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Trip report: travelling to Syria in 2022

Josephine travelled with CultureRoad on a group tour to Syria in 2022. Read her full trip report below. Because of my work with refugees, many of them Syrian, I became increasingly curious about the country in recent years. Syrians would often tell me proudly about their country and then say, "Come to Syria! Then you will also see the other, beautiful side of the country". Thanks to CultureRoad, I finally got to visit this special homeland of many. How worthwhile it was!

First Western travel agency to offer trips to Syria again

For the first time since the civil war, western travel companies are offering trips to Syria again. One of them is the Dutch travel agency CultureRoad, which is responding to an increasing demand for this special destination. Especially post-COVID, the numbers of inquiries to unique and unusual destinations are increasing at a rapid pace.

6 highlights of travelling to Syria

Sitting on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea and home to some of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited settlements, Syria is a fascinating nation that sits at the crossroads of Europe, Asia Minor and the Middle East. Boasting some of the best preserved ancient ruins in the world in addition to some overwhelmingly beautiful natural scenery, there is no end of sites for the intrepid traveller to visit here. Let’s take a look at the top 6 highlights of Syria.

The wondrous architecture of Asmara

For true architecture lovers, the capital of Eritrea, Asmara, is a must-see destination in the Horn of Africa. This African capital consists of a unique combination of Art Deco architecture, ancient Orthodox churches and Roman aqueducts. As you stroll through the streets of the capital, you feel as if you are in Italy but 70 years ago. Highly recommended, according to the team at CultureRoad!

Syria open for tourism

After 1,5 year of closure, Syria has resumed tourist visa. Since this week tourist visas are issues again for most Western countries (including USA). While it’s still very recent news, several announcements have already been made about the new regulations.

UNESCO sites in Iraq

The cradle of civilization. Iraq’s famous nickname. And rightly so, the country is full of historic constructions that are reminiscent of a bygone era. Ancient Mesopotamia has always played a major role in our history. In that respect, old Iraq is not inferior to historically rich countries such as Greece, Egypt and Italy. The UNESCO World Heritage Organization also recognizes the importance of Iraq. Herewith, we present a list of all UNESCO sites in Iraq. Plus, we’ll tell you if it's open for visiting or not.

How do you travel to Socotra?

Socotra. But how do you get to Socotra? The easiest way to travel to Socotra is by plane. You can also travel by boat, but then you will have to find a cargo ship in the Omani coastal town of Salalah that you can sail on. There is no scheduled sailing route for passengers to Socotra.

Saudi Arabia opens up again for tourism

Saudi Arabia announced that it is allowing tourists in again from August 1, 2021 . The country stopped issuing tourist visas in March 2020, so they are starting it again almost 1.5 years later. An important moment for Saudi Arabia, as tourism is one of the most important projects the country is focusing on for the next 10 years.

3 special museums in Afghanistan to visit

Visiting museums may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you travel to Afghanistan. But it is possible! It took a while, but we have found 3 very unique Afghani museums for you. How about a museum especially for landmines? Or the Jihad museum? Get to know the 3 most unique museums of Afghanistan!