Damascus
- Thread starter rowhite
- Start date
week would be too long. Plenty to see & do but a weekend or so is enough. Souks are a must. Be careful where you eat as the other half got food poisoning while there plus if you're female wear "plenty" of clothes as the men can really, really stare. tell the taxi to put his meter on, if he doesnt just get out or you'll be ripped off.
The 4 seasons is excellent for lunch or such!
The 4 seasons is excellent for lunch or such!
B
big jessie
Guest
A week in Damascus is too long but a week in Syria probably isn't - there is also Aleppo and Palmyra to visit, and hopping across to Beirut is worth the trip.
Damascus is fascinating - truly middle eastern but it is a while since I was there. There are incredible little nooks and crannies to explore - wonderful courtyards that open up from the smallest of doors on the streets.
Avoid icecream, generally just be careful what you eat. As a woman you need to be mindful of local culture but that applies anywhere you go - you wouldn't be allowed into the Vatican in a midriff and mini either- but that doesn't mean you can't dress up at night in the hotel etc.
Damascus is fascinating - truly middle eastern but it is a while since I was there. There are incredible little nooks and crannies to explore - wonderful courtyards that open up from the smallest of doors on the streets.
Avoid icecream, generally just be careful what you eat. As a woman you need to be mindful of local culture but that applies anywhere you go - you wouldn't be allowed into the Vatican in a midriff and mini either- but that doesn't mean you can't dress up at night in the hotel etc.
Been to Syria in May this year, arriving in Damascus and travelling throughout the country for three weeks plus 1 week in Lebanon. Damascus is a fascinating city (certainly one of the oldest in the world), but less of a culture shock than other Arab capitals. Syria is not a million miles from Europe so there is as much of th familiar as the different. By far the most important (and unforgettable) thing to see in Damascus is the Ummayad Mosque which dates back to the beginnings of Islam as Damascus had become the centre of the Islamic world within just 30 years of Muhammad's death. Architecturally it is simply stunnng, but it is much more than that. The covered souk is equally unforgettable and very easy to get lost in, and every conceivable item seems to be on sale, and in such sheer abundance that it is hard to see in what sense you could call a country like Syria "poor". Probably the third "must-see" is the Iranian mosque which again is exquisite (and take care not to get trampled by the hordes of pilgrims!), but apart from some day trips by bus (eg) to the Christian sites at Seydnayya and (especially beautiful) Malaoulla, you will have absorbed all of Damascus's charm & atmosphere by about two or three days.
However, the rest of the country has much to offer, with Palymyra about a 2-3 hour bus journey and the famous Roman ruins well worth a couple of days, while I found Homs an excellen base for a few days from which to visit Hama (with the most amazing water wheels ever made) and of course Krak des Chevaliers the famous Crusaders castle, possibly the best castle in the world, and then there is Aleppo which, a bit like Cork, is probably regarded as the real capital of the country, dating back to the days of the Silk Route and Marco Polo, and according to my taxi man containing 7000 mosques! It is much more lively and colorful than Damascus (and noisy too), and again it has an exquisite Ummayad Mosque (from which my shoes were stolen - beware this is apparently common), and a famous Citadel which is in effect an ancient walled city within the city itself. There is also the Mediterranean coast, Lattakia and Tartus where there is a real sense of wealth in the air - in sharp contrast with the poverty you see accross the border in Lebanon, and the Palestinian camps wretchedly strung out along the road into shell-shocked Tripoli.
In practical terms, Damascus and Syria in general is (a) totally safe, no risk of violence or attack, but watch out for rip off on busses, taxis, and of course your shoes, (b) exceptionally friendly, with locals both muslim & Christian eager to meet you especially on the minibuses or shared taxis, and exuberantly welcoming chldren at every turn, (c) architecturally, historically & culturally probably unequalled as hardly any country has as much history as Syria, (d) sometimes slightly difficult to find a good place to eat, as tourists are few and locals eat at home, but when you do it is great - old fashioned service (sometimes like Basil Fawlty clicking for Manuel...) and great selection of tastes and flavors, (e) mostly alcohol-free, though it can be found in the Christian areas if desperate, (f) traffic bordering on chaotic, though well policed, (g) not always easy to find anyone with English or French, so some basic words of arabic would be essential, and (h) although military presence is evident, and secret police keep people in line, a million miles from the "axis of evil" stuff the yanks go on about...
I can probably help if you've any other questions just ask! But definitely go.
kb.
However, the rest of the country has much to offer, with Palymyra about a 2-3 hour bus journey and the famous Roman ruins well worth a couple of days, while I found Homs an excellen base for a few days from which to visit Hama (with the most amazing water wheels ever made) and of course Krak des Chevaliers the famous Crusaders castle, possibly the best castle in the world, and then there is Aleppo which, a bit like Cork, is probably regarded as the real capital of the country, dating back to the days of the Silk Route and Marco Polo, and according to my taxi man containing 7000 mosques! It is much more lively and colorful than Damascus (and noisy too), and again it has an exquisite Ummayad Mosque (from which my shoes were stolen - beware this is apparently common), and a famous Citadel which is in effect an ancient walled city within the city itself. There is also the Mediterranean coast, Lattakia and Tartus where there is a real sense of wealth in the air - in sharp contrast with the poverty you see accross the border in Lebanon, and the Palestinian camps wretchedly strung out along the road into shell-shocked Tripoli.
In practical terms, Damascus and Syria in general is (a) totally safe, no risk of violence or attack, but watch out for rip off on busses, taxis, and of course your shoes, (b) exceptionally friendly, with locals both muslim & Christian eager to meet you especially on the minibuses or shared taxis, and exuberantly welcoming chldren at every turn, (c) architecturally, historically & culturally probably unequalled as hardly any country has as much history as Syria, (d) sometimes slightly difficult to find a good place to eat, as tourists are few and locals eat at home, but when you do it is great - old fashioned service (sometimes like Basil Fawlty clicking for Manuel...) and great selection of tastes and flavors, (e) mostly alcohol-free, though it can be found in the Christian areas if desperate, (f) traffic bordering on chaotic, though well policed, (g) not always easy to find anyone with English or French, so some basic words of arabic would be essential, and (h) although military presence is evident, and secret police keep people in line, a million miles from the "axis of evil" stuff the yanks go on about...
I can probably help if you've any other questions just ask! But definitely go.
kb.