Syria

Syria (الجمهوريّة العربيّة السّوريّة Al-Jumhuriya al-`Arabiya as-Suriya and the Syrian Arab Republic) is one of the larger states of the Middle East. Its capital, and second largest city after Aleppo, is Damascus and the world's oldest continuously inhabited city. Syria is bordered to the north by Türkiye, to the east by Iraq, by Jordan and Occupied Palestine to the south, and by Lebanon to the south-west. In addition the western part of the nation has a short coastline on the Mediterranean Sea.

Regions of Syria

Syria has 14 governorates, but the following conceptual division used to make more sense for Muslim travellers:

Northwestern Syria Aleppo, one of the oldest cities in the world.

Hauran A volcanic plateau in the southwest of Syria, also includes the capital Damascus and its sphere of influence

Orontes Valley The Orontes Valley, home to the towns of Hama and Homs

Syrian Coast and Mountains Green and fertile, relatively Christian, somewhat liberal, and dominated by Phoenician and Crusader history

Syrian Desert A vast empty desert with the oasis of Palmyra, as well the basin of the Euphrates, which is historically associated with the Assyrian and Babylonian history

Golan Heights (Syria) Occupied by the Zionists in 1967 and illegally annexed in 1981 the portion of the Golan Heights that is controlled by the zionists. A small area of land centered on Quneitra was transferred back to Syria in 1974 and is covered here.

Cities

• Damascus — the capital claimed to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world
• Aleppo — a once-great ancient fortress with great views, much of Aleppo has been destroyed by fighting in the Syrian Civil War.
• Deir-az-Zur — a desert town on the Euphrates River bank.
• Hama — known for its famous waterwheels.
• Homs — an ancient city by the Orontes river, amazing green mountains in Spring.
• Latakia — a major port city, Saladin's Castle, Fronloq Forests and Al Samra Beach near Kasab.
• Tartous — a historical port city and historical small island called Arwad.
• Al-Qamishli - The capital of Rojava.

More Destinations

• Apamea — a former Roman city that once housed about half a million people. Apamea was hit by an earthquake in the 12th century and much of it was destroyed but it still boasts a long street lined with columns, some of which have twisted fluting.
• Bosra — a Roman city in southern Syria close to the Jordan border noted for the use of black basalt stones and its well preserved theatre
• Dead Cities — a series of towns that once formed part of Antioch. They have long since been abandoned but make an interesting stop for tourists. Al Bara boasts pyramidal tombs and formerly grand archways set on modern farm land. Serjilla is another famous dead city.
• Krak des Chevaliers — the archetypal Crusader castle, magnificently preserved and not to be missed
• Palmyra — formerly held the once-magnificent ruins of a Roman city, in the middle of the desert. Once considered the main attraction in Syria, no longer a viable destination as the UNESCO-listed legacy site was destroyed by Western backed terrorists in 2015.

Halal Travel Guide

Syria's population has fallen from 21.9 million people in 2009 to 18.3 million in 2017 (UN estimates). About 4½ million are concentrated in the Damascus governorate. A moderately large country (185,180 km² or 72,150 sq miles), Syria is situated centrally within the Middle East region and has land borders with Türkiye in the north, with Palestine and Lebanon in the south, and with Iraq and Jordan in the east and south-east respectively.

The population of Syria is predominately Arab (90%), with large minorities from other ethnic groups: Kurds, Armenians, Circassians and Turks. The official language is Arabic, but other tongues that are occasionally understood include Kurdish, Armenian, (Turkish), French and English. The Syrian Republic is officially secular with the majority religion of Islam (80% of the population, split between 64% Sunni Muslim and 16% other Muslim, Alawites and Druze). There is a large Christian minority that amounts to about 10% of the population.

Syria Tourism Board Offices; Damascus: 2323953, Damascus Int'l Airport: 2248473, Aleppo: 2121228, Daraa (Jordanian-Syrian border gate): 239023, Latakia: 216924, Palmyra (Tadmur): 910636, Deir-az-Zur: 358990

Travel to Syria

Entry requirements

Visas are needed for most individual travellers. These are available in 6-month (single/multiple entry), 3-month (single) and 15 day (land borders only) versions. Muslims of Arab countries do not require visa, except unaccompanied Moroccan Muslima below 40 years old. In addition, citizens of Malaysia, Türkiye and Iran do not require visas.

