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Syria Highlights and Events
Travel in Syria with Intrepid
Take golden desert ruins revealing grand civilisations of the past; treasure-filled souqs that have been trading for centuries; exotic cities teeming with classic architecture, culture and cuisine; and warm people ready to extend the hand of friendship and you have the superb, stirring land of Syria that simply must be seen.
Experience Syria's highlights on these trips
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Refer to booking conditions
Highlights
- Feast on Middle Eastern cuisine in Syria’s open-air cafes
- Admire the stunning Umayyad Mosque in Damascus
- Explore the impressive desert ruins of Palmyra
- Learn about medieval history at atmospheric Krak des Chevaliers
- Walk through the hypnotic winding streets of Damascus’ Old City
- Take in panoramic views from Mount Qassioun
- Soak up the charms of ancient Aleppo
- Travel past Syria’s golden, sandy landscapes
- Bargain for ornate trinkets and treasures in Syria’s souqs
- Visit a rejuvenating and steamy traditional hamam
Festivals and Events
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Silk Road Festival
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- March 19 - 21, 2013
- This four-day festival is a sumptuous celebration of Syria’s place on the old Silk Road. Syria’s cities are ornately decorated during this time as concerts, shows and parades showcase the cuisine, costume, dance and culture of the Silk Road.
Intrepid has no control over changes made to festival and event dates and activities. Note that some Intrepid trips which include an event as part of their itinerary, may be surcharged. Where festivals or events are not included as part of an Intrepid trip, all costs associated with the event will need to be paid for by the client. Please check before booking your Intrepid trip that it does match up with key festival or event dates.
Syria's Top Picks
Damascus is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world
Top 10 Must-Try Foods of Syria
- Qatayef: Often served during Ramadan, this sweet, pancake-like desert item is usually filled with cheese or nuts, raisins and spices before being deep-fried and covered in cinnamon. Just try stopping at one.
- Fattoush: A favourite with vegetarians, this hearty salad is packed with pita bread, lettuce, cucumber, tomato, and sometimes feta and peppers. Spiced with sumac, this is no ordinary salad.
- Moutabal: This smoky and spicy eggplant dip is a great introduction to Syrian food and can be found almost everywhere in Syria.
- Muhammara: With its origins in Aleppo, this hot and spicy dip made from peppers, walnuts and olive oil should definitely be tried in its native environment. Eaten with bread or as the perfect accompaniment to grilled meat, muhammara adds a spicy dimension to the meal.
- Shawarma: Popular across the Arab world, shawarma should definitely be sampled in Syria. This meat and salad wrap can be found at street stalls everywhere in Syria, where the local pomegranate sauce adds a little fruity twist to this Middle Eastern favourite.
- Shanklish: Commonly served on meze plates, this tasty ball of sheep or cow’s cheese is often covered in spicy chilli, thyme and pepper for a zingy flavour offset by the plain breads and mild, cool yoghurt-based dips served alongside it.
- Kabab bil Karaz: Another unique, mouth-watering dish from Aleppo. Experience a beautiful blend of sweet and sour with this dish of minced lamb, cherries, pine nuts, spices and bread. Locals love it, and once you discover it, you will too!
- Fuul: This flavoursome Syrian staple is a popular breakfast item with locals and visiting vegetarians. Featuring slow cooked beans and lentils garnished with lemon and olive oil, this is a tangy and tasty way to start the day.
- Kahwa: Kahwa is the term Syrians use for coffee, which is served strong, thick and sweet like in many other Middle Eastern countries. Cities like Aleppo and Damascus have many open-air cafes and traditional coffee houses, so sitting with a cup of kahwa is a great way to pass the time like locals do.
- Kleeja: These cardamom and cinnamon-spiced sweet treats can be found in souqs, street stalls and sweet shops all throughout Syria, although Aleppo’s strong spice-trading history means that Kleeja in Aleppo tend to be spicier.
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Syria at a glance
- 2
- Damascus
- 22.5 million
- Arabic
- SYP
- (GMT+02:00) Beirut
- +963
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