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| Syria Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Election rally in Maalula Election rally in Maalula Jacqueline Boucher Syria is one of the most beautiful destinations in the world and still relatively undiscovered by mass tourism. Landscape ranges from forests in the northwest to beaches on Syria's Mediterranean coast. Syria is often called "The cradle of civilizations" because there is no civilization in the east or west throughout the world history that didn't pass through Syria to leave a mark, but also to be deeply affected by Syria's long history. |
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| It was here the first alphabets were invented that Greek and Roman culture
helped to conquer over the world. It was here that civilization began over
ten thousand years ago at Mereibet, Jeyround and Yabroud. Due to its unique position at the point three continents meet each other Syria has been the focal point of ancient civilization. It was the crossroad between the Caspian Sea, the Indian Ocean, the Black Sea, and the Nile River. For thousands of years Syria controlled the silk route which led from China to Doura Europos (Salhiyeh), from Palmyra and Homs to the Syrian ports on Mediterranean, where Syrian seafarers had ridden the wave in their enormous fleets with their famous white sails. |
| Up to this day silk is an important industry in Syria. In Damascus, Hama and
Aleppo the silk weavers still work at the same sort of wooden handlooms
their ancestors used in Ebla four thousand years ago. If you are interested in history and historical monuments, you cannot miss Syria. The country is literary packed with the ruins and monuments of almost all civilizations that passed through here. Today these ancient sites are still the most visited attractions. There’s Qalaat Samaan were St Simeon sat on his 15 meter tall pillar for 36 years and preached to thousands of pilgrims that cam to visit this most holy man in the early middle ages. There’s Palmyra, the ancient caravans stop between the Mediterranean world and the empires of the East - Mesopotamia, Persia and India. In the days of desert queen Zenobia it really was a cosmopolitan city, were east met west and exchanged exotics. It was here the gigantic temple of Baal rose up in the heart of the city. Now it’s a city in ruins, best known for the “Valley of Tombs”. In the North you will find the big crusaders' castle Le Crac des Chevaliers and the cities of Aleppo and Hama. And, adjacent to the Turkish border close to Hatay, there’s the ruins of the “Dead Cities” Al Bara, Serdjilla, Qalbe Lbrse and Qirbirze. Piles of rock that were once houses palaces and churches lay abandoned on the vast desolated plains of the Idleb Province. All these things and the very pleasant population make a trip to Syria an unforgettable one. FOR ANY INFO; www.trip2syria.com Part or or all of this text stems from the original article at: www.trip2syria.com _________History Edit This syria syria syr Archaeologists have demonstrated that Syria was the center of one of the most ancient civilizations on earth. Around the excavated city of Ebla in northern Syria discovered in 1975 a great Semitic empire spread from the Red Sea north to Turkey and east to Mesopotamia from 2500 to 2400 B.C. The city of Ebla alone during that time had a population estimated at 260 000. Scholars believe the language of Ebla to be the oldest Semitic language. Syria was occupied successively by Canaanites Phoenicians Hebrews Arameans Assyrians Babylonians Persians Greeks Romans Nabataeans Byzantines and in part Crusaders before finally coming under the control of the Ottoman Turks. Syria is significant in the history of Christianity; Paul was converted on the road to Damascus and established the first organized Christian Church at Antioch in ancient Syria from which he left on many of his missionary journeys. Damascus settled about 2500 B.C. is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It came under Muslim rule in A.D. 636. Immediately thereafter the city's power and prestige reached its peak and it became the capital of the Omayyad Empire which extended from Spain to India from A.D. 661 to A.D. 750 when the Abbasid caliphate was established at Baghdad Iraq. Damascus became a provincial capital of the Mameluke Empire around 1260. It was largely destroyed in 1400 by Tamerlane the Mongol conqueror who removed many of its craftsmen to Samarkand. Rebuilt it continued to serve as a capital until 1516. In 1517 it fell under Ottoman rule. The Ottomans remained for the next 400 years except for a brief occupation by Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt from 1832 to 1840. French Occupation In 1920 an independent Arab Kingdom of Syria was established under King Faysal of the Hashemite family who later became King of Iraq. However his rule over Syria ended after only a few months following the clash between his Syrian Arab forces and regular French forces at the battle of Maysalun. French troops occupied Syria later that year after the League of Nations put Syria under French mandate. With the fall of France in 1940 Syria came under the control of the Vichy Government until the British and Free French occupied the country in July 1941. Continuing pressure from Syrian nationalist groups forced the French to evacuate their troops in April 1946 leaving the country in the hands of a republican government that had been formed during the mandate. Independence to 1970 Although rapid economic development followed the declaration of independence of April 17 1946 Syrian politics from independence through the late 1960s was marked by upheaval. A series of military coups begun in 1949 undermined civilian rule and led to army colonel Adib Shishakli's seizure of power in 1951. After the overthrow of President Shishakli in a 1954 coup continued political maneuvering supported by competing factions in the military eventually brought Arab nationalist and socialist elements to power. Syria's political instability during the years after the 1954 coup the parallelism of Syrian and Egyptian policies and the appeal of Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser's leadership in the wake of the 1956 Suez crisis created support in Syria for union with Egypt. On February 1 1958 the two countries merged to create the United Arab Republic and all Syrian political parties ceased overt activities. The union was not a success however. Following a military coup on September 28 1961 Syria seceded reestablishing itself as the Syrian Arab Republic. Instability characterized the next 18 months with various coups culminating on March 8 1963 in the installation by leftist Syrian Army officers of the National Council of the Revolutionary Command (NCRC) a group of military and civilian officials who assumed control of all executive and legislative authority. The takeover was engineered by members of the Arab Socialist Resurrection Party (Ba'ath Party) which had been active in Syria and other Arab countries since the late 1940s. The new cabinet was dominated by Ba'ath members. The Ba'ath takeover in Syria followed a Ba'ath coup in Iraq the previous month. The new Syrian Government explored the possibility of federation with Egypt and Ba'ath-controlled Iraq. An agreement was concluded in Cairo on April 17 1963 for a referendum on unity to be held in September 1963. However serious disagreements among the parties soon developed and the tripartite federation failed to materialize. Thereafter the Ba'ath regimes in Syria and Iraq began to work for bilateral unity. These plans foundered in November 1963 when the Ba'ath regime in Iraq was overthrown. In May 1964 President Amin Hafiz of the NCRC promulgated a provisional constitution providing for a National Council of the Revolution (NCR) an appointed legislature composed of representatives of mass organizations (labor peasant and professional unions) a presidential council (in which executive power was vested) and a cabinet. On February 23 1966 a group of army officers carried out a successful intra-party coup imprisoned President Hafiz dissolved the cabinet and the NCR abrogated the provisional constitution and designated a regionalist civilian Ba'ath Government. The coup leaders described it as a "rectification" of Ba'ath Party principles. The defeat of the Syrians and Egyptians in the June 1967 war with Israel weakened the radical socialist regime established by the 1966 coup. Conflict developed between a moderate military wing and a more extremist civilian wing of the