Stories of Syria – 11 Days Tour

Breakfast at the hotel.

Guided tour of Damascus.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, and founded in the 3rd millennium B.C., Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the Middle East. In the Middle Ages, it was the centre of a flourishing craft industry, specializing in swords and lace. The city has some 125 monuments from different periods of its history – one of the most spectacular is the 8th-century Great Mosque of the Umayyads, built on the site of an Assyrian sanctuary.

During the tour we will visit: The National Museum – The Umayyad Mosque – EI-Azem Palace – Saint Ananian Church

Souk AI-Hamidiye – Caravanserai – Via Recta / Straight Street

In the afternoon we will explore the old town, free time.

Overnight in Damascus.

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure towards Bosra.

Bosra, once the capital of the Roman province of Arabia, was an important stopover on the ancient caravan route to Mecca. A magnificent 2nd-century Roman theatre, early Christian ruins and several mosques are found within its great walls. This site is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Next, we head to Izra. The Church of St. George is located in the city of Izra, southern Syria. It is one of the oldest churches in the world. The church was built on the site of a pagan temple and its construction dates back to before Christ.

Return to Damascus.

Meals: breakfast. Overnight stay at the Via Recta Boutique hotel or similar 5★

Breakfast at the hotel.

Departure towards Maaloula village famous for its houses dug in the rock like beehives and especially because it still speaks Aramaic, the language of Christ!

On the way we will stop at Sadnaya, a city located in the mountains. It is the home of a Greek Orthodox monastery, Our Lady of Saydnaya Patriarchal Monastery.

Maaloula: The Last Aramaic Village in The World

Nestled in the majestic Qalamoun Mountains of Syria, Maaloula is one of the last places in the world where the ancient Aramaic language—the language spoken by Jesus Christ—is still alive. This village offers a rare window into the past, a place where history, religion, and culture blend to create an unforgettable experience for pilgrims and travellers alike.

Maaloula is also home to two significant Christian monasteries: the St. Thecla Monastery and the Sts. Sergius and Bacchus Monastery.

Continue to the Krak des Chevaliers, the most famous fortress of the Middle Ages. The crusaders made it the basic element of their system of strongholds on the coast. It is so vast and so impregnable that it has become the symbol of a whole era of bloody struggles between Muslims and Crusaders.

Crac des Chevaliers – Another UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We finish the day with a unique experience at Jarjour Winery in the Valley of Christians. This hidden gem is perfect for those seeking to travel off the beaten path in Syria. Soulaf offers a wide variety of wine options, including blue wine, a unique and rare choice that has become increasingly popular.

Overnight in the Guest house

Breakfast at the Guesthouse.

Today we head towards the mediterranean coast.

Safita: Located 30 km from Tartous, it is a picturesque town in Syria with historic significance. The area has a castle, Castle Blanc, built by the Knights Templar during the Crusades, offering panoramic views of the countryside. The castle was strategically important and served as both a chapel and a fortress. It was restored following damages due to earthquakes and still contains a chapel and a dormitory.

Amrit: It was founded in the Amorite era in the third millennium BC. Amrit is located 7 km south of Tartus and is rich in antiquities and monuments, most notably a Phoenician temple with a distinctive character and an Olympic stadium that is considered one of the oldest sports facilities in the world.

Arwad (depends on the time and weather): It is the only inhabited island in Syria, holds four thousand years of Phoenician, Crusader, Mamluk, and Ottoman history within its ancient walls. It was also the very last Crusader stronghold of the Holy Land.

Ugarit: which became famous thanks to the discovery of tablets of the oldest consonantal alphabet known to date. The first habitat, dates back to the 8th millennium BC. The two immense palaces yielded archives attesting to an astonishing diversity of languages and five writing systems, including the consonantal alphabetical or Ugaritic script which dates from the 14th century BC.

Overnight in Lattakia

Breakfast at the hotel.

