syria open for tourism

How to travel to Syria in 2024: Need to know

By Joan Torres 356 Comments Last updated on May 6, 2024

Wanna travel to Syria with Against the Compass?

Join a group of like-minded travelers in our next scheduled tour in Syria on:

August 11th to 17th, 2024

Syria had been in my plans for a very long time and, finally, they started to make it easier for travelers. Well, not that easy, but definitely easier.

Since 2018, I have visited Syria 6 times, visiting places like Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, Krak de Chevaliers, Hama, Busra, Palmyra and everything along the Syrian coast, including the island of Arwad.

Syria is pretty epic.

On the one hand, I got to visit ancient, marvelous sites that were a real blessing to my eyes.

And, on the other hand, it was a very enriching experience as well, since I met loads of Syrians who told me their side of the story, plus I was able to witness one of the worst humanitarian crises in the 21st century, visiting hair-raising places that require a lot of cold blood, if you don’t want to breakdown into tears, making you empathize with the many beautiful Syrians.

Long Live Syria.

This guide contains everything you need to know for traveling to Syria , including plenty of tips regarding visas, safety, transportation and much, much more!

Why visit Syria with Against the Compass?

Here are the reasons why we believe Syria is a mind-blowing country to travel to, as well as my honest reasons why you should join one of our Syria tours.

In this travel guide to Syria you will find:

Table of Contents

• Syria tours
• Why travel to Syria
• Recommended books
• How to get a visa
• Travel Insurance
• How to get in

Is Syria safe?

• How to move around
• Money in Syria

Responsible tourism and ethics

• Taking photos
• Don’t get off the beaten track
• Where to stay
• More information

our recommended travel insurance for Syria

IATI Insurance is one of the very few that covers travel in Syria.

🗺️ How to sign up for a tour in Syria

Unfortunately, independent travel in Syria is practically impossible nowadays, so the easiest – and only – way to travel to Syria is through a tour with a valid operator.

More on that in the visa section of this post.

Check this documentary on our Syria tours!

Upcoming group tours for Syria

Against the Compass has several scheduled group expeditions in 2024

• May 29th to Jun 5th, 2024 (8 days). SOLD OUT
• Aug 11th to 17th, 2024 (7 days, Marmarita Carnival). APPLY NOW
• Sep 15th to 27th, 2024 (13 days). APPLY NOW
• Oct 13th to 20th, 2024 (8 days). APPLY NOW
• Dec 23rd to 30th, 2024 (8 days). APPLY NOW

How to join an individual tour or a smaller group for Syria

Do you wish to join a small group, but you can’t travel on any of the above dates?

No problem, just shoot me an email ([email protected]) indicating:

• How many people you are
• How many days do you want to spend in Syria
• Which dates

And we will try to find other travel partners you may travel with. Otherwise, know that we can also organize private, tailored trips .

📰 Why should you visit Syria now?

This is a very good question, one I have been asked a lot recently.

The truth is that reasons vary.

First of all, in the last couple of years, I have been traveling all across the Middle East , so visiting Syria, one of the most fascinating countries in the region, had been on my travel plans for a very long time.

Another even more important reason is that Syria is a great country, home to one of the oldest civilizations ever, so visiting Syria from a tourism perspective is a must-do.

However, most people asking that question tend to refer more to the ethical aspect of traveling to Syria , as this is a war zone from where many people have been forced to escape in order to save their lives.

Well, I want you to know that I fully understand why someone would not want to visit a post-war zone because, truth be told, destroyed buildings and misery are not pleasant things to see.

Nevertheless, the first thing you need to know is that I travel to learn and become wiser and, yes, I am interested in visiting a post-war zone, because this is living history and I wanted to see it with my own eyes, and not through a biased newspaper.

I also think that traveling to Syria with the sole objective of empathizing with the locals is a good thing and, as long as you are absolutely respectful about the crisis, there is nothing wrong with it.

But in the end, we should ask Syrians what they think about it and I can assure you that, since Syria used to be a major touristic destination, today Syrians are very happy to see that tourists are coming back because this is a real sign of recovery.

For more information, read the Responsible Tourism section of this article.

Read about my experience in Aleppo

📚 Recommended books for traveling to Syria

Syria travel guide by bradt.

There are no updated guidebooks of Syria, but Bradt Guides has the only exclusive  travel guide to Syria , updated as of 2010.

Still, it is a good source and a nice introduction to the country

The Rise of the Islamic State by Patrick Cockburn

A must-read book. Written by one of the world’s top experts on the Middle Eastern conflict. In this book, Cockburn gives a very comprehensive explanation of the origin of DAESH, with many references to Syria.

A very useful book to understand the complexity and origin of the conflict.

🪪 How to get a tourist visa for Syria

BREAKING NEWS Americans can now travel to Syria Since March 2023, Americans are finally allowed to apply for a tourist visa

Last updated information 2024

Getting a Syrian visa nowadays is pretty straightforward but that’s something you can’t do alone because the Ministry of Tourism dictates that all travelers who want to get a Syrian tourist visa must book a tour with an operator .

For that, Against the Compass is a licensed and valid tour operator that can help you obtain a visa for Syria.