Ba'ath party. The 1970 retreat of Syrian forces sent to aid the PLO during the "Black September" hostilities with Jordan reflected this political disagreement within the ruling Ba'ath leadership. On November 13 1970 Minister of Defense Hafiz al-Asad effected a bloodless military coup ousting the civilian party leadership and assuming the role of Prime Minister. _________Economy Edit This Economy—overview: Syria's predominantly statist economy is on a shaky footing because of Damascus's failure to implement extensive economic reform. The dominant agricultural sector remains underdeveloped with roughly 80% of agricultural land still dependent on rain-fed sources. Although Syria has sufficient water supplies in the aggregate at normal levels of precipitation the great distance between major water supplies and population centers poses serious distribution problems. The water problem is exacerbated by rapid population growth industrial expansion and increased water pollution. Private investment is critical to the modernization of the agricultural energy and export sectors. Oil production is leveling off and the efforts of the nonoil sector to penetrate international markets have fallen short. Syria's inadequate infrastructure outmoded technological base and weak educational system make it vulnerable to future shocks and hamper competition with neighbors such as Jordan and Israel. GDP: purchasing power parity—$106.1 billion (1997 est.) GDP—real growth rate: 4.6% (1997 est.) GDP—per capita: purchasing power parity—$6 600 (1997 est.) GDP—composition by sector: agriculture: 28% industry: 14% services: 58% (1995) Inflation rate—consumer price index: 15%-20% (1997 est.) Labor force: total: 4.7 million (1995 est.) by occupation: services 40% agriculture 40% industry 20% (1996 est.) Unemployment rate: 12% (1997 est.) Budget: revenues: $3.9 billion expenditures: $4.3 billion including capital expenditures of $1.9 billion (1996 est.) Industries: petroleum textiles food processing beverages tobacco phosphate rock mining Industrial production growth rate: 0.2% (1996 est.) Electricity—capacity: 4.157 million kW (1995) Electricity—production: 14.9 billion kWh (1995) Electricity—consumption per capita: 970 kWh (1995) Agriculture—products: wheat barley cotton lentils chickpeas; beef lamb eggs poultry milk Exports: total value: $4.2 billion (f.o.b. 1997) commodities: petroleum 70% textiles 12% food and live animals 10% manufactures 5% (1997 est.) partners: EU 57% (Germany 17% Italy 16% France 11%) Lebanon 14% Saudi Arabia 7% (1995 est.) Imports: total value: $5.7 billion (c.i.f. 1997) commodities: machinery and equipment 40% foodstuffs/animals 15% metal and metal products 15% textiles 10% chemicals 10% consumer goods 5% (1997 est.) partners: EU 33% (Italy 9% Germany 8% France 4%) South Korea 5% US 4% Japan 4% (1995 est.) Debt—external: $20 billion (1997 est.) Economic aid: recipient: $4.2 billion (1990-92) Currency: 1 Syrian pound (£S) = 100 piastres Exchange rates: Syrian pounds (£S) per US$1—41.9 (January 1997); official fixed rate 11.225 Fiscal year: calendar year ____________People Edit This Election rally in Maalula Election rally in Maalula Jacqueline Boucher Population: 16 673 282 (July 1998 est.) note: in addition there are 35 150 people living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights—18 150 Arabs (16 500 Druze and 1 650 Alawites) and 17 000 Israeli settlers (August 1997 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 46% (male 3 937 575; female 3 748 881) 15-64 years: 51% (male 4 342 022; female 4 157 268) 65 years and over: 3% (male 240 603; female 246 933) (July 1998 est.) Population growth rate: 3.23% (1998 est.) Birth rate: 37.83 births/1 000 population (1998 est.) Death rate: 5.55 deaths/1 000 population (1998 est.) Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1 000 population (1998 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female (1998 est.) Infant mortality rate: 37.6 deaths/1 000 live births (1998 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 67.76 years male: 66.48 years female: 69.11 years (1998 est.) Total fertility rate: 5.55 children born/woman (1998 est.) Nationality: noun: Syrian(s) adjective: Syrian Ethnic groups: Arab 90.3% Kurds Armenians and other 9.7% Religions: Sunni Muslim 74% Alawite Druze and other Muslim sects 16% Christian (various sects) 10% Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus Al Qamishli and Aleppo) Languages: Arabic (official); Kurdish Armenian Aramaic Circassian widely understood; French English somewhat understood Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 70.8% male: 85.7% female: 55.8% (1997 est.) ::::::::::Aleppo Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Aleppo national museum Aleppo national museum Arch.Haytham Hasan Aleppo is one of the most interesting cities in the Middle East. The old centre, the citadel and the Jdeide quarter are main sights. The old town is one big maze of streets, but luckily the parts around it are a bit more organized. Baron street is one major axis of town. At the crossing with al Kouwatly street you will find hotels, travel agencies, transport company offices, as well as some restaurants and food shops and cool fruit juice bars. A left turn from the Baron street into the al Kouwatly street brings you to a wide esplanade recently planted out as public gardens, dominated by the Post Office and bordered on the north by a public park. The river Quweiq flows through it and it is famous for its floral displays. (It is dry today because Turkey stopped its flow years ago). In the other direction the al Kouwatly street crosses the al Gassaniyn street (sometimes called the Tilal street), one of the busiest streets in Aleppo. On the right, it widens to form a square, the Bab al Faraj, whose clock-tower has served at least as a landmark and from here, one can easily reach either the old city or the museum. The al Gassaniyn to the left skirts the Jdeideh, "old houses" quarter, with its marvelously decorated courtyards. St. George's Cathedral stands behind a labyrinth of narrow streets on a tiny square where there are several antique shops. Once in the center. the citadel is your main point of reference. There is a circular road around the foot of the Citadel. To the south, wide avenues give access to some interesting madrassas and mosques on the way to Bab al Makkam, a working district where there are many warehouses. To the north of the Citadel the street al Kawakbi crosses the eastern end of the street al Kouwatly near the picturesque souk of the coppersmiths. ::::::::::Arwad island Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Arwad is just off the coast of Tartous. There are many boats making the trip and it's a nice excursion to make. There is no need to look for accommodation on the island - it's easier found on the mainland. There are two small castles on the island, a crusader fort from the 13 century and an arabic castel. There is also remains of a phoenician wall.You can roam around freely. Locals claim theirs castles was built by Alexander the great :::::::::::Damascus Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Damascus Skyline Damascus Skyline Nicholas MacGowan von Holstein Damascus is the capital of Syria and one of the oldest cities in the world that is still inhabited. It is a big lively, and somewhat dirty city with a big old center with small winding streets and a large covered suq. The old city center is one of the most important sights and should not be missed. It contains different markets, several important mosques and shrines, most famous among the is the Omayyad Mosque and is surrounded by massive walls. Furthermore, Damascus has a few good museums, the National Museum being the best among them. If you want to relax a bit in the old city, there are several really relaxing tea houses just behind the Omayyad mosque where you can sit and sip for hours. If that's not enough you can go to a real Hammam (Turkish bath). Damascus owns everything to the river Barada. Descending like a torrent from the Anti-Lebanon range, this narrow but abundant river, joined by a hundred smaller streams, cascades down the gorges of Ain al Fijeh. Then it meanders for a while beside the Beirut road, giving pleasure to the patrons of restaurants and cafés along its lush green banks, before losing itself in myriad branches and ditches. These fertilizing waters have produced the Ghouta, a vast expanse of gardens fields and orchards, the oasis from which Damascus gets much of its food. Qassiun - Salhiyeh - General view Ancient map of Damascus