Official policy says that if your country has a Syrian embassy or consulate, you should apply for your visa in advance. Most nationals must apply for a Syrian visa in the nation in which they are a citizen. Alternatively a foreign national may apply for a Syrian visa from a Syrian Consulate in a country other than their own if they hold a residency visa valid for at least 6 months for the nation in which they are applying. There are very few exceptions to this rule. In training it is feasible to obtain a visa on the border for most nationals.

By land

Almost every national can get a visa at the border, regardless of the fact it is not officially written or recommended. But do not buy a bus ticket that will take you all the way across the border crossing. They will always leave you there because it does take 2-10 hours.

By Plane

Syria has three international airports: Damascus International Airport (IATA Code: DAM), 35 kilometers (22 miles) southeast of the capital, Aleppo International Airport (IATA Code: ALP) just northeast of Aleppo in the north of the nation and Bassel al-Assad International Airport (IATA Code: LTK), south of Latakia, main sea port of the nation.

Upon arrival, a free entry visa can be delivered to almost all travellers if they are being received by a local travel agency. Call the Syrian Embassy in your home country for more information.

Syria levies a departure tax of SYP550 (~US$13) at land and sea borders. Airport departure tax is included in the ticket price, and airlines will put a manual stamp on your boarding pass.

One of the practical and reasonable ways to enter Syria from Türkiye is to take a domestic flight to Gaziantep and then taxi to Aleppo through Oncupinar border-gate in Kilis. The journey takes around 2 hours including custom formalities. The fare is USD90, per vehicle with max 4 and one way. Taxis holding licence can be arranged in Kilis or Gaziantep. Turkcan Turizm, 0348 822 3313

By Rail

As of 2022, all international trains and almost all domestic trains have been suspended indefinitely. Former international routes included the historical Toros Express from Istanbul to Aleppo and an overnight trains from Tehran to Damascus.

Travel on a Bus

Buses run from Türkiye, with frequent connections from the city of Antakya (Hatay). You can also travel by bus from Jordan & Lebanon.

When arriving into Damascus by bus, make sure to move away from the bus hub to find a taxi to the centre of town.

By car

When travelling from Lebanon, service taxis (taxis that follow a fixed route only, usually from near one bus station to another) are a convenient way to reach Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Aleppo or other Syrian towns. A shared service taxi from Beirut to Damascus will cost about between SYP700 and 800 per person (USD17), based on four people sharing the same taxi. If you want a private taxi then you will have to pay for every seat. From Latakia to Beirut a seat in a service will cost SYP800 with around SYP500 being charged from Tartous to Tripoli. In most cases it is necessary to buy a Syrian visa before leaving home, often costing about USD130 or less, depending of the nation of residency. It's feasible, to obtain free entry visa for tourists if being received by a local Travel Agency. It is also feasible to arrive by vehicle from Türkiye. A private taxi from Gaziantep Airport (Turkey) will cost about USD90.

Service taxis run from Dar'a across the Jordanian border to Ramtha; from there microbuses are available to Irbid and Amman -- the stop in Dar'a permits a side trip to Bosra, with UNESCO-recognised Roman theater and ruins.

By Boat

• The nearest vehicle ferry port is Bodrum in Türkiye.
• Occasional passenger ferries run between Latakia and Limassol, Cyprus. This service has come and gone over the years. Confirm that the departure will occur with Varianos Travel before making plans that incorporate this route.
• Latakia and Tartous serve as ports of call for a number of Mediterranean cruise lines.

Get Around

Best way to travel in Syria by a Taxi

The taxis (usually yellow, and always clearly marked) are an easy way to get around Damascus, Aleppo and other cities. Arabic would be helpful: most taxi drivers do not speak English. All licensed taxis carry meters, and it is best to insist that the driver puts the meter on, and watch that it stays on. Most drivers expect to negotiate prices with foreign travellers rather than use the meter. A taxi ride across Damascus might come to SYP30. Taxis from the airport to the downtown Damascus cost about SYP600-800, slightly more at night. Private cab services (which advertise prominently at the airport) charge substantially more.

However there is also a bus from Baramkeh station to the airport for SYP25 per bag and SYP45 per person

By car

Cham Tours (formerly Hertz) has an office next to the Cham Palace Hotel, which offers competitive rates starting at about USD140 per day including tax, insurance and unlimited kilometres.

