Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Damascus — The Eternal City
Your guide meets you at Damascus International Airport. Transfer to your hotel in the Old City. Afternoon walking tour: the Umayyad Mosque — a wonder of early Islamic architecture with its vast marble courtyard and golden mosaics. Walk the Via Recta (Straight Street), same street where Saint Paul was baptized. Explore Al-Hamidiyah Souq, the covered market that has pulsed with trade since Roman times. Evening: traditional mezze dinner in a restored courtyard restaurant — hummus, muhammara, kibbeh, and baklava dripping with honey. Overnight in Damascus.
Day 2: Damascus → Maaloula → Hama → Aleppo
Morning departure north. First stop: Maaloula, the stunning cliffside village where you will hear Aramaic — the language Jesus spoke — still used in daily conversation. Visit the ancient monasteries carved into the rock face. Continue to Hama, the “City of Waterwheels,” where 17 gigantic wooden norias — some dating to the 13th century — still turn on the Orontes River, creaking their ancient song. Lunch by the riverside. Afternoon drive reaches Aleppo, one of the world’s most ancient cities. Evening orientation walk through the Old City. Overnight in Aleppo.
Day 3: Aleppo — Citadel, History & Resilience
Full day in Aleppo. The Citadel — a massive fortress rising from the city center on a 50-meter tell (archaeological mound) that has been inhabited for 7,000 years. Walk through the imposing Ayyubid gate, explore the throne room and the great mosque within the walls. The Grand Mosque (Jami al-Kabir). The legendary covered souqs — kilometer after kilometer of vaulted stone passages. Watch the soap makers at their craft — Aleppo soap, made from olive oil and laurel berry oil, has been produced here for thousands of years. Afternoon: the Baron Hotel, Agatha Christie’s favorite, and the Armenian Quarter. Evening dinner in the Al-Jdeida district. Overnight in Aleppo.
Day 4: Aleppo → Apamea → Krak des Chevaliers → Damascus
Morning drive south to Apamea — walk the magnificent 2-kilometer colonnade, the spine of a city that once rivaled Rome in grandeur. Continue to the highlight of the day: Krak des Chevaliers. This Crusader castle, built by the Knights Hospitaller, stands as the most impressive medieval fortress anywhere in the world. The concentric walls, the great vaulted halls, the chapel with faded Crusader frescoes, the views stretching to the sea — it’s simply breathtaking. After a thorough exploration, begin the journey south to Damascus. Arrive in time for a farewell dinner in the Old City. Overnight in Damascus.
Day 5: Departure
Final morning at leisure in the Old City — one last wander through the souqs, one last glimpse of the Umayyad Mosque. Transfer to Damascus Airport for departure, or continue to Lebanon (Beirut is just 2 hours away).
