SYRIA
Highlights
The bustling souqs and historic hammams of Damascus
The extraordinary ruins of Palmira
Idlib, the revolutionary city
The cliffs of Burj Al Arab
Where we stay
Hotels and guesthouses
How we get around
Minivan with local drivers
TRAVEL TYPE
On-the-road trip with a private driver, in a region that is slowly reopening to tourism. The trip does not present any particular physical difficulties. For safety reasons, the level of autonomy in movements is limited.
For more information about our trips, please visit the FAQ section.
DAY 1: Departure from Italy with connecting flights to Beirut. Depending on flight schedules, possible first night in Beirut or direct transfer to Damascus.
DAY 2: Morning and afternoon: arrival in Damascus, customs procedures and entry into Syria, first taste of Damascus, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, with over 11,000 years of history. Walk along the Straight Street and through the various districts, between bazaars and alleyways of the old city. Visit to the Church of Saint Ananias and the Azem Palace, a perfect example of Damascene residential architecture, with courtyards, fountains, and inner gardens.
Evening: dinner and evening in Damascus
Morning and afternoon: visit to the National Museum of Damascus, offering an overview of the civilizations that developed in Syrian lands, the Umayyad Mosque, and Al-Hamidiye Souk, one of the most beautiful in the Middle East, filled with textiles, handicrafts, and traditional sweets. Tasting traditional Syrian ice cream in the souk’s alleyways and relaxing in a traditional hammam, with the possibility of trying shisha while observing the slow rhythm of city life.
Evening: dinner and overnight in Damascus
Morning: departure for Bosra, an area of the country with a Druze majority and a city famous for its Roman ruins. Visit to the perfectly preserved theatre and the city walls, silent witnesses of centuries of history and the changes of recent years. Walk through the paved streets, where local life continues among rebuilt houses and archaeological remains.
Afternoon: continuation of the exploration of historic districts and religious buildings made of volcanic stone. Direct observation of the traces left by recent conflicts, with a focus on how the local community is trying to rebuild.
Evening: return to Damascus, dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Morning: Sednaya, visit to the monastery and the village, between Christian history and recent testimonies of abuses in the nearby prison, still today a place of memory linked to detentions during the conflict.
Afternoon: Maaloula, a Christian town located at 1,500 meters, whose monasteries were almost destroyed by ISIS. Continue towards Krak des Chevaliers, the most iconic Crusader castle in Syria, a perfectly preserved example of medieval military architecture. Arrival in Homs.
Evening: dinner and overnight in Homs.
Morning: breakfast and short visit of Homs, a city symbol of the Syrian revolution. Walk through rebuilt districts and squares where buildings damaged by bombings are still visible. Meeting with local people to observe how daily life is slowly starting again.
Afternoon: departure for Palmyra (Tadmur), an oasis in the heart of the Syrian desert 240 km from Damascus. Visit to what remains of the Temple of Bel, the great theatre, and the colonnade stretching over one kilometre, once crossed by caravans linking East and West. Short stop at the tower and temple tombs, among ruins and post-ISIS restorations, telling the story of the city’s resilience.
Evening: transfer to Hama, dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Morning: visit to the historic norias of Hama, ancient waterwheels on the Orontes River, some of which have been operating since the 12th century. Observation of city life along the river, where children and families coexist with ancient monuments.
Afternoon: departure towards Masyaf, visit to the medieval castle of the Nizaris, perched on a hill and strategically located to control the territory. Continue towards Latakia, a coastal city reopened to tourism, where Turkmen and Arab communities coexist along the coast.
Evening: dinner and overnight in Latakia, observing evening life on the seafront.
Morning and afternoon: a day on the Mediterranean beaches, among white cliffs overlooking crystal-clear waters and contact with the Turkmen communities that have regained control of the coasts after years of instability. Walks along the beach and direct contact with the local population free time for shopping and final visits in Damascus or transfer to the airport depending on the flight schedule
Evening: dinner and overnight in Latakia
Morning: early wake-up and city tour of Latakia (the city tour may be moved to the previous day), the main port of Syria and a coastal city recently reopened to tourism. Walk along the seafront, local markets, and various districts, a mix of religions and cultures.
Afternoon: departure inland, visit to Al Bara and Sarjella, ancient villages with Byzantine and Arab-Ottoman ruins, a testimony to Syria before the war. Arrival in Idlib, a former inaccessible city and today a stronghold of fundamentalism and the revolution led by HTS, the last Syrian city where the sale of firearms is legal. Short walk in the old city center, observing markets and neighborhoods reopened to civilian life.
Evening: transfer to Aleppo, dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Morning: visit to the Aleppo Citadel, a medieval fortress and symbol of the city, with defensive towers, iron gates, and inner courtyards.
Afternoon: visit to the caravanserais and historic souks, a UNESCO World Heritage site, among arches, domes, and coffered vaults. Short walk through the old city center affected by the war, to understand the contrast between destruction and the commercial vitality that still survives. Transfer to the Christian quarter, modern, lively, and only slightly affected by the bombings.
Evening: dinner and overnight in Aleppo.
Transfer to the airport and international return flight with connection
Day 11
Morning: transfer to the area controlled by the SDF. Visit to Tabqa and the Jabaa Castle, areas that until recently were closed to visitors. Direct observation of infrastructure and daily life in cities liberated from the conflict.
Afternoon: arrival in Raqqa, former capital of the Islamic State. Visit to the ISIS Museum, a place of memory that preserves testimonies of jihadist control, destruction, and life under the regime. Walk through the city streets, observing urban scars and signs of the local community’s revival.
Evening: dinner and overnight in Raqqa.
Day 12
Morning: transfer to Kobane, a symbolic city of Kurdish resistance. Walk through the city streets, visit monuments commemorating the defense against ISIS, with attention to the role of Kurdish women in the resistance.
Afternoon: observation of daily life, visits to rebuilt neighborhoods and key points of urban defense. Photography and direct observation of the war’s traces, between destroyed buildings and houses rebuilt by the community.
Evening: return to Raqqa, dinner and overnight in the hotel.
Day 13
Return to Aleppo, transfer to the airport, and international return flight with connection.