Saladin Castle – Another UNESCO World Heritage Site. The beautiful citadel built by the Franks in the middle of the forests, on a rocky peak. It allowed the control of the roads coming from and going towards Lattakia. Its current name was only awarded in 1957, commemorating Saladin’s seizure of the place in 1188.

Pass by Afamia: The city of Apamea was distinguished by its main street, which stands on both sides of the magnificent spiral columns along the street, in addition to the theater, the valleys, the cathedral, churches, the palace, mosaic panels and is one of the most remarkably preserved “Dead Cities” in northwestern Syria.

Arrival in Aleppo

Breakfast at the hotel.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site. Located at the crossroads of several trade routes from the 2nd millennium B.C., Aleppo was ruled successively by the Hittites, Assyrians, Arabs, Mongols, Mamelukes and Ottomans. The 13th-century citadel, 12th-century Great Mosque and various 17th-century madrasas, palaces, caravanserais and hammams all form part of the city’s cohesive, unique urban fabric, now threatened by overpopulation.

A flourishing metropolis since the 3rd millennium BC, Aleppo has been competing with Damascus for the title of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city.

The citadel: stands in the middle of the city and dominates it from the height of its fifty meters. It has admirably designed towers and is distinguished by its entrances made with perfection to prevent any enemy intrusion and its iron gates.

The souks: The old souks covered in Aleppo date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. They are distinguished by their coffered vaults and their enormous cupolas. These are real living museums that offer us a true image of what were the commercial districts and the animation that reigned in the Middle Ages.

Note: The Syrian food is amazing, but it is especially delicious in Aleppo…

Breakfast at the hotel.

Today we will explore the region around Aleppo.

Dead cities: Its construction dates back to the period between the first and seventh centuries AD, and sometimes until the tenth century, and it is one of the important areas in the history of Christianity, the most important is: St. Simeon Church – ALbara – Qalb Lozeh – Kerbizeh.

Saint Simeon Stylites: is one of the oldest surviving church complexes, founded in the 5th century. It was constructed on the site of the pillar of Saint Simeon Stylites, a renowned stylite monk.

Return to Aleppo.

Breakfast at the hotel.

A quick stop at Idlib.

Maaret Alnouman Museum: Mausoleum and Museum of Abu al-Ala al-Ma’arri — one of the most important mosaic museums in the Middle East and the world; it houses hundreds of square meters of archaeological paintings. It contains between 1200 and 1600 square meters of rare mosaic paintings.

Hama: Evidence of these ornate water wheels dates back as far as the 3rd century BC. The norias (“wheels of pots” in Arabic) were originally constructed on the Orontes River to supply series of aqueducts that fed farms all across the settlement. They eventually became the symbol of the city.

We will visit Nour Eddine Mosque and Great Mosque in Hama.

Homs: Previously known as Emisa or Emesa, it is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. Saint Mary of the Holy Belt Cathedral is a historical Syrian Orthodox cathedral. Time permitting, we will also see the Khalid Ibn Walid Mosque.

Overnight at Homs

Breakfast at the hotel.

Palmyra: The one that the Romans baptized Palmyra (the city of palms) and that the Syrians call Tadmor (miracle in Aramaic) is the most important oasis of the Syrian desert. Located 240 km from Damascus, Palmyra is the city of all superlatives. It arises in the midst of golden sands that extend to infinity. An oasis of columns, remains and palm trees that testifies to the splendour of this city that made, one day, Rome tremble…

Departure to Damascus

(Turkish Airlines direct flight from Damascus (DAM) to Istanbul (IST) departs at 03:05 – schedules subject to change)

Breakfast at the hotel, or collect a breakfast box, depending on your flight departure time.

Depending on your flight time, we transfer to the airport.

The tour ends at the airport for check-in and security formalities and to board the flight home.

There is an option to extend the tour to include a visit to the Euphrates River and the Christian sites in that region – ask us for more details.