Join one of our groups, and you will automatically get your visa for traveling to Syria.

We have several scheduled group expeditions over the following months:

How to get a Syrian visa directly from a tour operator

The first thing you must know is that travel agencies will not issue a tourist visa for Syria but a security clearance (a background check), which you need to show at customs.

Consider it as a Letter of Invitation.

This is what the security clearance looks like. Usually, it includes several random people:

With your security clearance in hand, you will be able to purchase a Syrian tourist visa at the border.

The problem, however, is that nowadays, travel agencies are not allowed to issue a security clearance unless you book a tour with them.

How much does the security clearance cost

It’s always included in the total tour package, so it really depends on what tour you book.

How long does it take to get the security clearance?

2 weeks as an average, but you may get the approval in just 2 days.

How long is it valid for?

The security clearance has a 90-day validity, starting from the day you receive it.

How much does the tourist visa for Syria cost?

These are the latest visa fees updated in 2024 .

Note that prices tend to fluctuate based on the exchange rate but, as an average:

• European passport holders: 75 USD
• Canadian passports: 100 USD
• British, Australian, and Argentinian passports: 150 USD
• US passport holders: 200 USD

Try to bring the exact amount for the visa. Otherwise, they will give you your change in Syrian Pounds, using the official bank rate.

You will also have to pay an exit fee of 2,000SYP.

Can Americans get a visa for Syria?

Yes, since March 2023, American passport holders may travel to Syria.

Their visa application takes 4 weeks.

Which Tour Operator do I recommend for traveling to Syria?

I recommend Against the Compass, which only works with the best and most knowledgeable local guides.

As mentioned, we have several group trips a year and by the way, we also organize private tailored trips (from 2-day trips to Damascus to multi-day trips across Syria).

Learn more about Syria expeditions in this video:

🚑 Travel Insurance for Syria

Like in Iran, because of all the sanctions, most travel insurance companies don’t cover for travel in Syria.

The one which does, however, is IATI Insurance .

• They have loads of different plans for all types of travelers: from families to backpackers
• Covers senior citizens too
• Readers of this blog can get an exclusive 5% discount .

🛫 How to get to Syria

How to travel to syria by land, 1 – how to travel from beirut (lebanon) to damascus.

Traveling to Damascus from Beirut is the easiest way to travel to Syria.

Beirut is only 115km from Damascus and the journey takes 2 to 4 hours, including the customs process.

If you book a Syria tour with Against the Compass, we will take care of your transfer from and to Beirut, no problem.

In the unlikely case you were traveling to Syria independently, know that there is no bus service but locals travel in shared taxis.

They leave from Charles Hélou bus station, which is in a very central location, in Gemmazyeh.

Shared taxis from Beirut to Damascus run all day long and I went there at 3pm and waited for no more than 15 or 20 minutes.

The cost per person is around 20USD.

If you go by yourself, you will pay 100USD.

Beirut to Damascus border crossing : Very straightforward.

On the Lebanese side, they barely check your passport and, on the Syrian side, they take around 20 minutes, as long as there are no people, of course.

First, they check your security clearance, then you purchase your visa at the bank counter and give your receipt to the immigration officer.

You only get a stamp, not a visa sticker.

After getting your Syrian visa and resuming your journey, you will go through several checkpoints, but you shouldn’t experience any problem.

Read: A travel guide to Beirut

2 – How to travel from Tripoli to Tartus

You can also travel to Syria from the border north of Tripoli.

Shared taxis to Tartus cost around 12 USD and they leave until 8pm from this statio .

It is only a 65km journey, so it should be fairly quick.

3 – How to travel from Amman (Jordan) to Syria

The border is finally open but the journey from Amman is longer (200km) and the border crossing takes more time.

If you want to enter Syria from Amman, pick-up may also be arranged.

4 – How to travel from Turkey to Syria

Today, that border is not possible to cross legally.

How to travel to Syria by air

Damascus has an international airport but there are a few things that you may wanna take into consideration before booking your flight.

• The airport doesn’t have many connections, only with a few Middle Eastern cities such as Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, or Baghdad.
• The only airlines operating in Syria are Cham Wings , Syrian Air , and Iraqi Airways , airlines the tickets of which can’t be purchased online, but you must book them at the respective office in cash.
• Due to the situation in Syria, the airport in Damascus shuts down pretty often, so the chances of your flight being canceled are relatively high.

This is why I strongly recommend flying to Beirut instead.

Read: Lebanon – A 2-week itinerary

⚠️ Is it safe to travel to Syria?

Along with the visa, safety is the other big question mark for anyone traveling to Syria.

Look, the war is practically over in West Syria (the city of Idlib is the last actual war zone) and cities like Aleppo and Damascus are perfectly safe.

You see children roaming around and everything seems just fine now.

Moreover, the Old City of Damascus is full of military checkpoints where they check your bag and look at anyone who seems suspicious, so there is a high level of security and nothing has happened for a long time now.

Actually, I was in Damascus for Christmas and, for the first time since the beginning of the war, the streets of the Old City of Damascus (and Aleppo as well) were filled with Christmas lights and celebration.

