Types of Tourism in Syria

EXCURSIONS

First of all, tourists go to Syria to see the ruins of ancient cities, many of which are more than 4 thousand years old; Muslim and Christian shrines; places described in the Bible; Arab fortresses and castles of the Crusaders. Each city in Syria reflects the rich history of the country, the imprint of which was left by many peoples.

MOUNTAIN RESORTS

In the mountains of western Syria there are several mountain resorts. These are small resorts where Syrians and residents of neighboring countries like to relax in summer and winter. In summer, there is no sweltering heat, and the nearby forests with numerous springs and lakes are perfect for relaxing. In winter, from late December to early March, resorts located at an altitude of about 1000 m attract skiers, despite the fact that there are no equipped slopes and ski lifts. You can take all the necessary equipment with you and, enjoying nature, ride from the virgin slopes. The most popular resorts are located in the vicinity of Damascus Zabadani, Bludan, Madaya and Bukayn, near Latakia – Slenfe, Kasab and Salma, next to Tartus – Draykish and Safita and not far from Banyas – Misaf. For skiing, only resorts that are located near Damascus and Slenfe in the vicinity of Latakia are suitable. Check top-medical-schools.org for travel information in Syria.

BEACH HOLIDAYS

In the vicinity of Latakia , to the north and south of the city, beaches stretch along the entire Mediterranean coast. Syrian beaches are not very well maintained, but they are surrounded by very beautiful landscapes – hills, mountains and forests. You can swim here from May to November. One of the best beaches in Syria are located north of Latakia – Al-Samra, the sandy part of which is located on the territory of Turkey and the rocky part is on the territory of Syria, Badrousseikh and Ras al-Bassit. Also, for relaxation, I’ll go to the beach with volcanic black sand Wadi al-Kandil, the rocky beach of Burj Islam and Jable.

SAFARI

In the eastern part of the country, where the Syrian desert stretches, tourists are offered camel safaris.

Deir ez-Zor

The capital of the eastern part of Syria is the city of Deir ez-Zor, which stands on the banks of the Euphrates River. Once these lands were part of the Kingdom of Palmyra, and later were attacked by the Mongols and were devastated. The modern city appeared under the Turks in 1867. Excursions to the ruins of ancient cities located in the desert depart from Deir ez-Zor. To the northeast of the city are the ruins of the Byzantine fortifications Chalabiya and Zalabiya, which were a defense against Persian attacks.

85 km south of Deir ez-Zor, on the western bank of the Euphrates, the ruins of the city of Dura-Europos are interesting. Here was born Seleucus I, one of the best warriors of Alexander the Great, who after the death of Alexander took the royal title. Among the city ruins, archaeologists have found frescoes dating back to the 3rd century AD. with scenes from the Old Testament now on display at the National Museum in Damascus, scriptures in various languages, wooden shields, and complete horse equipment. One of the main attractions of Dura-Europos are the remains of the Jewish Synagogue from 244. In addition, the Palmyra Gate has been preserved here, from where the road to Palmyra, the citadel and residential areas began.

120 km southeast of Deir ez-Zor, near the border with Iraq, are the ruins of the city of Mari 3 millennium BC, which today is called Tel-Hariri. It is believed that this was the tenth city founded after the Flood. The uniqueness of the excavated city lies in the fact that on its ruins, archaeologists discovered an entire library consisting of more than 25,000 clay tablets, on which the history of the state of Mari was recorded. They are now on display at the National Museum in Damascus. In addition, in the eastern part of Syria, tourists who love educational recreation will be interested in the ruins of the ancient cities of Targa and Kanavat.

105 km north of Deir ez-Zor, on the left bank of the Euphrates, stands the city of Raqqa.. It was founded by Alexander the Great in the 4th century BC. In 662, after the conquest of these lands by the Arabs, a new city was built on the ruins of Raqqa, and it was built in the likeness of Baghdad. The city was badly damaged during the invasion of the Mongols, but was later rebuilt by Caliph Harun al-Rashid. In Raqqa, the ruins of Arab structures made of pink tiles have survived to this day. Only the minaret remained from the Great Mosque, which was rebuilt in 1166. In addition, the city has an interesting museum with exhibits of ancient Rakka, as well as items of pottery and glass production.