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Syria |
Capital: Damascus
Official Language: Arabic
Currency: Syrian Pound
The Middle Eastern country of Syria is a bountiful land amidst natural and historical wonders. Syria is bounded by Turkey to the north, Jordan to the south, Iraq to the east and Lebanon to the west. Syria has been the witness to many empires in its long historical background. Syria was successively occupied by Canaanites, Hebrews, Romans, Nabataeans, Byzantines, Arabs and Ottoman Turks. This has resulted to the establishment of varied historical sites in the country. Numerous old monuments, churches, mosques and mausoleums offer an incredible vista. Syria also captivates with its rich and diverse landscapes. There are fertile coastal plains, hilly regions, plateau areas, desert lands and extremely beautiful sand dunes. Syria also possesses vast forest regions consisting of Aleppo pine and Syrian oak with some rarefied wild animals like antelope, gazelle, wildcat and porcupine. Moreover Syrians are noted for their hospitable attitude. Syrians greet tourists warmly with many phrases of welcome.
Major Cities
Damascus is the capital city of Syria. Other major cities are Aleppo, Latakia, Homs, Hama, Yabroud, Tartus and Deir-ez-zor. Damascus is said to be one of the oldest cities in the Middle East. Damascus contains many unique historical sites of which Umayyad Mosque is the most impressive. It is one of the oldest as well as the largest mosque in the world. A shrine inside the mosque possesses the head of John the Baptist. The Citadel of Damascus located in the northwest corner of the Old City is another great place to visit. The Via Recta or "Street called Straight" is said to be the residing place of Saint Paul. Other places worth visiting are Science and Medical Museum, Azem Palace and the National Museum. Aleppo is the second largest and oldest city of Syria. It is a vibrant industrial and commercial center. The most impressive sight for visitors is the colossal Citadel of Aleppo with a large fortified gate at the entrance. As an ancient trading center, Aleppo has some antique shopping streets or souks and commercial courtyards. The Archaeological Museum in Aleppo displays antique artifacts and statues while
The Museum of Popular Tradition, exhibits weapons, clothing and furniture of the early Syrian people. Latakia is a thriving port city on the northern part of Syria. The city contains wide tree lined streets and expansive sea beaches. Ancient city of Ras Shama and the ruins of Bacchus temple are the principal attraction here. Tartus is another port city on the south of Latakia. The historical buildings, arches and the narrow lanes speak about the Syrian life in the medieval times. Hama is a beautiful river town, on the banks of the Orontes. Popular tourist attraction is the huge wooden water wheel known as norias that once supplied water to the household of Syria.
Tourist Attractions
The ruined city of Palmyra situated in the northeast of Damascus, is Syria's premier tourist attraction. Assyrians, Greeks and Romans successively ruled Palmyra. The Romans called it the place of Palms. The Temple of Bel, The Great Colonnade, The Monumental Arch, Valley of Tombs, The Theatre, Market Place and Banqueting Hall are some of the finest worth seeing in Palmyra. The small town of Bosra is famous for its striking Roman theatre. The structure is queer with a fortress built around it. There are other Roman sites featuring baths, gateways, and some fine Corinthian columns. Homs, a major Syrian city is a popular tourists site. Syria's first oil refinery is situated here. Crac des Chevaliers located in the outskirts of Homes is a remarkable crusader castle in the world. The castle maintained a garrison of several thousand soldiers during peacetime. Raqqa , situated on the left bank of the Euphrates between Aleppo (and Deir al-Zor is said o be built by Alexander the Great in the 4th century B.C. Some ruins which are still left now are really awe stricken.
Traansport & Accommodation
There are two major international airports in Syria namely Damascus (DAM) and Aleppo (ALP). The airports have regular flight connections with countries around the world like Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia. Syrian Arab Airlines is the country's national carrier. There are internal flights between Damascus and Aleppo, Qamishle, Lattakia and Deir ez-Zur. Syria also has good rail connections. The main line connects Damascus, Aleppo, Deir ez-Zur, Hassake and Qamishle . Train rides are comfortable, cheap and punctual, but the stations are situated out of town. Syria boasts of excellent roads and highways. Buses are popular mode of transport for the tourists. Buses run between Damascus and Istanbul (Turkey), Amman (Jordan), Beirut or Tripoli (Lebanon) and Riyadh (Saudi Arabia). Buses are of varied ranges from the traditional coach, minibuses to Japanese vans known as microbuses. There are service taxis also that operate on the major bus routes. These shared taxis are usually faster with five passenger seats.
Car rental facility is available but the car has to be booked in advance prior consulting an agent.
Precaution
Tourists specially the Americans should exercise extreme caution while touring to Syria.
Some incidents of internal violence have been noted in the recent times. On 12 September 2006 there was an attack on the US Embassy in Damascus. Hence tourists are requested to avoid large gatherings and demonstrations during their travel to Syria. They should also gather local information and study the security features of the place concerned before taking a decision to travel.
For further details and information on Syria and its tourist destinations flip through the pages ofallwonderscountries
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