The atmosphere was full of joy, happiness and both Muslims and Christians were celebrating such an event with very big enthusiasm (there is a huge Christian community in Damascus).

This can only mean that even the Syrians themselves believe the city is safe.

Long story short: I personally think that Syria is safe to visit but it will depend on where you go.

For a better understanding, read my analysis: Is Syria safe to visit?

Read: Is it safe to travel to Iraq

Which parts of  Syria are safe to travel?

Read my 100% safe travel itinerary for Syria .

Damascus, Homs, Aleppo , Latakia, Tartus, Krak De Chevaliers, and also Palmyra.

Still, keep in mind that this is a post-war zone, which means that it is highly unstable and things could change overnight.

The people – The Syrians

Language spoken in syria.

Levantine Arabic is the official language.

You should know that many English-speaking people left the country but you will always find someone who does. In any case, try to learn some Arabic before traveling to Syria.

Religion in Syria

Around 65% of the population are Sunni Muslims but, like in Lebanon , in Syria, there are many different religions, including a large Christian population. Bashar Al-Assad is Alawite, a Shia branch.

How do Syrians feel about tourism?

According to the UN, around 500,000 Syrians have been killed, nearly 5,000,000 escaped from the country and several more million who are still in the country need humanitarian assistance.

We are talking here about one of the worst humanitarian crises in the 21st century .

Like I said at the beginning, many people are skeptical about traveling to Syria, claiming or thinking that it may be disrespectful to all the people that have been affected somehow.

Well, what I think is that, before making any judgment, we should ask the actual Syrians living in Syria what do they think about it.

When visiting Syria, I have never talked to a single Syrian who was not happy at seeing a foreign tourist.

The ones who spoke English approached me, asking a lot of questions and showing their gratitude for visiting their country.

They don’t hesitate to talk to you about the crisis, the problems that it has caused, etc.

Hello, how are you?

Well, alive, thank God! – A random Syrian told me

However, I thought that wandering around Damascus as a tourist would be like being a celebrity. I mean, people were extremely nice and kind but it was not like when you travel in Pakistan , for example, where everybody stops you in the street to talk to you.

The main reason was that most people thought I was a journalist and the second was that Syrians have always had great international exposure, so seeing foreigners is something they are actually used to, with the only difference they haven’t seen many since 2010.

Long story short: Syrians are happy to see tourists.

🛺 Transportation: how to travel around Syria

Note: This info refers to 2018 when traveling in Syria independently was allowed.

You can travel around Syria by local buses and shared taxis.

I took the bus from Damascus to Aleppo , which takes more than 7 hours.

The reason is that the section of the road from Homs to Aleppo is not totally Government-controlled, so after Homs, they turn right and make a huge detour to get to Aleppo.

Update 2022: Today, the direct road from Damascus to Aleppo that goes through Idlib is finally under the control of the Government.

There is not much to say here, other than the roads of Syria are full of military checkpoints, which is what you may expect.

Your driver will keep your passport and he will handle everything for you, so don’t worry about that.

I also took the bus from Homs to Damascus and it was a very similar story.

From Aleppo to Homs I took a local shared taxi.

Seriously, buses run normally, smoothly and without any problem

In Damascus, this is the main bus station to go to Homs and Aleppo.

The station at Aleppo is quite far from the city center but you will see plenty of taxis just outside.

As per safety , the truth is that many people were being overprotective with me, always taking care that I was feeling safe and comfortable, so you should not worry about that. Most people taking the bus to Aleppo are from the army by the way.

💻 Internet and connectivity in Syria

Wi-Fi – Internet works relatively well across the country. The hotels I stayed at had a good connection and you can also connect in most relatively good cafés and restaurants.

Mobile – I bought Syriatel and, for 7,000SYP, they gave me 2GB and some calls but, of course, prices may change. They only asked for my passport. I recommend you go to the official store. There is one next to Merjeh Square, right here: 33.513185, 36.29777 .

Get a VPN for traveling in Syria

You should always use a VPN when you travel, especially when you connect to public Wi-Fi networks.

Your connection will be much safer. 

Moreover, you will be able to access content which is typically censored in Syria. 

I recommend ExpressVPN – Extremely easy to use, fast and cheap. 

If you want to learn more about VPN, check: Why you need a VPN for traveling .

💰 What you need to know about money before traveling to Syria

In Syria, they use the Syrian Pound (SYP) , a currency that has been fluctuating like crazy for the past 10 years.

Before the crisis, $1 equaled 50SYP.

In 2018, during my first visit, $1 equaled 490SYP.

Today, you can exchange $1 in the black market for up to 13,950SYP .

As a consequence, Syria is suffering from massive inflation and the problem is that most salaries haven’t increased accordingly.

Exchanging money in Syria

You can exchange both Euros (€) and USD ($) but USD can be exchanged at a better rate.

If you bring 100 USD notes, keep in mind that they only accept the new ones with the blue line.

If you have Syrian Pounds left when you leave, you can exchange them for Lebanese Pounds or USD in most exchange offices in Beirut, at the official bank rate, which means that it won’t be so good.

Where can you exchange Syrian Pounds?