Mosque - Sinan Pasha The Ghouta is a place for recreation too (there are many swimming pools, "casinos" and sports arenas there), and is very much appreciated by the inhabitants of a city that suffers all too often from the drying dusty winds that blow over it from the desert and the nearby mountain. By channeling the Barada it has been possible to create gardens right to the very heart of the lower town. To the north-west however the city has flung itself far up the rocky slopes of the Jabal Qassiun, whose summit (1,115 m) is topped by a television mast. These higher parts of the city are populous and poor, with the exception of the district known as Al Mouhajarine (bounded to the south by the rue Beirouny, and the rue Nazem Basha), where great modern blocks face out over the vast urban panorama extending away to meet the green Ghouta. Saahat Khorshid, a small square where several bus lines have their terminus, offers a similar view; there is a café there with several terraces from which to enjoy it. A new road has now been built up the mountain from the other side, emerging near the summit to command another fine view over the city. ::::::::::::Dead cities Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Al-mushabek church Al-mushabek church Arch.Haytham Hasan Jabal Sama'an This mountain area, situated in the Governorate of Aleppo, covers an area of approximately 50x30 Km2, stretching from Qatma in the North to the valley of the ‘Afrin River in the East. Two archaeological parks are situated within this area: St. Simeon Citadel and Village: The first proposed Park includes major archaeological remains from Roman and Byzantine periods and notably the sites of: St. Simeon church and village, Sit al-Rum and Refadeh and Sheikh Barakat. The Church of St. Simeon, built in 490 CE, was one of the largest and most important churches in the world in late antiquity. In the 10 th century, fortifications were built around it and hence known as "Qala" or castle. Pilgrims from afar came here to hear St Simeon the Stylite's preaches and the site became the destination of a mass pilgrimage. The ruins of the main Church occupy some 5000 m2, while the baptistery and its annexes cover 2000 more m2. The Village of St. Simeon, located on the western slope of Simeon's castle to the north of the plain of Qatoura, started as a small agricultural village, to develop into a town in order to accommodate the multitudes of pilgrims visiting the church. The ruins cover an area of 250x150 m. The ruins of the deserted village of Refadeh, and of the small church of Sit al-Rum, lay on a hill in front of Saint Simeon citadel. Most of the houses are fairly well preserved still keeping the porticos overlooking the interior courtyards. The highest peak in the area is mount Sheikh Barakat. It rises to an elevation of 876 m above sea level. The temple of Sheikh Barakat, at the summit of the mountain dates from the first century A.D. Part or or all of this text stems from the original article at: http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5115/ :::::::::::Hama Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Hama Hama Sami Al-Sabouni Hama is one of the most attractive cities of northern cities. It is famous for its waterwheels. The other claim to fame of Hama is the bloody way in which the Syrian government dealt with an fundamentalist uprising in 1982. 20.000 people were killed in just a few days. For travelers visiting Hama the best place to start their tour is a climb of the citadel hill - the actual citadel is gone but the hill still provides great views over town and the river. After that, head for the water weels in the river below. Known as norias these 30 meter high weels date back 2000 years! Other attractions include the 18th-century House of Al Azim, and the el Hayat Mosque. There are also two old caravanserais you can visit. Ask for the funduq. Daytrips can be made to Qalaat al Mudiq for an old fort, Asriyeh for Roman temples and Seijar for a nice old tonw with a castle. ::::::::..Homs Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see clock square clock square Samer Batter Homs ( Arabic, ??? Hims, EMESA is the real name) is a city and governorate in Syria. The city is located on the Orontes river, dating back to 2300 B.C.. In Roman times it was known as Emesa, and it was known as Kadesh during Biblical times. The Krak des Chevaliers is built on the mountain gap near Homs. It is also home to the Tomb of Khalid bin Walid, a famous and celebrated Muslim Warrior. The current population of the city is 700,000. Erratum: Kadesh (the most popular spelling; more accurately Qadesh ) was an ancient city of the Levant , located on the Orontes River , probably identical to the remains at Tell Nebi Mend, about 24 km southwest of Homs. Kadesh is best known, however, as the location of one of the best documented battles of the ancient world, the Battle of Kadesh , staged between the superpowers of the 13th century BC : the Egyptian and the Hittite Empires. G. Drak Part or or all of this text stems from the original article at: Original text written by Akef Shoueb D. Sibai ::::::: Jableh Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see General View General View Yazan Jableh (or Jablah) is a small town on the Mediterranean in Syria. It is famous in Syria for athletic achievements: strong soccer team, long distance swimming world record, etc. The city is surrounded by fertile farming land and is not far away from the Syrian coastal mountains. Jableh is very old and has an amphitheatre from the Roman era, this amphitheater is the world's fifth largest Roman one . :::::::::Kadesh Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Kadesh in Northern Syria is famous as the site of the Battle of Kadesh. The Egyptian Pharaoh RamsesII & his army fought the Hittites here. :::::::::::Krac des chevaliers Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see The Krak is a very impressive Crusader fort located between Tartus and Homs. It is magnificent because of its sheer size. ::::::Latakia Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Sheikdhaher Square Sheikdhaher Square badr Shaweesh Latakia is the most important port of Syria. The town has a sizable Christian minority although it has shrunk considerably over the years. The atmosphere on the coast is probably a more relaxed than anywhere else in the country. The town itsalf is an important travel hub. You can go to Cyprus by boat or to Turkey or Lebanon by bus from here. In the city itself there is a pleasant walk along the corniche and the adjacent colorfully planted avenues; it is tempting to linger longer in the magnificent public gardens, right by the sea, with their fine palm trees and clumps of oleanders. There are not many ancient remains: four columns and a Roman arch from the time of Septimus Severus (circa 200A.D.), a triumphal arch on four massive supports at the bottom of an avenue in the south of the city and a regional museum recently installed in the ancient Khan al Dukhan monument. Furthermore, Lattakia is a perfect base for excursions throughout Syria’s coastal regions where beaches, mountains, lush countryside, archaeological sites and traces . ::::::::Maloula Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see Maloula Maloula Sami Al-Sabouni When approaching Maloula from the Damascus-Aleppo highway, the village seems to be well protected under the umbrella of high cliffs. Once near, you can discern the colourful houses, especially of the older part of town. One of the main attractions of this peaceful place is the Convent of St. Taqla, right under one of the vertical walls of rock. As Maloula is a predominantly Christian village, it is full of convents. Of these, St. Taqla is probably the most prominent. It dates from the 4th century. According to legend, Taqla was pursued for her Christian faith, ended up here, prayed, and an opening in the rocks gave her protection and saved her. Nowadays, walking up from the entrance of the convent, you can go a little higher than the cupolas and reach the small shrine inside a cavern. A tree with branches stretches out from the cavern, which also houses a small chapel. The water dropping from the ceiling is said to be sacred and is collected in a natural basin. A lone nun was in the chapel and silently moved out so I could move in - it is a small place. Inside, there are wooden icons and candles burning. A contrast to the courtyard of the convent where I saw nuns chatting on their mobile phones. Behind the convent, a path leads through a canyon with high cliffs on