Bosra and Syrian Countryside
Day trip from Damascus to Bosra, the UNESCO World Heritage ancient city with the best-preserved Roman theatre in the world, and explore the Hauran volcanic plateau with its extraordinary black basalt Byzantine and Roman monuments.
Saladin Mausoleum and Medieval History
Follow the footsteps of Saladin in Damascus, where the great Muslim warrior who recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders is buried beside the Umayyad Mosque, and explore the medieval Islamic monuments of the city he made his capital.
Damascus Historic Palaces and Houses
Visit the magnificent courtyard palaces and traditional houses of Damascus old city, where the inward-looking architecture of the Islamic city hides extraordinary decorated interiors behind plain exterior walls in one of the worlds great domestic architectural traditions.
Damascus Food and Cuisine
Taste Damascus cuisine, one of the oldest and most refined culinary traditions in the Arab world, where the mezze culture, grilled meats, and elaborate pastries of Syrian cooking reflect the convergence of Silk Road influences in this ancient city.
Damascus Souks and Khans
Explore the ancient covered markets and merchant khans of Damascus, where the trade routes of the ancient world converged and the goods of three continents were bought and sold in the specialized markets of one of history great trading cities.
The Umayyad Mosque (705-715 CE) Contains the Largest Surviving Byzantine Floor Mosaic in the World and Houses Shrines to Both John the Baptist and Hussein ibn Ali; Saladin Died in Damascus in 1193 Having Recaptured Jerusalem From the Crusaders After 88 Years; the Assad Regime Fell on December 8, 2024 After 53 Years of Family Rule When Bashar al-Assad Fled to Russia
The Umayyad Mosque (705-715 CE) housing the largest surviving Byzantine mosaic and shrines to both John the Baptist (Christian and Muslim saint) and Hussein ibn Ali (Shia martyr); Saladin's tomb in the Umayyad Mosque garden where he died in 1193 after reconquering Jerusalem; the Street Called Straight mentioned in Acts 9:11 as the location of Paul's recovery after the Damascus Road conversion; the Assad regime falling December 8, 2024 after 53 years; the Azm Palace (1749) and its distinctive ablaq black-and-white masonry; and the Damascus practical guide for 2025 post-regime-change travel.
Krak des Chevaliers Was Never Taken by Direct Assault in 127 Years of Hospitaller Control and T.E. Lawrence Called It Perhaps the Best Preserved and Most Admirable Castle in the World; the World's First Coffee Houses Opened in Damascus Around 1530 CE and the Al-Nufara Coffee House Outside the Umayyad Mosque Has Been Operating Since the 16th Century; the Assad Regime That Survived 13 Years of Civil War Collapsed in 11 Days in December 2024
Krak des Chevaliers never taken by direct assault in 127 years, only falling when Baybars I reportedly used a forged letter; T.E. Lawrence calling it perhaps the best preserved and most admirable castle in the world; Damascus's first coffee houses opening around 1530 CE with the Al-Nufara operating outside the Umayyad Mosque since the 16th century; the Assad regime collapsing in 11 days after surviving 13 years of civil war; the bukra fil mishmish (when apricots ripen) Arabic idiom equivalent to when pigs fly; and the Syria complete visitor guide for 2025.