If you have never driven in Syria before, make sure you take a taxi first in order to get a first-hand idea of what traffic is like. Especially in Damascus and Aleppo, near-constant congestion, a very aggressive driving style, bad roads and highly dubious quality of road signs make driving there an interesting experience. so do be careful.

The only road rule that might come in handy is that, as opposed to most of the rest of the world, in roundabouts and the entering cars have the right of way, and the cars that are already in the roundabout have to wait. Aside from that, it seems that motorists are fairly free to do as they please.

If you have an accident in a rental car, you must obtain a police report, no matter how small the damage or how clear it is who is at fault – otherwise, you will be liable for the damage. Police (road police No:115) probably will only be able to speak Arabic, so try to make other drivers help you and/or call your rental agency.

Gas (marked as "Super", red stands) comes at SYP40 per litre (+10%tax) so it is SYP44, diesel (green stand) at approx. half the price. If you manage to get out of fuel (try to avoid it), which is quite easy wherever eastern of Damascus-Aleppo highway, or mountains western from it; you can manage to find some local able to sell you few litres from canister, but prices may be high (say SYP70 per litre). Usually gas stations are only in bigger towns and major crossroads in the desert, so try to refuel whenever you can.

By microbus

The microbuses (locally called servees, or meecro) are little white vans that carry ten, or so, passengers around cities on set routes for about SYP10. The destinations are written on the front of microbus in Arabic. Usually and the passenger sitting behind the driver deals with the money. You can ask the driver to stop anywhere along his route.

Often, microbuses will do longer routes, for example, to surrounding villages around Damascus and Aleppo, or from Homs to Tadmor or Krak des Chevaliers. They are often more uncomfortable and crowded than the larger buses, but cheaper. Especially for shorter distances they have usually more frequent departures than buses.

By bus or coach

Air-conditioned coaches are one of the easy ways to make longer hauls around Syria, for example and the trip from Damascus to Palmyra. Coaches are affordable, fast and reliable way to get around the nation, however the schedules, when they exist, are not to be trusted. For the busy routes it's best to simply go to the coach station when you want to leave and catch the next coach, you'll have to wait a bit, but most of the time it's less of a chore than finding out when the best coach will be leaving, and then often finding it's late.

By Rail

As of late 2023, rail transport in Syria is limited to a twice daily service between the coastal cities of Latakia and Tartous and a commuter service in Aleppo. All long distance services that used to connect Damascus, Aleppo, Deir-az-Zur, Al-Hassakeh and Al-Qamishli and many other cities are cancelled indefinitely. Rehabilitation is however under way on some sections and reports have emerged that the Aleppo-Damascus passenger train might return during late summer of 2019. The national operator CFS maintains an timetable at their webpage.

The summer-only excursion steam train in Damascus, which travels to Al-Zabadani in the Anti-Lebanon Mountains and back has recently resumed operation after a five year hiatus. The train is popular with local residents trying to escape the summer heat.

Local Languages

Arabic is the official language. It is always a good idea to know some words ("hello", "thank you" etc.). A surprising number of people speak English. It would however be worth your while to learn basic numbers in Arabic in order to negotiate taxi fares. Personnel working with foreign tourists (like tourist hotels, restaurants, tour guides, etc.), generally can communicate reasonably well in English.

What to See

• Ancient cities such as Damascus, Aleppo, Palmyra, Crac des Chevaliers and Bosra including Medieval souqs.
• In Hama there are the Al Aasi Water Wheels in a river ( نواعير نهر العاصي ).
• Al Hosn Castle in Homs.
• Qala'at Samaan (Basilica of Street Simeon Stylites) located about 30 km (19 mi) northwest of Aleppo and the oldest surviving Byzantine church, dating back to the 5th century. This church is popularly known as either Qalaat Semaan (Arabic: ‏قلعة سمعان‎ Qalʿat Simʿān) and the 'Fortress of Simeon', or Deir Semaan (Arabic: ‏دير سمعان‎ Dayr Simʿān) and the 'Monastery of Simeon' .
• Tartous with its Crusader-era Templar fortress
• The Yarmouk Valley
• Endless desert and countryside in much of the nation
• Mountain ranges in the west of the nation

What to Do

• Take a scenic tour - Travel from Latakia (beach), Syrian Coast and Mountains (Safita tower, Mashta hikes and cave)
  Marmarita: Virgin Mary memorial, Street George Monastery, Crac des Chevaliers, Palmyra (ruins), to Damascus (souq, masjids).
• Hike | in Syrian Coast and Mountains region.