either side. Unfortunately, up to two metres high the walls of the canyon are full of graffiti in all colours, otherwise, this is a lovely place, with a small stream flowing through it. It is hard to imagine that that flow has caved out the canyon! With a grand detour, I passed other convents and entered Maloula from the other side. Walking through the narrow alleys of the old town, I imagined that the language I heard was Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus Christ himself. After all, this is one of the few villages where that language still survives, although it is feared that it will die out. Part or or all of this text stems from the original article at: http://www.traveladventures.org/continents/asia/maloula.shtml :::::::Mari Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see To access the ruins at Mari it is easiest to stay in Deir-Ez-Zuir on the Euphrates. You are then a one and a half hour dolmus ride from Mari. ::::::Palmyra Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see palmera palmera akram Approaching Palmyra by road, through the Syrian desert, is something you won't easily forget. You turn a a corner and you suddenly see a huge expanse of columns and arches in the middle of a green oasis. Palmyra is without a doubt the most important archaeological attraction in Syria and one of the best in the whole Middle East. It is a sight you can't afford to skip. For centuries, Palmyra was an important and wealthy caravan stop on the Silk Route between Europe and the Orient. The city is also famous for its legendary queen Zenobia who conquered all of Syria and parts of Egypt and Asia Minor before falling to the Romans in AD 272. __________Sights Edit This All the sights in Palmyra go back to Roman times, except for the hilltop fortress. [Add Sight] the amphitheater Edit This type: general World66 rating: [rate it] Monumental Arch Edit This type: general World66 rating: [rate it] Diocletian’s Baths Edit This type: general World66 rating: [rate it] Temple of Baal Edit This type: general World66 rating: [rate it] Agora and Edit This type: general World66 rating: [rate it] Tetrapylon Edit This type: general World66 rating: [rate it] TheValley of Tombs. Edit This type: general World66 rating: [rate it] hilltop Arab fortress Edit This Go there just before sunset. It’s a wonderful vantage point for a complete view of the city oasis and desert. type: general World66 rating: [rate it] Archaeological Museum Edit This Has good displays and gives background infor on Palmyra. type: general World66 rating: [rate it] __________Getting There Edit This From Palmyra there are several buses a day to the West of the country. When you miss one, try to catch one of the minibuses or a taxi. They leave when they fill up. ::::::::: Zabadani Travel Guide Edit This The best resource for sights, hotels, restaurants, bars, what to do and see A summer resort some 45 kilometers north of Damascus, 1175 meters above sea-level. It overlooks the plain of Zabadani, a fertile land with thousands of fruit trees bearing delicious apples, cherries, plums, peaches, and pears. The source of the river Barada is in this plain and it supplies Damascus with water, and irrigates the Ghuta around the city. The source of the river forms a little lake which is surrounded by cafes, restaurants, and play-grounds |
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| Siria Itinerario 1 La Siria in 8 gg. di Carlo e Nicoletta Cacciarelli Punto di partenza: Damasco Punto di arrivo: Aleppo Lunghezza: ca. 1500 km Durata: 8 gg. Mezzo di trasporto: auto a noleggio Difficoltà: nessuna Prezzo: €. 780 (£ 1.500.000 circa) volo incluso didascalia Il lungo colonnato nei pressi di Apamea La Siria, culla di antichissime civiltà e crogiolo di popoli, è il paese del Medio Oriente più carico di testimonianze del passato, pertanto merita una visita approfondita sia per le sue vestigia storiche, ma anche per conoscere il mondo arabo attuale. Per viaggiare attraverso la Siria si possono usare tranquillamente gli autobus che collegano tutte le località e sono sicuramente economici. L'auto a noleggio (circa US$ 450 per sette giorni chilometraggio illimitato), o con autista, consente una maggiore libertà di movimento e rappresenta una valida alternativa in considerazione del basso costo della benzina e delle buone condizioni della rete stradale (non altrettanto si può dire della segnaletica). Per guidare non è indispensabile la patente internazionale. Primo giorno In aereo (Alitalia o Syrian Airlines) da Roma a Damasco e trasferimento in albergo. E' consigliabile provvedere alla prenotazione direttamente dall'Italia per non perdere tempo prezioso nella ricerca sul posto, anche se all'interno dell'aeroporto c'è un ottimo ufficio del turismo che funziona bene ed è in grado di prenotare velocemente alberghi di ogni categoria, oltre a rifornirvi di buone cartine. La zona con la maggiore concentrazione di alberghi è quella intorno alla piazza di Al-Merjeh (Piazza dei Martiri), chiamata anche Saahat ash-Shohada, situata a poche centinaia di metri dall'entrata sud della città vecchia. Pernottamento all' Hotel Ramsis (US$ 25 la doppia con prima colazione sufficiente). Secondo giorno didascalia didascalia Giornata dedicata alla scoperta di Damasco ed in particolare della città vecchia che è completamente racchiusa entro mura perimetrali. Considerata la più vecchia città al mondo abitata in modo continuativo, affascina per la sua atmosfera interamente araba. L'attrattiva maggiore è rappresentata senza dubbio dal souq, il mercato, costituito da piccole e strette viuzze, vicoli ciechi, antichi caravanserragli (khan) e botteghe che vendono merce di ogni genere. Non necessariamente si deve seguire un itinerario preciso all'interno della città vecchia, può essere infatti molto piacevole girovagare senza meta tra colori, odori e sapori molto intesi. Seconda solo alla Mecca per importanza religiosa, la Moschea Omayyade (entrata S£15) è uno degli edifici più notevoli dell'Islam e certamente la più importante struttura in tutta la Siria. La parte nord è costituita da un enorme cortile con pavimento di marmo bianco e mosaici decorati in oro su una delle facciate; tre minareti circondano l'intera moschea e nell'enorme sala delle preghiere vi è anche un tempietto eretto nel luogo dove si dice sia stata trovata la testa di San Giovanni Battista. Di notevole fascino sono anche le antiche case nobili di Damasco. Costruite nel XVIII secolo durante il governatorato della famiglia Al-Azem sono generalmente affacciate su splendidi cortili ed ognuna di esse mantiene le proprie originali decorazioni interne. Segnaliamo tra queste Azem Palace, Beit Nizam, Beit Nassan, Maktab Anbar. Cena consigliata presso l'Umayyad Palace Restaraunt, dove nel prezzo fisso (S£700 pari a circa € 16 / £ 30.000 ma ne vale la pena) è incluso cena a buffet e perfromances di musicisti e danzatori dervisci. Terzo giorno Dedichiamo la prima parte della giornata alla visita di Bosra (120 km da Damasco). La città si trova a sud ai confini con la Giordania ed è facilmente raggiungibile con una comoda autostrada. Capitale dei Nabatei nel I secolo essa assunse una notevole importanza quando fu annessa dai romani nel II secolo e divenne la capitale della Provincia Araba. La città vecchia, tuttora in parte abitata, è costruita in basalto nero ed è uno strano miscuglio di stili architettonici. Vi troviamo infatti edifici nabatei, il decumano, i bagni e la fontana pubblica dell'epoca romana accanto a moschee d'epoca successiva. L'edificio sicuramente più rilevante è il Teatro (entrata S$300 circa € 6,8) che è, tra quelli di epoca romana, certamente il meglio conservato. Viene tuttora usato per rappresentazioni ed ospita fino a 15.000 spettatori. Nel pomeriggio, dopo essere rientrati a Damasco, ci dirigiamo a Maalula, 40 km circa a nord di Damasco, piccolo paesino costruito a ridosso di una spoglia collina e le cui case sono quasi interamente colorate di azzurro. Sebbene vi risiedano anche alcuni musulmani la maggior parte dei cittadini è di osservanza Greco Cattolica e fu un importante centro della Cristianità. Si possono visitare due chiese: il convento di Santa Tecla e il Monastero di San Sergio all'interno del quale vi è una bellissima chiesetta bizantina con decorazioni ed icone antiche e dove una gentilissima ragazza vi potrà recitare il Padre Nostro in Aramaico, l'antica lingua di Gesù, che qui si è tramandata oralmente fino ad oggi. Alla sera ritorno a Damasco, cena al ristorante "Al Arabi" (S£130 a persona) nelle vicinanze della piazza dei Martiri e pernottamento. Quarto