The best is to exchange at the exchange offices you find before reaching the border. With our groups, we always exchange in a Lebanese town named Chtoura .

ATMs and credit cards in Syria

Because of the foreign sanctions, in Syria, you can neither pay by credit card nor using ATMs. You must bring all your money in cash.

Update 2024: Due to the current financial crisis, the same rule applies to Lebanon. If you are traveling to Syria from Lebanon, you must bring enough cash for visiting both countries.

How much does it cost to travel to Syria?

These are the prices of the most typical things:

• Lunch in a local restaurant: 50,000 to 80,000SYP
• Food in a nice restaurant with wine: 150,000 to 250,000SYP
• Breakfast (like hummus or ful): 35,000SYP
• National Museum: 25,000SYP
• Aleppo Citadel: 2,5000SYP
• Bus from Damascus to Aleppo: 50,000 to 70,000SYP
• Budget Hotel in Damascus: $35 to $45 for a private room
• Mid-range hotel in Damascus: $60 to $90 for a private room
• Taxis within cities: 40,000 to 60,000SYP
• Local shared taxi Aleppo to Homs: 100,000 to 150,000SYP

Syria is a post-war zone, where millions of people have lost their houses and relatives, much like Haiti , so please, be a sensitive tourist.

Don’t say war but crisis or situation instead

You will see that many Syrians themselves don’t really use the word war but they prefer to say other less harsh words.

Don’t take selfies with damaged buildings

Seriously, this is one of the most disrespectful things you could ever do and you would actually be an asshole if you did it.

Empathize with the locals

When you are in an area full of destroyed buildings be polite to the people, say hello , shake hands and just be nice with them.

Collaborate with the local economy

In Homs and Aleppo , you are likely to see small businesses open among all the ruins. Do buy things from them.

In Homs, I saw one small bakery shop in the practically destroyed souk; I couldn’t resist buying one kilo of sweets there, which I gave to a young boy that was looking for something among the trash.

Read: A travel guide to Iraqi Kurdistan

Are the Syrian cities really destroyed?

This seems to bring a lot of confusion, so let me explain it to you:

Only the outskirts of Damascus are destroyed, as there was a bloody battle there. That area is off-limits to tourists.

The Old City and the new part of town remain intact.

A percentage of the Old City is destroyed, as well as some areas from outside the city.

Most of Aleppo isn’t damaged but some very important sites from the Old City, like the Great Mosque, are gone.

Nowadays, however, the city is being rebuilt and people are slowly coming back.

One of the most affected cities by the war.

Approximately 40% of the city is destroyed and that includes its bazaar, one of the liveliest and most important souqs in all the Middle East .

The Temple of Bell was destroyed by ISIS but Palmyra is a massive archaeological site and many of its wonders can still be seen.

📸 Taking photos when you travel in Syria

You can take photos of everything except for one thing: military stuff.

Yes, it is very obvious but the problem is that there is military stuff everywhere, especially in Damascus.

In Damascus, it happened a few times that I took a picture of some cool building or whatever, from relatively far away, and didn’t realize there was a checkpoint right next to it.

Of course, the soldiers approached me but, after quickly checking my passport and my camera, very kindly, let me continue.

In Damascus Old City, there are checkpoints everywhere, so pay attention before taking any photos.

🧭 Don’t get off the beaten track in Syria, not yet

As of 2024, this section still is highly relevant.

Seriously, don’t.

Don’t do it because you are going to ruin it for everybody.

Syria just started opening to tourism, so stick to the main touristic areas.

I am telling you this because there was a German guy who went to the outskirts of Damascus to take photos of some destroyed buildings and he was put in jail for a week.

That was back in 2018, when independent travel in Syria was allowed.

Since then, booking a tour is required in order to get a visa for Syria so, even if you wanted to get off the beaten track, you would not be able to.

🏨 Accommodation: where to stay in Syria

Since the crisis, the Government of Syria has introduced a dual pricing policy in all hotels, in which foreigners pay more than the locals.

This has increased the rates substantially but you can still find many affordable options.

Where to stay in Damascus

Budget – Green Hotel – Single rooms cost 15USD and double 30USD. It was very clean, there was a heater, good Wi-Fi and the guy from the reception spoke English. It was here, just outside of the Old City: 33.510168. 36.298925 .

Boutique Hotel –  Beit al Mamlouka – A small hotel at the heart of the old city.

Top option –   Beit al Wali – One of the best hotels in the city.

Luxury – Four Seasons – Crazy expensive, but the best hotel in Syria. Note that it’s not managed by Four Seasons anymore, even though they kept their name.

Where to stay in Aleppo

Mid-range – Aleppo Palace – Good, affordable option in Aleppo, with great views of the new part of town. It’s located right next to the I Love Aleppo sign.

In Aleppo, you can also find a Sheraton.

Where to stay in Homs

New Basman Hotel – One of the few options in Homs is this hotel that offers basic but comfortable rooms.

Where to stay in Al Mishtaya

Al Mishtaya is a Christian village near Krak de Chevaliers and the place where we stay when I bring groups into Syria.

They have a pretty good brand-new hotel named Vila Rosa Hotel .

Where to stay in Palmyra and Busra

Today, you can’t stay in any of them because there are no hotels.

