Coastal Mountain Villages
Explore the traditional villages in the mountains behind Tartus where Alawite and Christian communities maintain their stone-built villages, terraced agriculture, and distinctive coastal mountain culture in a landscape little changed for centuries.
- 1
Mountain Drive
Drive up from the Tartus coast into the mountains where the temperature drops and the landscape becomes greener, the traditional stone villages of the coastal mountain communities appearing along the winding roads above the Mediterranean plain.
- 2
Stone Architecture
See the traditional stone architecture of the coastal mountain villages where the locally quarried limestone creates the distinctive building tradition of this Syrian mountain region, the honey-colored stone houses and churches fitting naturally into the landscape.
- 3
Terraced Agriculture
Walk through the terraced hillsides around the mountain villages where centuries of agricultural labor have shaped the slopes into productive plots of olive trees, fruit orchards, and vegetable gardens, the terracing preventing erosion in the steep mountain terrain.
- 4
Village Churches
Visit the ancient village churches of the Christian mountain communities where the stone buildings, the icons, and the liturgical life of the ancient Christian communities have been maintained through centuries of Ottoman rule and into the present.
- 5
Local Produce
Buy the local produce of the mountain villages where the olive oil, honey, and seasonal fruits of the traditional agriculture are sold directly from the producers, the quality of the mountain-grown products reflecting the clean air and traditional farming methods.
- 6
Village Life
Experience the quiet life of the mountain villages where the traditional rhythms of agricultural community life continue, the social gathering at the village square, the extended family networks, and the seasonal celebrations defining the mountain community character.