giorno didascalia didascalia Giornata molto intensa il cui obiettivo è quello di arrivare a Palmira nel tardo pomeriggio. Lasciamo di buon ora Damasco e dopo aver percorso circa 80 km sull'autostrada che porta ad Aleppo ci fermiamo ad An Nabk dove lasciamo il nostro mezzo e prendiamo una macchina con autista che ci porterà, attraverso una strada accidentata e vagamente tracciata (circa 12 Km), nei pressi del monastero cristiano di Deir Mar Musa isolato in pieno deserto. Per raggiungere il monastero si dovrà percorrere un ulteriore camminamento tra le rocce di circa 1.5 Km (munirsi di qualche bottiglia d'acqua). E' uno dei pochi monasteri del deserto ancora esistenti nella Siria moderna e dopo cinque secoli d'abbandono è stato recuperato all'inizio degli anni '80 da un prete italiano con l'aiuto della comunità cattolica locale. Ora risiedono qui monaci e monache che conducono una vita spartana fatta di duro lavoro e preghiera tentando di portare aiuto alla popolazione locale. Il monastero è meta di giovani di tutto il mondo che vengono a passare qui periodi di ritiro spirituale in isolamento. Dopo aver lasciato Mar Musa riprendiamo l'autostrada per dirigerci verso il Krak dei Cavalieri (220 Km da Damasco), il più imponente e meglio conservato tra i castelli dei crociati in Medio Oriente, vero capolavoro dell'architettura militare. All'interno si possono visitare la grande cucina, la cappella, la sala dei banchetti con archi gotici e gli alloggi riservati alle truppe e al comandante. La fortezza costruita ad opera di un conte francese nel 1099 poteva ospitare fino a 4000 soldati e resistere agli assedi per un anno senza necessità di approvvigionamenti esterni. Fu espugnata soltanto nel 1271 dal sultano Baibars. Ingresso SL. 300, apertura dalle 9.00 alle 19.00 (17.00 in inverno). Da qui ripartiamo alla volta di Palmira (220 km attraverso il deserto, circa 3 ore), dove consigliamo di giungere poco prima del tramonto per godere, dalla fortezza che domina l'oasi, lo splendido spettacolo del sole che calando colora di rosa le rovine. Pernottamento al Middle East Hotel (US$ 25 la doppia con prima colazione). A Palmira ci sono innumerevoli possibilità di alloggio e per tutte le tasche, i prezzi sono contrattabili in estate, vista la scarsità dei turisti. Cena consigliata al ristorante "Al Waha" (SL. 300 a persona) nei pressi delle rovine. Quinto giorno Soprattutto in estate è assolutamente consigliabile iniziare la visita delle rovine di Palmira all'alba per sfruttare al meglio le ore meno calde e più tranquille della giornata. La storia di Palmira è legata indissolubilmente alla splendida regina Zenobia che tentò di farne la capitale di un suo impero che oscurasse l'odiata Roma. Il sito è di straordinaria bellezza e vastità, pertanto è bene farsi accompagnare da una guida locale (segnaliamo Mahmoud Chouizi, rintracciabile presso il tourist office). Tra le cose da vedere ricordiamo la via colonnata, il mercato, il teatro, il tetrapylon i bagni di Zenobia, il magnifico Tempio di Baal e le antiche tombe a forma di torre contenenti mirabili affreschi e bassorilievi. Non è richiesto alcun biglietto d'ingresso tranne che per il Tempio di Baal e le Tombe (biglietto cumulativo SL. 300). Nel primo pomeriggio si riparte alla volta di Hama (210 Km), lungo il tragitto, dopo aver attraversato 70 Km di deserto, da segnalare i resti della fortezza Qala't At Ash-Shmemis costruita sulla sommità di una collina con il suo particolare aspetto circolare, e strane abitazioni di argilla a forma di cono simili ai trulli. Pernottamento al Cairo Hotel (SL. 630 la doppia con colazione) e cena al Sultan restaurant (SL. 120 a persona). Sesto giorno Norie ad Hama Norie ad Hama In mattinata breve visita di Hama, l'antica Epifania, la città più verde della Siria che deve la sua notorietà alle famose Norie, gigantesche ruote di legno che servivano per irrigare i campi prelevando acqua dal fiume Oronte. Nel medioevo erano circa 30 ora ne rimangono 17 dislocate in vari punti della città lungo il fiume. Si riparte poi per Aleppo, facendo una prima tappa ad Apamea a circa 50 Km a nord ovest di Hama. Si tratta di un'antica città romana fondata nel II secolo a.c. da Seleuco I di cui rimangono splendide rovine tra le quali una ben conservata via colonnata lunga quasi 2 km, l'agorà, il tempio di Zeus e il mercato (ingresso SL. 300). Successivamente ci dirigiamo verso un'area disseminata di antichi insediamenti bizantini noti ora come città morte. Se ne contano circa 300 ma le più rilevanti sono Serjilla e Al Bara, le quali però non sono facilmente raggiungibili a causa della scarsità di indicazioni. Per i meno intraprendenti il Cairo Hotel di Hama organizza delle escursioni in giornata, altrimenti è bene farsi spiegare bene la strada e farsi scrivere in arabo i nomi delle località da raggiungere. Ultima tappa prima di giungere ad Aleppo è la Basilica di San Simeone lo stilita (ingresso SL.300 aperta dalle 9.00 alle 18.00). Fu costruita nel 459 d.C. pochi anni dopo la morta di Simeone uno degli asceti più singolari del cristianesimo, egli visse gran parte della sua esistenza su una colonna i predicando alle folle. La basilica a pianta cruciforme è scoperchiata e di grande suggestione, all'interno sono ancora visibili i resti della colonna. In serata si raggiunge Aleppo, pernottamento all'Hotel Somar (US$ 25 la doppia con colazione) situato nelle vicinanze della torre dell'orologio dove sono dislocati la maggior parte degli alberghi della città. Cena al Abu Nawas, ristorante gestito da russi e frequentato da famiglie sia di religione musulmana che cristiana. Settimo giorno Giornata completamente dedicata alla visita di Aleppo. Se Damasco è la capitale politico religiosa del paese Aleppo, un po' come Milano rispetto a Roma, è la capitale degli affari e di conseguenza una visita prolungata nel souq è l'esperienza più eccitante da fare in città. Tra stradine e vicoletti bui, moschee e antichi bagni turchi, negozianti chiassosi ma simpatici cercano di venderti mercanzie di ogni tipo dalla tovaglia finemente ricamata, allo strumento musicale, al completino di biancheria intima per donne arabe, rigorosamente venduto ed acquistato solo da uomini. Colori, profumi e sapori invadono piacevolmente l'atmosfera, tra moltitudini di persone in continuo movimento. Visitiamo inoltre la Cittadella un'imponente fortezza araba che da una collina sovrasta la città e la Grande Moschea. Esperienza assolutamente da non perdere è quella di concedersi un rilassante bagno turco nell'Hammam Yalbougha an Nasry, uno dei più belli di tutta la Siria. Ottima e conclusiva cena al Kan Zaman (SL. 420 a persona), un antico caravanserraglio ben ristrutturato ed adibito a ristorante di lusso situato nel caratteristico quartiere cristiano. Ottavo giorno Alla mattina c'è ancora tempo per un'ulteriore giro nel souq prima di riprendere il volo verso l'Italia, peccato non potersi fermare più a lungo. Altre notizie L'itinerario illustrato copre sicuramente i luoghi di maggior interesse storico e culturale del paese. Potendo però disporre di 4-5 giorni in più si può ampliare quanto qui descritto includendo alcune località lungo la valle dell'Eufrate, gli scavi di Ebla per gli appassionati di archeologia e la città romana di Baalbek in Libano. Links www.syriatourism.org sito ufficiale del Ministero del Turismo siriano. www.teshreen.com/syriatimes per essere aggiornati sugli eventi della capitale. www.arabia.com informazioni utili sul mondo arabo, previsioni meteo di damasco. Indirizzi utili DAMASCO (prefisso 011; Siria 00963 dall'Italia) Ufficio del Turismo, Damasco, Sharia 29 Mai, Tel. 2222388800 Ambasciata italiana, Al-mansour Street, tel.3338338 Posta centrale, Sharia Said Al-Jabri aperto dalle 8.00 alle 19.30 Ospedale, Shami Hospital, Sharia Jawaer an-Nehru tel. 3718970 Ospedale Italiano di Damasco tel. 3326030 Polizia, emergenza tel. 112 Pompieri, tel. 113 Polizia stradale, tel. 115 ALEPPO (prefisso 021) Ufficio Turistico, nel giardino di fronte al National Museum, aperto dalle 8.30 alle 16.00 eccetto il venerdì, tel. 22212000. PALMYRA (prefisso 031) Ufficio Turistico, si trova vicino l'hotel Zenobia aperto dalle 8.00 alle 14.00 e dalle 17.00 alle 19.00 HAMA (prefisso 033) Ufficio Turistico, nei giardini nel centro città, tel. 511033 |
| Questo articolo è rilasciato sotto i termini della
GNU Free Documentation License Esso utilizza materiale tratto da http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siria Cronologia/Autori: http://it.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Siria&action=history SiriaDa Wikipedia, l'enciclopedia libera.