🍲 The food and alcohol in Syria

In the last few years, I haven’t traveled to many countries that are famous for their food, but Syria definitely is.

Being an olive-oil-rich Mediterranean country, the ingredients used in their cuisine are fresh and similar to the ones we used in Spain, Italy, France, and Greece.

The food is actually pretty much the same as in Lebanon, with their own regional variations, of course.

From the classic hummus to kibbeh (local steak tartar), different sorts of grilled meat or a typical dish of Aleppo consisting of meatballs in cherry sauce, the food in Syria is so varied. 

For me, however, breakfast is the best part, as they always serve different variations of hummus and ful deep in super tasty olive oil and vegetables.

As per alcohol, you should know that Syria has a large Christian population, so alcohol is easily available, especially in the Christian district of the Old City of Damascus, where there is a street filled with bars and many liquor shops.

You can actually buy a $1 beer and drink it in the street!

❗ More information for traveling in Syria

📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.

All guides and articles for traveling in Syria destination

• Travel Guide to Aleppo
• Syria Itinerary
• Is Syria Safe?

Travel guides to other countries in the Middle East

• Iran Travel Guide
• Palestine Travel Guide
• Travel Guide to Oman
• Travel Guide to Lebanon
• Iraq Travel Guide
• Travel Guide to Saudi Arabia
• Yemen Travel Guide

You will also like our Libya travel guide and Haiti travel guide .

You will also be interested in: Where in the Middle East is safe? and The most beautiful places in the Middle East .

I hope this Syria travel blog will help you to plan your trip. I will try to keep it updated but, if you have more updates, please let us know in the comments section. Thanks 🙂

356 comments

Hi, before the war Syria was known as not being particularly female travelers friendly, do you think that has changed? Would you recommend going there as a solo female traveler? Thanks love your blog!

Hello Iris. When it comes to the local culture and openmindedness, I tried to compare it with other Middle Eastern countries and, to be very honest, I didn’t see much difference versus Palestine and Jordan, 2 countries where females can now travel easily.

In Damascus, you see loads of women without hijab and there is actually a large Christian population and, in their district, you find very openminded people, like in any European capital.

But in any case, I would like to get in touch with a girl who has been there recently, to see what kind of advice she could give and what she thinks about it 🙂

Thank you for your quick reply! 🙂 We are trying to see if we can go in a few weeks, but we might not get the visa in time… Although I might come back, because your article made me put Damascus high on my bucketlist! 🙂

i will go in june as a solo female, i will let you know 😉

So how did your solo trip go?

Hi. I`m curios as well, did any of you ladies manage to travel there and have any insight in how it is to go as a woman?

Hey, I’m Jude I’m 22 and I live now in Syria, for sure solo female travelers are welcome here as well . The people here are very open minded and friendly, specially if you are a foreign tourist because we love to have tourists here again. We have a mix of different religions and cultures here in Syria, so everybody takes care of your space and freedom . if you have any question email me, I’d love to help anyone to visit Syria.

Hello, I am working in Saudi Arabia and I am planning to visit Syria (Damascus) by road in November, 2019. Please guide me is it possible to travel by car to Syria. and safe for tourism. How much money is required for 2 days stay. My final destination will be Palestine. Looking for your reply. regards, Zahid ur Rehman

Could you send me your email id

Hey Jude, Do you know any budget and confortable hotel with private room near the old market or the big mosque, I think it’s safiest to stay inside the old city of Damascus

I want to visit damishq syria. Is it safe for visit?

Can you share your email so I can ask you more specific questions about travelling to Syria as a tourist? 🙂 – Austin and Abigail

Hi! In January I have a plan to travel from Beirut to Damascus – would be great to have a contact with you;) Greetings Dawid

Hello Jude, I am hoping to Travel to Syria in the next few months. I have a lot of questions and would love the opinion of a local, as it is quite difficult to get accurate information about the country! If you are not comfortable putting your email address up, please email me. My email address is [email protected]

I would love to hear from you!

Hi Jude, I am planning to go to Damascus as well. How is the trip from Beirut to Damascus? And how about prices, hotels and food? Thank you! Patricia

I need some more info on traveling to Syria. Would also like to include them in my “postcards from the world” to encourage people to visit. Regards, karen

Hey guys, I’m sorry that I couldn’t reply to all your comments in recent months due to the recent pandemic, hope you’re all fine. Please if you have any question or you want to talk about Syria and/or want a guide or a tour contact my email. [email protected]

Hello Jude, probably I will work in Damascus pretty soon so how are things there for the living on these days?, thank you

Hi Jude thank you for being so welcoming. I am not sure if people can visit Syria without a formal tour group. Please can you tell me if we can visit without a tour group? Thank you. Carmel

Hi! My boyfriend is from Syria (we live in Austria). I would really love to visit his home. Do you thibk. I can travel alone from Amman to Damascus? How’s it going to be thete for me? Thanks for your answer! Cheers, Michaela

Hi Jude, are you living in Syria? My husband and I are in Turkey and trying to apply for a visa to travel in March/April but we need a reference, contact details of someone in Syria to put on our form. Are you able to help?

