Day 1: Beirut to Damascus — The World’s Oldest Capital
Early morning pickup from Beirut, Lebanon. Drive to the Syrian border (Masnaa crossing), complete entry formalities with your pre-arranged visa permit (free — only a passport copy required). Continue to Damascus by private car through the Anti-Lebanon mountains. Check into your boutique hotel in the Old City — a restored 18th-century Damascene house with a central courtyard, fountain, and lemon trees. Afternoon: walking orientation of the Old City — the Al-Hamidiyah Souq (Ottoman-era covered market with spice stalls, silk shops, and the legendary Bakdash ice cream parlor operating since 1895), Straight Street (mentioned in the Bible — where Saul/St. Paul was baptized), and the atmospheric Bab Touma (Thomas Gate) quarter. Evening: free time to enjoy Damascus’ surprisingly vibrant nightlife along Straight Street — rooftop cafes with narghile, live Arabic music, and the energy of a city reclaiming its nights. Optional visit to a traditional Hamam (bathhouse) for a steam and scrub. Overnight Old Damascus.
Day 2: Damascus — Capital of the Umayyads
Full-day Damascus city tour. Morning: the Umayyad Mosque (705 AD) — one of Islam’s most important and beautiful mosques, built on the site of a Roman temple to Jupiter, then a Christian church dedicated to John the Baptist (whose head is said to be enshrined here). The mosque’s golden mosaics depict paradise — rivers, palaces, and trees in shimmering glass — and its vast marble courtyard is a masterpiece of early Islamic architecture. Next: the Azem Palace (1749) — a perfect example of a traditional Damascene aristocratic house, now a museum of Ottoman-era daily life. Visit the National Museum of Syria — reopened after the war, housing artifacts from Mari, Ugarit (where the world’s first alphabet was invented), and Palmyra, including some pieces saved from ISIS destruction. Afternoon: the Church of St. Ananias (underground chapel where Paul was baptized), the Window of St. Paul in the old city wall, and Bab Kisan. Late afternoon: drive up Mount Qasioun for panoramic views over Damascus — the city spreads like a carpet of stone and minarets across the Ghouta oasis. Visit the Ghouta area, deeply affected by the conflict, to understand the resilience of Damascenes rebuilding their neighborhoods. Dinner at a traditional restaurant in the Old City. Overnight Damascus.
Day 3: Saydnaya, Maaloula & Homs to Aleppo
A day of the heaviest history. Morning: visit Saydnaya Prison — a sobering stop at one of the notorious detention facilities of the Assad regime, where you’ll learn about the brutal methods endured by tens of thousands of Syrians. Then drive to Maaloula, a remarkable Christian village carved into a cliffside where Aramaic — the language spoken by Jesus Christ — is still used as a living language by the residents. Maaloula’s Monastery of Saints Sergius and Bacchus (4th century AD) is one of the oldest surviving churches in the world. The town was nearly destroyed by ISIS in 2014 but is slowly recovering; you’ll see restored icons and hear the Lord’s Prayer recited in Aramaic. Continue to Homs — witness the rebuilding efforts in the war-affected neighborhoods and visit the Khaled Ibn Al-Walid Mosque. Drive north through the plains to Aleppo, Syria’s second city and one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited urban centers. Evening: dinner at an Armenian-owned Syrian restaurant in Aleppo’s Christian quarter. Overnight Aleppo.
Day 4: Aleppo — Citadel, Souks & Soap
Full day in Aleppo. Morning: the Aleppo Citadel — a massive fortified medieval castle rising 50 meters above the city on a partially artificial hill, occupied since the 3rd millennium BC (Abraham is said to have milked his sheep here). The citadel’s massive stone entrance ramp and throne hall are spectacular. Walk through the rebuilt sections of Aleppo’s ancient souk — once the world’s largest covered market, stretching 13 kilometers. While significant portions were destroyed during the 2012-2016 battle, reconstruction is underway and the atmosphere in the reopened sections is electric — shopkeepers eager to welcome visitors, the scent of cumin and Aleppo pepper soap filling the air. Visit the Aleppo Museum (reopened with salvaged artifacts). Afternoon: visit one of Aleppo’s famous soap factories — Aleppo soap, made from olive oil and laurel berry oil, has been produced here for over 2,000 years (Cleopatra supposedly used it). Watch the traditional process of cooking, pouring, and hand-stamping the green-gold blocks. Evening: rooftop dinner with views of the illuminated citadel. Overnight Aleppo.
Day 5: Idlib, Hama & Krak des Chevaliers
A remarkable day venturing into regions long off-limits. Morning: drive to Idlib Governorate, a region almost entirely closed to tourism since 2011. Visit one of the displaced persons camps to meet Syrian families and understand the human dimension of the conflict up close. This is a rare and sobering insight into a part of Syria most outsiders never see. Continue to Hama, famous for its 17 norias — massive wooden waterwheels up to 20 meters in diameter that have creaked and groaned since the 13th century, originally built to irrigate the Orontes Valley. Afternoon: Krak des Chevaliers, the Crusader castle that T.E. Lawrence described as “the most wholly admirable castle in the world.” This 12th-century fortress — a UNESCO World Heritage site — is a masterpiece of medieval military architecture: concentric walls, a moat, massive round towers, and a great hall that once held 2,000 soldiers and 1,000 horses. It withstood 12 sieges before finally falling. The views across the Syrian countryside from its ramparts are breathtaking. Continue through the picturesque villages of Tartous province. Visit a Christian village near Safita for a taste of local Syrian beer and an unexpectedly lively nightlife scene in a country few associate with it. Overnight Homs countryside.
Day 6: Palmyra — The Pearl of the Desert
Pre-dawn departure for Palmyra (Tadmor), 210km east of Homs in the Syrian Desert. Palmyra was one of the ancient world’s greatest cities — a wealthy Silk Road caravan hub where Greco-Roman architecture merged with Persian and Arab influences to create unique Palmyrene art. The site suffered devastating destruction by ISIS in 2015-2017 — the 2,000-year-old Temple of Bel and the iconic Arch of Triumph were dynamited, and the 83-year-old site director Khaled al-Asaad was publicly beheaded for refusing to reveal where artifacts were hidden. Yet much remains: the Great Colonnade (a 1.2km avenue of columns), the Roman Theatre, the Agora, the Tetrapylon, the Temple of Baalshamin, and the distinctive tower tombs of the Valley of the Tombs still stand as testaments to Palmyra’s enduring spirit. Walk the site with a guide who can explain what was lost and what is being planned for reconstruction. The desert light at Palmyra is unforgettable — honey-colored columns against an empty horizon. Return to Damascus evening. Farewell dinner at a traditional restaurant in Old Damascus. Overnight Damascus.
Day 7: Damascus & Return to Beirut
Final morning: revisit any favorite Damascus spots — the Handicraft Market for last-minute souvenirs (inlaid wooden boxes, silk brocade, Damascus steel knives), the Umayyad Mosque courtyard, or a final coffee in a hidden courtyard. After lunch: drive back to Beirut with transfer. End of tour.