La Repubblica Araba di Siria (in arabo Al-Jumhūriyya al-‘Arabiyya al-Sūriyya الجمهورية العربية السورية, o Siria (Arabo:سوريا ), è uno Stato (185.180 km², 18.016.874 abitanti, capitale Damasco) situato nel Vicino Oriente. Confina a nord con la Turchia, a est con l'Iraq, a sud con la Giordania, a ovest con Israele e Libano. Sempre ad ovest si affaccia sul Mar Mediterraneo. La Siria è una repubblica. La lingua ufficiale è quella araba.
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Storia
Il Tetrapylon di Palmira La Siria ha subito nell'antichità una serie di dominazioni che le hanno consentito di sviluppare una fiorente civiltà: Ebla ne è il più significativo esempio, ma la regione fu influenzata direttamente da Egiziani, Babilonesi, Romani e Bizantini che ne fecero un centro del commercio internazionale. Nel VII secolo la Siria venne conquistata dagli Arabi e passò successivamente sotto gli Omayyadi, gli Abbasidi, i Selgiuchidi e i Fatimidi, gli Ayyubidi e i Mamelucchi. Il paese fu coinvolto nelle Crociate e subì l'invasione dei Mongoli. Tra il 1517 e il 1920 fece parte dell'Impero ottomano. Tra il 1920 e il 1946 la Siria è stato un Mandato francese. A seguito dell'indipendenza, definitivamente riconosciuta dal 1 gennaio 1946, si ebbe un periodo di instabilità, costellato da numerosi cambi di governo e colpi di Stato. Dopo l'effimera unione con l'Egitto nella Repubblica Araba Unita (1958-1961, s'impadron' del potere il partito Ba'th. Infine con un ennesimo colpo di stato, interno al partito, prese la guida del Paese Hāfiz al-Asad, a cui è succeduto nel [[2000] il figlio, Bashār al-Asad.
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Geografia
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Geografia fisica
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Morfologia
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IdrografiaI fiumi principali sono l'Oronte,
l'Eufrate,
con il suo affluente, il
Khabur e il
Tigri, che segna per un breve tratto il confine con la
Turchia.
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ClimaDesertico nella regione centrale, mite nell'ovest (Mar Mediterraneo).
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Temperatura e precipitazioni
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Geografia umana
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PopolazioneDensità: 97.3 per km²
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EtnieIn massima parte arabi (90,3%); per il resto curdi, armeni, aramaici e altri .
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Religione
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Geografia politica
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RegioniLe norie della città di Hamah
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Altre città importanti
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Geografia economicaProdotto Nazionale Lordo (PNL): 58,01 miliardi di dollari;
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RisorseProduzione di energia elettrica: 23.260 GWh.
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TurismoAttualmente il governo sta notevolmente puntando sul turismo. La Siria è meta ricercata per il suo ricco patrimonio storico e archeologico che va dai siti di Ebla e Mari, ai resti romani di Palmira e Dura Europos, alle città dalla ricca storia di Damasco, Aleppo (di cui è rinomata la cittadella, una delle più grandi e antiche del mondo). Altro siti sono il Krak dei cavalieri e Mar Musa.
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Arte
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PoesiaMolto sviluppata fin dall'epoca delle tribù beduine nomadi (erano piu frequenti "scontri" con la poesia che con le armi). Ha avuto il suo massimo splendore con la dinastia abbasita. L'arabo si presta molto alla poesia.
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PoliticaAl livello politico la Siria si trova in una situazione molto tesa per vari fattori:
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Altri progetti
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Collegamenti esterni
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| Thanks to www.travelpuppy.com |
| Syria
Travel Guide Syria Travel Guide and Syria Travel Information - TravelPuppy.com 'History hounds love this place of amazing archeological treasures' Travel warning Following the military action in Iraq, there is an enlarged risk of terrorism in Syria. Travellers should visit 1 of the following government websites for the latest risk assessment: British Foreign and Commonwealth Office Website: www.fco.gov.uk/travel Tel: +44 (0)870 606 0290. US Department of State Website: http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_1764.html Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade Website: www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/sos/warnings-en.asp Syria can be divided geographically into 4 main areas, the fertile plain in the northeast, the plateau, coastal and mountain areas in the west, the central plains, and the desert and grass land region in the central and south eastern areas. The Euphrates flows from Turkey in the north, through the Syrian Arab Republic, down to Iraq in the south east. Damascus, which is the capital of Syria, is the world's oldest inhabited city. A central feature of this cluttered and noisy city is the Ummayyad Mosque. The 18 th century Al-Azem palace is now a national museum, featuring marvellously illuminated copies of the Koran. Homs is a large city which is known mainly for its industry. A place of historical interest is the mausoleum of Khalid Ibn al-Walid. Located 65 kilometres (40 miles) outside Homs, Crac des Chevaliers is the most famous crusader castle in the world. Rising from an altitude of 670 metres (2,200 feet), its watch towers once afforded protection. Latakia, which is Syria's principal Mediterranean coastal port, is a major holiday resort. Syria's national dishes include yabrak (vine leaves stuffed with rice and minced meat) and kubbeh (minced semolina and meat formed in balls and stuffed with minced meat, onion and nuts). __________Syria Contacts Syria Addresses and Contacts - TravelPuppy.com Syria country dialling code: 963. Location: Middle East. Ministry of Tourism Building address Shukry El-Qutly Street, Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic Telephone (11) 221 0122 or 221 5916. Website address www.syriatourism.org Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in the UK Building Address 8 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PH, UK Telephone (020) 7245 9012 or 7201 8830/8831 (consular section). Website address www.syrianembassy.co.uk Opening Hours Monday to Friday from 10.00 am to 12.00 pm (for visa applications) 2.00 pm to 3.00 pm (for visa collection). Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic in the USA Building Address 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA Telephone (202) 232 6313. Website address www.syrianembassy.us Opening Hours Monday to Friday 9.00 am to 3.30 pm. __________Syria Festival - Events Syria Festivals and Events Guide - TravelPuppy.com For a complete list of special events please contact the Ministry Of Tourism (see Contacts section). The following is a selection of special events happening in Syria in 2005: April: Hamah Spring Festival. June: International Flower Show, Damascus. August: Aug Friendship Festival, Latakia. September: Cotton Festival in Aleppo, International Fair in Damascus, Silk Road Festival, Festival of Folklore and Music in Bosra. October: Olive Exhibition, Idleb. __________Syria General Info Syria General Information - TravelPuppy.com Area 185,180 square kilometres (71,498 square miles). Population 17,800,000 people (the official estimate for 2002). Population Density 96.1 people per square kilometre (the official estimate for 2002). Capital Damascus. Population of Damascus 2,228,000 people (the official estimate for 2003) Geography Some key geographical facts: Syria can be divided geographically into 4 main areas, the fertile plain in the northeast, the plateau, coastal and mountain areas in the west, the central plains, and the desert and grass land region in the central and south eastern areas. The Euphrates flows from Turkey in the north, through the Syrian Arab Republic, down to Iraq in the south east. It is the longest river in the Syrian Arab Republic, the total length being 2,330 kilometres (1450 miles), of which 600 kilometres (370 miles) pass through the Syrian Arab Republic. The Khabur River supports the al-Khabur Basin in the north east. Government Syria has been Republic since 1973. The country gained independence in 1946. The Head of State has been President Bashar al-Assad since 2000. The Head of Government has been Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Otari since 2003. Language French, Arabic and English are the main languages spoken in Syria, Kurdish is also spoken by a small minority. Religion Over 80 % Muslim (mostly Sunni), with sizeable Christian (mostly Orthodox and Catholic) groups and Jewish minorities. Time Zone Greenich Mean Time (GMT) + 2 (GMT + 3 from 30 March to 30 September). Electricity 220 volts AC, 50Hz. European style 2 pin plugs. ____________Syria Getting Around - Internal Travel Syria Internal Travel - Getting Around Syria - TravelPuppy.com Air Syrian Arab Airlines fly to Deir ez Zor, Aleppo, Latakia, Palmyra and Qamishly. Fares are exceedingly cheap in general. Road There are 25,887 kilometres (16,086 miles) of roads. Traffic systems are poor and there are many accidents. 