Hello Jude I’m Cecilia from Philippines I am planning to visit Syria can you help me ? Actually I have to meet my bf in Aleppo it is a little complicated his situation hoping for your response in my gmail address Thanks ( below my name and my gmail

Hi Jude, I’m planning a trip around the beginning of April and would love to have a chat with you :). How can I reach you?

Email? Please?

Hello my name Is Luisa and I am in Syria now. Everything went well. My travel guide Is Sawsan Joumaa and She Is very helpful and good. She only brings me in safe places and She Is Always with me. I am really very happy.

any contact to this travel guide, i will need one..

Hi Luisa, I write to you because probably I will work as humanitarian in Damascus very soon and I need to know all about how is living in Damascus in November 2020.

Ciao. Io mi trovo in Siria e vi posso assicurare che ci sono più donne in vesti succinte qui che sul lungomare di Bari.

Ciao Luisa per caso ti trovi ancora in Syria? Vorrei potere avere qualche consigli su una possibilità di viaggio in Syria a settembre 2021.

Actually I find Syria far more liberal than Jordan. I mean, don’t even compare. Just as an example, while women in Jordan have to follow a complicated sitting protocol in public transportation, in Syria it’s just like in any western country. Syrian women dress in whatever way they wish, in ways which wouldn’t be acceptable in Jordan. These are just two examples.

I stopped reading when I saw — “No. Unfortunately, US passport holders cannot get a visa for Syria.”

Fck that. It’s 2022. They need to grow up…

The day the US Government lifts sanctions against Syria, Americans will be allowed to travel to Syria

Yes i am syrian i live in syria we are not like other middle eastren countries so for sure you can come and you are always welcome

hey syrian guy, can u help me out? i need to talk to you just about the country and i want syrian friend and i am from saudi arabia.

I am educationist from India and heritage management expert.I wish to visit Syria with my son next month for 5 days.Can anyone guide me.Thanks in advance.

Im looking forward to travel to Syria average soon

Hello Iris My name is Nour, i am a Syrian citizen, regarding your question: Syria has been a secular country for more than 50 years, any female (a foreigner or Arab) is welcomed to Syria, make sure you and any other tourist will be totally safe during your stay in Syria. Regards from Damascus

Syria was especially safe for women, I traveled all over the place alone. I was in my mid 50s but many much younger women remarked how safe Syria felt for them. There is a lot of mythology and down right lies spread about all aspects of life in Syria before the war. Arab men do not have sex before marriage as a rule, so they will show an interest but no more so than European men, just be cautious like anywhere else, you might travel. If you are that worried maybe you shouldn’t visit there, Syria had next to no visitors prior to the war regardless of what people might tell you. This was because it was one of Britain’s prohibited countries. Britain resented the fact that Syria invaded Lebanon and that it chose not to cooperate with the capitalist system, being socialist. There was a bright side to this for people who did visit though, and that was the price was the price for everyone, unlike in many of the surrounding countries, particularly Egypt.

Help me please !!!!! I am from syria and I need help to get out of my country……but it is so hard…..please …..is there anyone who can help me ??!

عم تشحد سفرة؟؟

Are you okay?

I traveled to Syria 2008, I was so beautiful and want to revisit hopefully in Spring. I am trying to decide from Lebanon or Jordan since I have family in both place. I want to travel to Axcelê, Syria near Jandaris I have a lot good friends there and I would be staying with them and hopefully when the situation gets better I would like to have a house there. I just love it there and my heart is there.

Hy..my name is ali i am from syria.. Yes actually it changed a lot after social media nd tiktok nd all…u can move freely in some state like (tartous-latakia-damascus) But in other u states u should wear hijab(hair cover) nd not wearing shorts.. U can also roam without hijab but its better to wear cuz ppl will stare at u nd all…

Yes are they fighting in Homs I have a friend there who is a doctor and he’s wanting me to help him leave Syria and come back home to United States but his agent is wanting $1250 fee to start his documents to get him home. I don’t have that kind of money and he can’t get his Money from the states until he gets home and this agent won’t help him And I can’t is there any other way he can get home. He said he’s afraid for his life and it scares me. If you could help me I really would appreciate your help. Thank you Sherry

Yes my name is Sherry could you Joan answer my question above in my email I wrote on October 29, 2020. I don’t know what to do cause I don’t have the money to pay the agent and too I don’t know if it’s a scam or he’s telling me the truth please could you help me. Thank you Sherry

hi Sherry, this article/blog refers to traveling to Syria for touristic purposes. For political or your kind of issues, I think you should contact your embassy.

This is a tourism related article but I’m sure it’s a scam. Did you know this person in real life before he “needed” the money. Is he a friend from the US? If not, I guarantee it’s a scam. If you want to help Syrians, then go to your local Middle Eastern shop and buy Abou Rashed baklavas Chami soap, both of which are made in Syria and provide employment to Syrian people. Don’t send this fake doctor $1250.

Quite the contrary, Syria was known as being really women friendly at least until the mid 2000s but the war began at the end of 2006, I remember the pro-Israeli protests by the Kurds in Qamishli, so the later years might have been more difficult. I found Syria much friendlier than Jordan but for women much the same. In 2006 I noticed lots of the students at Irbid university, Jordan, near Syria were wearing black veils; though they weren’t in the town itself.

