8 day tour – From Aleppo to Damascus

Itinerary

Day 1 – Damascus

• Start the tour in Damascus, the capital of Syria and the oldest continuously inhabited capital in the world.
• Walk to the House Chapel of Ananias via Straight Street. Ananias 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.
• Visit Al-Azem Palace and Khan As’ad Pasha, the largest caravanserai in Damascus.
• Walk through the old centre of Damascus.
• Overnight stay in Damascus.

Day 2 – Damascus – Bosra

• Make our way to the southern city of Shahba, also known as Philippopolis, a city in southern Syria . Philippopolis was named after the Roman Emperor Philip the Arab, son of the city of Shahba, who ruled the Roman Empire.
• Visit Qanawat, a village that contains many Roman and Byzantine monuments. It also served as an important episcopal centre and a religious destination for Christians in the 7th century AD.
• Drive to Bosra, a major archaeological site that has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Highlight: Visit the Roman Amphitheatre in Bosra. A 45m long and 8,5m deep theatre that is remarkably well preserved.
• Walk through the old centre of Bosra and marvel at the beautiful sites like the cathedral and the basilica.
• Drive back to Damascus.
• Overnight stay in Damascus.

Day 3 – Damascus – Maaloula – Mishtaya

• Drive to Maaloula. A beautiful village perched against the mountains. Here the language of Christ, Aramaic, is still spoken.
• Visit the famous Monastery of Saint Thecla and the famous mountain path that holds her name.
• Visit the Monastery of Saints Sergius and Bacchus.
• 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. It is one of the most well-preserved medieval castles in the World!
• Drive to Mishtaya, up in the mountains.
• Visit the St. Georges Monastery.
• Overnight stay in Mishtaya.

Day 4 – Mishtaya – Idlib – Aleppo

• Continue to Idlib, a city rich in cultural and archaeological heritage.
• Highlight: Visit Qalb al-Lawzah Church, one of the most beautiful historical churches in Syria. It is believed to date back between the middle of the fifth century AD and the beginning of the sixth century AD.
• Head to Serjella, an ancient village that truly paints a true picture of cities in the Roman and Byzantine periods.
• Visit Al-Bara, another ancient Syrian village that was once called Capro Pera by the Romans. Al-Bara contains many ruins dating back to different eras.
• 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.
• Overnight stay in Aleppo.

Day 5 – Aleppo

• City tour of Aleppo, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world.
• Highlight: Visit to the well-known Aleppo Citadel. A medieval fortress in the middle of the city.
• Walk through the old covered souk.
• See the old churches in the city and check out the Aleppo National Museum.
• Visit the Monastery of Saint Simeon, one of the most important Christian archeological sites in Syria.
• Overnight stay in Aleppo.

Day 6 – Apamea – Hama – Homs/Palmyra

• Drive to Apamea: the ancient Greek and Roman city founded in 300 BC.
• Highlight: Enjoy a tour through Hama city, where you will see the seventeen large Norias that Syria is famous for, Hama’s charming old alleys, and AL-Azem Castle, which is considered one of the most beautiful urban monuments of the Ottoman era.
• Option 1: Head to Homs and experience its night life. Overnight stay in Homs.
• Option 2: Head to Palmyra and spend a night in bedouin tents.

Day 7 – Homs/Palmyra – Damascus

• Option 1 in Homs:
• Visit Saint Mary Church of the Holy Belt, a historical Syriac Orthodox cathedral.
• Highlight: Visit Khaled Bin Al-Walid Mosque, dedicated to the famous Islamic general who played a key role in the early Islamic conquests.
• Leave Homs and head towards Damascus.
• Experience the nightlife and diversity of the capital.
• Overnight stay in Damascus.
• Option 2 in Palmyra:
• Highlight: See the remains of the Temple of Bel, the Triumphal Arch, the colonnades, the theatre, the agora and the tombs.
• See the former Museum of Palmyra.
• Leave Palmyra and head towards Damascus
• Experience the nightlife and diversity of the capital.
• Overnight stay in Damascus.

Day 8 – Damascus

• Free time in Damascus prior to departure.
• End of the tour.