2nd class roads are unreliable throughout the wet season. The main route is Aleppo to Damascus and Dar’a (north – south axis). The traffic in Syria drives on the right. The speed limits are 20 kilometres per hhour (12 miles per hour) in the city, 80 kilometres per hour (50 miles per hour) on highways. Bus Bus services run from Damascus and Aleppo to most towns and are cheap, used frequently and resourceful. There are orange and white air conditioned Karnak (government operated) buses. Reservations are advised to be made well in advance. Karnak bus routes serve their own terminals, which are generally in or near the city centres. There are also privately run bus and microbus services which started recently all over the Syrian Arab Republic. Taxi Shared taxis are available to all parts of Syria. Service taxis (old limousines) run on major routes and cost 50 to 70 % more than Karnak buses. Documentation An International Driving Permit is required to drive in Syria. Green Cards are not yet accepted in the Syrian Arab Republic. Insurance is compulsory by law and a customs certificate is needed. These are available from touring and automobile clubs. Rail The railway stretches for 2,200 kilometres (1,364 miles). A service operates between Damascas - Aleppo - Kamechli. A 2nd line runs between Aleppo - Latakia - Banias - Tartous - Homs - Damascas - Deraa. 1stclass carriages are air conditioned. There is also a connection from Haleb to the Lebanese border. Urban Publicly owned bus services operate in all major cities and towns. Most buses outside the capital, however, have no signs in a European script to indicate destination or stops, which can make travelling rather complicated. Taxis are widely accessible. Fares should be decided in advance and according to the meter in the cities. Air Road Aleppo 1 hour 5 hours 30 minutes Latakia 1 hour 5 hours Deir ez Zor 1 hour 6 hours Qamishly 1 hour 8 hours Palmyra 1 hour 25 minutes 8 hours Al Hasakah - 8 hours Homs - 1 hour 30 minutes Hama - 2 hours Tartus - 6 hours Dar’a - 5 hours __________ Syria Getting There - International Travel Syria International Travel - TravelPuppy.com Air Following the military action in Iraq, there is an enlarged risk of terrorism in the Syrian Arab Republic. For further advice please contact the relevant local government travel advice department. The Syrian Arab Republic’s national airline is Syrian Arab Airlines (RB). British Mediterranean (a franchise partner of British Airways) operates regular services from London to Damascus and 2 services to Aleppo. Approximate Flight Times It takes 6 hours traveling from London to Damascus, and 4 to 5 hours traveling from London to Aleppo. Damascus International airport Damascus (DAM) is 25 kilometres (18 miles) southeast of the city (the travel time is 30 to 40 minutes). 2 other international airports, Latakia and Aleppo offer connections to Amman and Beirut airports. Airport facilities A bus service runs every 30 mins from 6.00 am to 11.00 pm, and return is from the city centre. Taxis are available, however it is advisable to negotiate fares beforehand if there is no taxi meter in the cab. Facilities include banking, snack bars, restaurants, a duty free shop and tourist information. Aleppo International airport Aleppo (ALP) (Nejrab) is 10 kilometres (6.5 miles) from the city (the travel time is 20 minutes). Airport facilities Taxi and bus services go to the city. Facilities include banking, snack bars, restaurants, and tourist information. Latakia International airport Latakia Airport (LTK) is situated 25 kilometres (16 miles) from the city. Although there are no planned flights serving this airport, some chartered flights run here. Departure Tax S£ 200. Children under 10 years of age and transit passengers (continuing their journey within 24 hours and not leaving the customs zone) are excused from paying the departure tax. Sea The main ports are Latakia, Banyas, and Tartus. The nearest car ferry sails to Bodrum in western Turkey. Beirut (Lebanon), however, is served from Alexandria, Greece and Cyprus, and Damascus can then be reached in a couple of hours by road. An appealing alternative is to take a ferry either from Italy (Ancona, Brindisi or Venice) or from Greece (Piraeus) and go as far as Turkey (Bodrum, Izmir or Kusadasi). From any of these ports it is easy to join the main road south via Dinar, Aydin, Antalya, and the steep rugged coast through Alanya, Anamur, Tarsus, Mersin, Iskenderun, Antakya, to Aleppo or Latakia. 3 days should be allowed for the sea crossing and another 3 for the drive. Certain lines offer a mixture of cruise and car ferry, the return journey could be made via Bodrum, Rhodes, Heraklion, Santorini and Piraeus. Cruise ferries are organised by Greek, Cypriot, Italian and Turkish companies and their programmes vary year by year. Please contact a travel agent for further details. Road The main international routes are from Istanbul, via the E5 road to Adana, Ankara and Iskenderun in Turkey. Enter at Bab-al-Hawa for Aleppo, or at Kassab for Latakia. From the south, the most excellent routes are from Aqaba on the Red Sea in Jordan. To enter the Syrian Arab Republic with a car, a customs certificate must be produced, it is obtainable from Automobile Clubs and Touring Clubs against a deposit. Bus Services are available across the desert, with routes from Aleppo and Damascus to Istanbul, Damascus to Beirut and Tripoli, Damascus to Amman, and Damascus to Riyadh. Links go through Ankara (Turkey) and Istanbul. There is a change at Ankara for the Taurus Express to Aleppo. ___________ Syria Public Holidays Syria Public Holidays - TravelPuppy.com Year 2007 1 January 20 January 8 March 21 March 31 March 8 April 8 April 17 April 1 May 6 May 6 October 13 October 20 December 25 December New Year’s Day. Islamic New Year. Revolution Day. Mother's Day. Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet). Easter. Orthodox Easter. Independence Day. Labour Day. Martyrs’ Day. October Liberation War. Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice). Christmas Day. Year 2008 1 January 10 January 8 March 20 March 21 March 23 March 17 April 27 April 1 May 6 May 2 October 6 October 9 December 25 December 29 December New Year's Day. Islamic New Year. Revolution Day. Mouloud (Birth of the Prophet). Mother's Day. Easter. Independence Day. Orthodox Easter. Labour Day. Martyrs' Day. Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). October Liberation War. Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice). Christmas Day. Islamic New Year. Note Muslim festivals are timed depending on local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns can be interrupted. Many restaurants are closed during the day and there may be restrictions on drinking and smoking. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha may last anything from 2 to 10 days, depending on the region. ___________Syria Social Profile Syria Culture and Social Profile - TravelPuppy.com Food & Drink There are several restaurants in Aleppo and Damascus serving a variety of Oriental and European dishes. National dishes are kubbeh (minced semolina and meat formed in balls and stuffed with minced meat, onion and nuts), yabrak (vine leaves stuffed with rice and minced meat), ouzi (pastry stuffed with rice and minced meat) and a variety of vegetables cooked with meat and tomato sauce, generally presented on separate plates and eaten by mixing it with cooked rice. Among these vegetables are French beans, okra and malukhiyya. Table service is normal and a meal is paid for afterwards. There are bars serving a large range of alcoholic drinks. Alcohol is permitted however restrictions are imposed during Ramadan when it is illegal to drink in public from dawn to dusk, even for non Muslims. Shopping Souks (markets) are the best places for shopping, particularly those in Aleppo. Local handicrafts in the Syrian Arab Republic are plentiful and precious, including mother-of-pearl items (such as backgammon boards), weaving and embroidery, olive wood carvings, leather goods and gold and silver jewellery. General shopping hours are Saturday to Thursday from 9.30 am to 2.00 pm and 4.30 am to 9.00 pm (in the summer), and Saturday to Thursday from 9.30 am to 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm to 8.00 pm (in the winter). Social Conventions The Syrians take as much pride in their modern amenities as in their unique heritage and in the tradition of delicate craftsmanship, and both should be appreciated. Visitors will enjoy the hospitality that is a deep rooted Arab