I was in Syria 22 years ago with a friend as two female traveller’s in their 30s. Not once did I feel in danger, quite the contrary. We felt perfectly safe and welcome. Syrian people have got to be some of the most hospitable on earth. (She and I felt the same way in Turkey: perfectly safe with the exception that in Turkey, everyone tries to see you rugs!)

I was in Syria the years 2009 – 2010 – 2011. I visited Damascus, Tartus, Palmyra. Syrian people are kind, giving, helpful. A wonderful experience. Not much restrictions as people believes, a peaceful country even though in 2011 the conflict really started. Travelling from Syria to Lebanon or Lebanon/Syria, the best option always have been in taxi. My recommendation for the ladies, to dress without showing too much skin😊 to avoid attention. I love Syria! I love Beirut too! ❤ Will Be back one day soon😊

Very nice travel guide. GOOD JOB !!!

Having been to Syria twice before the war I fully support your reasons for going. It’s people definitely deserve the income that tourism can offer. I know you caution about the security situation but I think it’s especially important to do so about Aleppo. Areas held by extremists border on the city and there have been mortar attacks and some kind of chemical weapon attack on the outskirts. The situation in Idlib will almost certainly only be solved militarily though I guess in this case the govt will keep tourists well away. I agree with you about the rest of the country but it’s important to appreciate the situation around Aleppo. Thanks again for another great article. Unfortunately I won’t have a chance to go back there until next year but will definitely go.

Fantastic information, muchas gracias Joan! I visited Syria with a group from Ireland last June 2018, I fell in love with the country, it’s people and culture. I hope to return in May this year, thank you again for this updated information.

Oh, that’s great! Which places in Syria did you visit? And are you planning to go to different places in May?

Hola again Joan! We spent 3 days in Damascus, visited the Old City, Ummayyad Mosque, the Souk etc, the Palestinian camp, which was pretty much destroyed, then onto Ma’aloula and up to Aleppo. Hoping to visit Tartous/Latakia and Palmyra on the upcoming trip. Thanks again for your excellent report!

Hi Caroline,

Would you mind if I asked what tour you used? Looks like you had a great time. Thank you 🙂

Hi Meg, our group went with Mithra Travel both visits, our guide, Lamis was/is exceptional. I would definitely use them again, highly recommended. Caroline

Hi Joan, I’d like to ask you, how about the relations between Syria and Israel? You write about crossing the borders between Lebanon and Syria, and Jordan and Syria. But how about Israel and Syria? I guess that the border between Israel and Syria is also closed, but anyway, do you know more about it? And how the Syrians think about Israel and the Jews? I know that Israel makes some air raids against the Iranian bases there (at least it is what the news say). Does it have an effect to the opinion of the local Syrians about Israel?

Hi Krasen! The border between Israel and Syria is definitely closed and it will be for a long time. I don’t know if it used to be open during the pre-war but I seriously doubt it. I didn’t talk to any Syrian (in Syria) about Israel but I did talk to Syrians living in other parts of the world and their opinion towards Israel / Jews is the same as Lebanese, Jordanians and, basically, any other Arab.

Hey we hate isreal and isrealies and we love jews and any israrli stamp on your passport will perminatly ban you from syria (thats the law) From syria

Hi! We will travel to Syria in this summer. In the visa application form we need a reference and we have to show our invitation letter. How does it work actually? Is it just formality? Maybe, can you help us?

An LOI can only be issued by a valid tour operator and it is a big responsibility. Then, a friend could also invite you but it is a long process that requires great paperwork, and shouldn’t be asked to random Syrian people on the internet.

Hi Joan. Loved your post. I have soon-to-be relatives in Syria. Would writing a LOI for me put them under any kind of scrutiny or hardship? I want to travel there this winter, and I will be visiting them, so I don’t want or need a tour. But I don’t want to cause any problems for anyone either. Thanks!

Hi Cynthia, I am not sure if an LOI written by them would be valid. You should ask the embassy but for people from Syrian origin and relatives, getting the visa should be easier.

Hi Kristof,

My name is Lotte Beckers, I’m a journalist for the Belgian newspaper De Morgen. I’m working on an article on traveling to Syria (I also spoke to Joan on the phone this weekend). Could we maybe get in touch? Feel free to mail me at [email protected] Thanks

HI Joan , If I get a tourist visit it’s only thru tour guide correct after a tour I want to go and see close friends in Axcelê,Syria that is final destination then like I said buy an apartment in Jandaris where my friends and I would live and hopefully work maybe open something or purchase with them. Which is the easiest way to get there. Please help name’s of company or Taxi service in Aleppo that could drive me the rest of the way.

Hating Israel and Israelis (including Arab Muslim Israelis??)… – Joan Torres, do you allow this kind of hateful comment in this thread? Where’s the outrage? – Syrianguy, get an education, man. After a number of lost wars again Israel, perhaps you could start thinking about the effects of your hateful attitude and realize that it leads to a dead end (literally), i.e. the destruction of your own country — and I feel sorry for the peace-loving Syrians. Hating others will eventually backfire. Horray to all the loving Syrians, down with hateful people — and with governments that make it a policy to hate other nations.

