Syria: 13 days, 12 nights

This itinerary is designed to give plenty of time for a comprehended educational tour. It covers most of the Syrian territories.

It is a good advise of your clients care to see, to hear and to enjoy beauty of the nature.

Day 01: Amman / Jerash / Bosra
Arrival at the Syrian / Jordanian border in the afternoon, you will be met and assisted by the Syrian guide. Transfer to your hotel in Bosra and overnight.

An easy morning to visit the ruins of Bosra (The best preserved Roman theater in the world, the gate of the wind, the main avenue, the underground market, the lantern gate, Al Omari Mosque, The Byzantine Cathedral, etc..). After lunch in Bosra we head to Damascus through the Druze mountain, Shahba and Sweida are to be visited on the way and overnight in Damascus.

Day 03: Damascus
After breakfast, we start a full day sightseeing of Damascus to include the National Museum, the Folklore Museum, and Umayyad Mosque, the straight street that mentioned in the Bible, St. Ananias Chapel and St. Paul’s window. Free time to stroll in the oriental atmospheric bazaars, at the end of the day is highlighted by a visit to Qasion Mountain for a full view of Damascus, back to the hotel for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we drive northward to visit the Crusade castle (Crac des Chevaliers) and to have a break for lunch. The afternoon is dedicated to visit Tartous which is faced by the antique Phoenician Arwad Island. The cathedral of our lady which was raised up by the mighty Crusaders is to be visited. After the visit we drive over on coast highway to get to Lattakia, then dinner and overnight.

Day 05: Lattakia / Ugarit / Apamea / Hama / Ebla / Aleppo
Before visiting Lattakia, we will see the excavated site of Ugarit which was a prosperous kingdom in the 2^nd millennium BC. Then we drive east to visit Apamea and to stop in Hama for visiting the water wheels of the city and to lunch. Drive to Aleppo, visiting on the way the excavated site of the kingdom of Ebla which is considered a U-turn in the history of mankind; as a library of 17000 of clay tablet of cuneiform was brought to light after 4300 years of decay. On the way to Aleppo, pass the unique beehives villages. Arrive at your hotel for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we drive into the core of the city of Aleppo on which stands the gigantic Islamic medieval citadel of Aleppo that reflects the glory of Islam in its heydays. The Grand Mosque of Aleppo was burned down in the 10^th century is to be visited before making a visit to the archeological museum of Aleppo. Lunch is in a typical Aleppo restaurant. After lunch, we continue visiting the wonders of Aleppo represented by its medieval souqs and caravanserais stuffed with all kinds of goods and colors. Back to your hotel for dinner and overnight

Day 07: Aleppo / St. Simeon / Ain Dara / Aleppo
Today is an exciting excursion to the green plain of Aleppo where hundreds of dead cities are silently narrating the history of a prosperous Byzantine past., your prime visit is Al Qatura ruins and to the 5^th century Cathedral of St. Simeon the stylist who spent 40 years of outdoors prayers and meditation on a top of a pillar. Later on, drive to visit the Aramic site of Ain Dara, a huge basreliefs of mythological animals still guarding the temple of Goddess Ishtar.

Back to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

After breakfast, we drive east to visit the ruins of Resafa which was built out of a rose colored marble encrusted with gypsum.

Afterwards, visit the Abbassid site of Al Raqqa, whose primitive foundation was on the hands of Alexander the great. Continue the visit down stream the Euphrates to Halabia and Zalabia, two sites flourished during the region of Queen Zenobia. Arrive at your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 09: Deir Ezzor / Dura Europos / Mari / Deir Ezzor / Palmyra
This day, you visit Dura Europos, the second importation post on the Silk Road after Palmyra. We continue the visit to the kingdom of Mari to see the excavated palace of King Zimri lim, the temple of Goddess Ishtar, Nini Zaza temple and the Zaqurat.

A full day sightseeing of Palmyra to include the museum, the tombs, the famous arch of triumph, the temple of God Bel, the viarecta, Queen Zenobia’a bath, etc. back to your hotel for dinner and overnight.

Day 11: Palmyra / Ma’aloula / Saydnaya / Damascus
After breakfast, we drive to Ma’aloula village; the people there still speak the Aramaic language spoken by Jesus Christ. Their colorful houses are built on the cliff face like nests. We visit the early Byzantine church. Continue to Saydnaya to visit the church of Our Lady, an icon painted by St. Luke the Evangelist is hidden in a silver box in the monastery. Driving to your hotel in Damascus for dinner and overnight

This is a free day to explore the city’s old lanes on your own and to stroll through the teeming bazaars of Damascus. Another good choice is to do an excursion to Baalbeck in Lebanon

Day 13: Departure
Transfer to Damascus Airport for departure, Or to be connected with Jordan or Lebanon or both countries.

* This itinerary could be amended to 11 days, 10 nights by skipping day 11