tradition and sharing the pleasures of an striking Oriental way of life. It is customary to shake hands on meeting and on leaving. A visitor will be treated with great courtesy and will regularly be offered refreshment, usually coffee. As a guest in someone’s home or, more usually, in a restaurant, visitors should respect Arab traditions and customs. A souvenir from the visitor’s home or company is well appreciated. Conservative casual wear is suitable, beachwear or shorts should not be worn away from the beach or poolside. Smoking follows Western habits and in most cases it is apparent where not to smoke. Smoking is forbidden in public from dawn to dusk during Ramadan. No attempt should be made to photograph anything slightly connected with the armed forces or in the vicinity of defence installations, which even includes radio transmission aerials. It is advised to take a good look at what will be appearing in the background before pointing the camera. Tipping Tipping is often expected, particularly in expensive establishments, 10 % is usually acceptable. ___________Syria Regions East Coast - Ireland TravelPuppy Damascus Damascus is the capital of the Syrian Arab Republic, and is the world’s oldest inhabited city. A central characteristic of this cluttered and clamorous city is the Ummayyad Mosque, entered by passing through the Al-Hamidiyah Bazaar. The history of the mosque in many ways traces the history of Damascus, built on the site of a temple to the ancient Aramean god Haddad, the original temple was modified and enlarged by the Romans and used as a temple to Jupiter. It was later knocked down by the Byzantines, who replaced the pagan temple with the Cathedral of John the Baptist, which was consequently converted into a mosque to accommodate the Islamic teachings brought by the Arabs in AD 636. The mosque contains the Tomb of St John the Baptist. The Tikiyeh mosque, built in the mid 16th century, stands out by its 2 elegant minarets and great dome. The 18th century Al Azem Palace is now a national museum, where there are, amongst other examples of Islamic art, skillfully illuminated copies of the Koran. Located in old Damascus, a little way off the famous Via Recta, or the ‘Street called Straight’, is the House of Hanania, where St Paul hid using the underground chapel for worship. The church in the Damascus Wall from where St Paul escaped in a basket is also still conserved. Another attraction worth seeing is the Long Souk (market). Other places include the Sayyida Zainab Shrine (the granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammad), the Tomb of Saladin at the back of the Ummayyad Mosque, and the outskirts of Damascus, especially Dummar, with seasonal entertainment and restaurants. Ghota, the fruit orchards surrounding Damascus, is at its best during the blooming of plums, apricot, cherries and other trees in early spring. Bosra Bosra was the 1st city in the Syrian Arab Republic to become Muslim and has some of the oldest minarets in the whole of Islam. As a stopover on the pilgrimage route to Mecca, Bosra was a wealthy city until the 17 th century. By then the region was becoming dangerous and the pilgrims began to take a less dangerous route further west. Bosra’s main attraction is a well preserved Roman amphitheatre (with room for 15,000 spectators) in which a musical festival is held every 2 years. The eastern exit to the town is 1 of its last surviving vestiges of a pre Roman civilisation. The remains of an archway dating from the 1st century, the Nabatean period, of which nearly all traces are now lost, are unique in the Syrian Arab Republic. The Mosque of Omar in the centre of the town (called Jami-al Arouss, ‘the bridal mosque’, by the Bosriots), used to be a pagan temple and now stands as the only mosque surviving from the early Islamic period that has conserved its original facades. Excursions Further interesting sites include Salkhad, 23 kilometres (14 miles) east of Bosra, which has a citadel dating from the time of the Crusades, Al Inat, 26 kilometres (15miles) south east of Salkhad, with its a great reservoir dug out of the rock, and the ruins at Umm Al Qotein, near the Jordanian border. Palmyra This town is located in a desert oasis. The city was ruled by the legendary Queen Zenobia, who stood against the 2 great empires of the Romans and the Persians. Zenobia was taken captive to Rome when the Emperor Aurelian conquered and ruined the city in AD 272. The ruins of the Valley of Tombs, the Hypogeum of the Three Brothers, the Temple of Baal and the Monumental Arch, now a world UNESCO Heritage Site, are some of the fine remains found over a wide area of the city, prized as containing some of the most well known monuments to the Classical period in the Middle East. Elsewhere The 3rd largest city in the Syrian Arab Republic, Homs is known for its industry, and is the site of the Syrian Arab Republic’s 1st oil refinery. A place of historical interest is the mausoleum of Khalid Ibn al-Walid. 65 kilometres (40 miles) outside Homs, Crac des Chevaliers is the most famous crusader castle in the world. A stronghold of the Hospitallers during the days of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem (1100 to 1290), it maintained a garrison of several 1000 soldiers in peacetime. The castle, rising from an altitude of 670 metres (2,200 feet), was protected by watchtowers and supplied with food from the surrounding fertile countryside. The crusader castles of Salaheddin, near Latakia, and Markab, near Banyas, are also worth a visit. Located on the River Orontes, 45 kilometres (28 miles) from Homs, Hama dates back to beyond 5000 BC. The Norias, gigantic wooden waterwheels, are a unique feature, still used to provide water for the city and to irrigate the several public gardens. The orchards, the Great Mosque and the Al Azem Palace’s Museum are also popular. Aleppo Possibly older than Damascus, Aleppo’s massive Citadel stands on the site of a Hittite acropolis. This UNESCO Heritage Site is one of the most splendid examples of Islamic Arab military architecture in the Syrian Arab Republic. There are an remarkable number of mosques in the city. For the tourist, the souk (market), made up of 16 kilometres (10 miles) of meandering low corridors lined with shops and bustling with activity, is probably the greatest attraction. The well preserved hammams, or public baths, are of interest, as well as the ancient khans (rest houses). Some fine artefacts and historic reminders of the Syrian Arab Republic’s rich cultural past are placed in the archaeological museum. Aleppo is also the commercial and industrial centre of the Syrian Arab Republic. Latakia This is the Syrian Arab Republic’s main port and the metropolitan city of the country. Set on the Mediterranean coast, Latakia is a main holiday resort. The city stands at the bottom of the forested chain of mountains overlooking the coastal strip on one side and the edge of the Fertile Plains (the ‘Cradle of Civilisation’) on the other. There are numerous antiquities, including the ruined Temple of Bacchus and a triumphal arch. Attractions Attractions in the area include the town of Tartus, beaches and mountains, and the Latakia mountain resorts of Slounfeh and Kassab. Near Tartus, 10 kilometres (6 miles) inland, are the Drekish Mountains, famous for the purity of their water. The sites and cities included in this regional description are described in order of appearance as the River Euphrates flows southwestward: Ja’bar Citadel is 1 of the Seleucid fortresses. Situated to the west of Raqqa, it stands on a spit of land and is mirrored in the blue waters of the Euphrates. Located on the left bank of the river, the ancient city of Raqqa was built by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC. Since the construction of the Euphrates Dam, it has played a significant economic role in the life of the modern Syrian Arab Republic. Halabiyé and Zalabiya are situated 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Deir ez Zor. Their ruins bear witness to their essential military role during the reign of Queen Zenobia. Deir ez Zor, considered to be the ‘pearl of the Euphrates’, is situated on the right bank of the river. The garden and orchards along the banks of the Euphrates harmonise marvellously with the golden desert hues and the silver thread of the river. Rahba Citadel, near Mayadin, was built to ensure the defence of the Euphrates route and to withstand Tatar and Mongol invasions. The ancient city of Doura Europos (Salhieh) played a significant economic and military role during the time of the Ancient Greeks, Persians, Romans, and the Palmyrans. Mari was built at a tactical point on the trade routes from the Syrian Arab Republic to Mesopotamia. The town’s oldest ruins date back 5,000 years. Mari’s most inspiring sight is the extraordinary Royal Palace. Built by Zimrilim, ruler of this important city state 2,000 years ago, this enormous palace boasts 300 rooms and halls. It was rediscovered in the course of excavations during the 1930's and is now sheltered by a modern roof. |
