only awarded in 1957, commemorating Saladin’s seizure of the place in 1188. 

In the evening, we will look for some delicious local seafood. 

Overnight in Latakia. 

Day 6 – Tartous & Krak de Chevaliers

After breakfast, we will visit Amrit, a Phoenician port located near present-day Tartous in Syria. Founded in the third millennium BC, Marat was the northernmost important city of ancient Phoenicia and a rival of Arwad. 

Then, we will head for Krak de Chevaliers, but we will first have lunch in a restaurant with stunning castle views, followed by a visit to the castle, once described by Lawrence of Arabia as the most wholly admirable castle in the world, absolutely gorgeous and surrounded by lush green hills.

Overnight in Al Mishtaya.

Day 7 – Palmyra, back to Damascus

Once one of the most important Roman cities, Palmyra is rich in both ancient and contemporary history, since the archaeological site was taken by ISIS on two separate occasions during the war. ISIS blew up the most important temple but the site is huge and most of its structures are still standing.

For visiting Palmyra, we do need to arrange a special permit.

After the visit, we will head back to Damascus.

Day 8 – New Damascus & departure

On our last day, we will visit the remaining touristic places in Damascus, including the new part of town, as well as do any necessary shopping.

Transfer to Beirut will be around 4pm, and we should be back in Beirut by 7pm.