Syria Photos

The best time of year to go to Syria is spring (March to May) when the weather is mild and wildflowers are in bloom. In Damascus, the winter rains will have cleared the haze and swollen the rivers, so the wooden norias (waterwheels) in Hama will be turning and fresh, clean water flowing through the city.

Autumn (September to November) is the next-best choice, between the intense heat of summer and the cloud of winter. If you go in summer (June to August), don’t be caught without a hat, sunscreen and water bottle, especially if you’re going to Palmyra or the northeast. Coastal areas such as Lattakia can get extremely humid, while the interiors will be very hot and dry. Winter can also be rather unpleasant. The winter rains can make sightseeing difficult, but if you’re lucky, a blanket of snow may cover Damascus and the high altitudes. Bear in mind that the cheaper hotels may not have heating.

If you are travelling during school holidays, you should book accommodation well in advance. Travelling in the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan may also require a bit more planning: some cafes and restaurants close during the day, and some offices operate reduced and erratic hours. Ramadan nights, particularly during the final three days of the Eid al-Fitr can be particularly lively.

Damascusis the capital and largest city of Syria. It is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world (see section: Ancient history), before Al Fayyum, and Gaziantep. Its current population is estimated at about 1.67 million. The city is a governorate by itself, and the capital of the governorate of Rif Dimashq (Rural Damascus).

Syria is a country in Southwest Asia, bordering Lebanon, the Mediterranean Sea and the island of Cyprus to the west, Israel to the southwest, Jordan to the south, Iraq to the east, and Turkey to the north. The modern state of Syria was formerly a French mandate and attained independence in 1946, but can trace its roots to the fourth millennium BC. Its capital city, Damascus, was the seat of the Umayyad Empire and a provincial capital of the Mamluk Empire.

Since 1963 the country has been governed by the Baath Party; the head of state since 1970 has been a member of the Assad family. Syria’s current president is Bashar al-Assad, son of Hafez al-Assad, who held office from 1970 until his death in 2000.