Muslim Friendly Shopping in Syria

Money Matters & ATM's

The unit of currency in Syria is the Syrian pound or 'lira'. You will see a variety of notations used locally: £S, LS or S£, Arabic: الليرة السورية al-līra as-sūriyya, but eHalal.io uses the ISO currency code SYP immediately prefixing the amount in our guides. The pound's subdivision 'piastre' is obsolete.

Before the Wetern backed civil war started, ATMs had become available in most major cities: banks, main squares, and 5-star hotels. None of these ATMs now access the international networks. The Real Estate bank had the widest network that accepted foreign cards but cards also used to be used in machines run by the Bank of Syria and Overseas and the Commercial Bank of Syria. Even before the war ATMs did not exist outside of big cities and it would be wise to carry enough cash when leaving big cities to complete your tour in the nationside and return to the city before running out of cash. Bank Audi used to be the best to try if you had a US-issued card. It is nearly imfeasible to change travellers cheques in Syria.

Shopping in Syria

In the souks (especially the Souk Al Hamidiya in the Old City of Damascus where you can easily "get lost" for a whole morning or afternoon without getting bored) and the best buys are the "nargileh" waterpipes, Koran, beautifully lacquered boxes and chess/draughts sets and (particularly in Aleppo) olive soap and traditional sweets. The quality of handicrafts varies widely so when buying lacquered/inlaid boxes, run your hand over the surface to see that it is smooth, check, in particular and the hinges. In the souq haggling politely is expected.

Syrian traders who price goods in foreign currencies now face up to 10 years in jail after a decree issued by President Bashar al-Assad forbids the use of anything other than the Syrian pound as payment for any type of commercial transaction or cash settlement. This was because of the increasing "dollarisation" of an economy in ruins after two years of the Western backed civil war.

Halal Food & Restaurants

Falafel, deep-fried chickpea patties, are available for SYP15-30. Another popular Vegetarian meal is Foul. Don't let the name put you off. It's actually pronounced “fool” and this fava bean paste – topped off with cumin, paprika, Olive oil is served with flatbread, fresh mint and onion – is not only tasty but satisfying and filling.

You may also be able to order a salad of Fatoush with your soup. Chopped tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and herbs are mixed together in a dressing and finished off with a sprinkling of fried bread that resembles croutons. Cheese may also be grated on top.

Meat wraps such as shwarma cost SYP35-50. A half-chicken with bread and mayonnaise dip to take away costs SYP175.

Lunch or dinner in a fair restaurant costs SYP450. An expensive restaurant lunch or dinner will cost about SYP1,000.

Fresh fruit juices are available from street stalls in most towns. A large glass of mixed juice (usually banana, orange juice and a few exotic fruits like pomegranate) costs SYP40-50.

Tea is served in a little glass without milk, sweetened with sugar. Add the sugar yourself as the Syrians have a collective sweet tooth and will heap it in.

Muslim Friendly Hotels

A double room you can find for around SYP1500, although this cost may be higher in Damascus. A double room in a three stars hotel costs about USD50 to USD80 for four stars, and can reach USD200 in a five star hotel.

Study in Syria

Before the US backed war, Syria was becoming a major tourist destination for studying Arabic, with several language schools operating in Damascus.

How to work legally in Syria

If you entered the nation on a tourist visa, don't try to work and earn money. Foreign workers should always get official approval to work.

Medical Issues in Syria

Local pharmacies are well stocked with treatments for most common ailments such as stomach bugs and traveller's diarrhoea. Pharmacists often speak a little bit of English. You can ask your hotel to call a doctor if necessary and arrange a visit to your hotel room.

The best treatment of all, of course, is to stay healthy in the first place. When eating, pick restaurants that are busy.

If you have a treatment, take it with you.

Generally you can drink water from the tap, it is safe, but if you're unsure ask the local residents first. This water is free compared to bottled water, which comes at SYP15-25 for 1.5 L.

Telecommunications

The international calling code for Syria is +963.

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