Syria – Winter Wonderland Tour

Itinerary

Friday 15 December – Beirut (Lebanon) – Damascus

• 8:30 AM – Meet the group and departure to Damascus from Beirut.
• OR: arrival from our Lebanon Tour.
• Lebanon / Syria border crossing.
• Drive to Damascus, the capital of Syria.
• Via Straight Street we walk to the House Chapel of Ananias. He was one of the first Christians in Syria.
• Highlight: The Great Mosque, also known as the Omajaden Mosque.
• See the famous Al Hamidieh Grand Bazaar (also known as the Al-Hamidiyah Souk). The perfect place to get acquainted with daily life in Damascus.
• Walk through the old centre of Damascus.
• Overnight stay in Damascus.

Saturday 16 December – Damascus – Maaloula – Mishtaya

• We drive to Maaloula. A beautiful village against the mountains. Here the language of Christ is still spoken (Aramaic).
• Drive to Krak des Chevaliers.
• Highlight: Visit to Krak des Chevaliers. This famous castle is the symbol of the Crusades and was the base for the Hospitallers.
• Drive to Mishtaya, up in the mountains.
• Overnight stay in a hotel in Mishtaya.

Sunday 17 December – Mishtaya – Palmyra – Hama

• Drive to Palmyra. Although IS has destroyed much here, there is still a lot to see.
• Highlight: We see the remains of the Temple of Bel, the Triumphal Arch, the colonnades, the theatre, the agora and the tombs.
• Drive to Hama.
• Overnight stay in Hama.

Monday 18 December – Hama – Aleppo

• Visit to the famous waterwheels in the Orontos River.
• Drive to Aleppo. It was the largest city in the country and since the civil war it is the second largest city in the country.
• Short walk through the centre of Aleppo.
• We visit the famous soap factory of Aleppo.
• Overnight stay in Aleppo.

Tuesday 19 December – Aleppo – Damascus

• City tour of Aleppo, one of the oldest cities in the world still inhabited.
• Highlight: Visit to the well-known Aleppo Citadel. A medieval fortress in the middle of the city.
• Walk through the old covered souk. It is still being renovated.
• Visit the Al Jdeideh district, one of the most famous neighbourhoods of the city.
• Drive to Homs.
• Walking tour through Homs. We will see the neighbourhood that was completely damaged by the war. But we’ll also visit the new souk of Homs.
• Drive to Damascus.
• Overnight stay in Damascus

Wednesday 20 December – Damascus – Bosra

• Drive to Bosra.
• Highlight: Arrival in Bosra, after which we go to the Roman Amphitheatre. A 45m long and 8,5m deep theatre that is remarkably well preserved.
• Walk through the old centre of Bosra, with e.g. the cathedral and the basilica.
• Drive to Damascus.
• Free time to explore the old town of Damascus on your own.
• Overnight stay in Damascus.

Thursday 21 December – Damascus – Golan Height – Beirut (Lebanon)

• Highlight: Drive towards the Golan Height, and more precisely the city of Al Qunaitera. This city was heavily damaged during the war in 1973.
• We will make a tour to the hill from where we have a view on the Israel city of Majdal Shams.
• Drive to the border with Lebanon
• Border crossing Syria / Lebanon.
• Drive to Beirut.
• End of tour.