Francis, don’t be a moron. Hate is a right to anyone, it’s a state of mind, better, a state of emotion. There is no bigger fascist than the one who thinks he has the right of ban emotions. Not only this but also the Syrian person obviously is not obviously fluent in English, so better focus in the general idea that there are problems regarding Israel and that an Israeli stamp in the passport will block any request of visiting visa to Syria. Geeeeez!

Ricardo, try not to be the moron yourself. Hate is a right to everyone? Wow man, I have never come across such a weak attempt to justify hate. Hate is not a feeling, nor is it an emotion, it is basically a choice based on biased beliefs which entails emotions like anger and which brings about real actions like trying to murder someone. You are watering down the hate thing into a vague emotional state that cancels the responsibility of the hater. And Syrianguy not being fluent in English still makes him fluent enough to clearly vent his hate. You are trying to excuse his hate with a poor command of English. Pathetic. Denouncing hate is to be a fascist now? Geeez. Remember to take your meds, Ricardo.

I don’t want to get involved in your discussion but to be very honest, the comment you are referring to about ”hating Israel” is debatable.

First of all, he is a 14-year old person who has written many comments besides this one, plus it’s true that he doesn’t speak English very well.

Moreover, it could be that he is referring to the fact that Syria, as a country, hates Israelis, politically, hence they put a travel ban to anyone with an Israeli stamp. He also says he loves Jews, so his problem is about Israel as a country. I would delete any racist, offensive comment but in this case, it isn’t very clear, so there’s no need to make such a big deal out of it,

Did I say Moron? Sorry, my mistake. You are a total idiot with no clue on how humans and the world works, a child, in age and/or mentality, who sees a black and white world and is full of certainty about everything and still, knows shit about hate and emotions. End of conversation, ignoring trolls mode.

Sorry for this parenteses Joan. Over and out.

i am syrian…we respect jews riligion..but we hate israel cuz they steal our arabian land..so if any jews came to syria he is welcomed…but israel ppl they will not be safe in syria…if u have israel stamp ur syrian visa will get rejected directly.

israel does not do stamps on passports anymore, nowadays they give you an entry and exit ticket, instead of making a stamp on the passport. and that’s because of the very specific reason you mention, that other countries wont see that people have visited israel

the northen area of israel, golan hights and down to tiberias lake, all that area belonged to syria and it was occupied by israel in 1967, how do you think syrians feel about syria ? and the border between both countries was never open ..

Hey Joan, you have put a great guide to Syria, thanks man! It is so insightful and useful

I visited Damascus many years ago, around 2005, and I absolutely loved it and now that the country is finally starting to bring back tourism again, I can’t wait to go.

The visa process seems the only barrier though, as I contacted the embassy in my home country and they said that I need an LOI, which means that I will have to get in touch with an agency, which I don’t really want to because I want to travel there on my own.

And by the way, thanks for double-confirming all the information regarding Basel Travel King.

I know 2 people who traveled with him in November and December and both them agreed that he is a scam. He also charged them 100USD a day for a guide who didn’t know absolutely anything about history, which means that you pay all this money for only having a guardian which you don’t really need to. One of them went to Aleppo and instead of staying in a hotel, he stayed at a Basel’s friend but he charged him the price of an expensive hotel.

Anyways, I will try to see if is there anyone who can get me the LOI without booking an expensive tour and I will let you know

Yes, the visa thing is a pain in the ass and it seems that you can’t get it without paying a lot of money first, which sucks a lot… Hopefully, things will soon get easier PS: Thanks for sharing additional information about Basel. He sucks, really. 😀

Great article! I am going in October but I am booking with a local travel agent so I can move fast (I hate buses) and see Palmyra. Maybe even continue to Jordan to see more of Crusader’s castles and Petra. Not sure why are you so surprised by the support to Al Assad. I mean the guy saved them from islamists and religious state. In any case, hope the peace is upon all of Syria soon!

Yes, that is what some of them said, that they defeated the Islamists but Al Assad was not only fighting Islamists but many other groups and those rebels had hundreds of thousands of supporters. However, I believe that most of those supporters are either dead, left the country or they just will never talk about it I also do wish the peace comes soon.

Thank you for this blog, but just a quick comment on this one – even if they do disagree with Assad, the secret police is swarming around the cities so they would never say it (there’s a joke that every third person is mukhabarat in Syria). Don’t assume that they support him just because they say they do!

Well don’t assume they don’t either, I know the Brotherhood was plotting in the mosques in 2005 and coming to England for monetary support from the government here. And that a previously held Guantanamo Bay prisoner was travelling around Britain with Amnesty International advocating the bringing down of the Syrian Government and possibly brought a lot of money from the British govt to the Brothers, at least our govt didn’t deny it. That is my personal. Also I know another family of detainees came to impose the caliphate and two were killed and the other one is in Syria still, maybe in the camp on the east side. The travesty didn’t happen on its own mate. Don’t stir up shit storms with your comments please. Lastly why do you want to visit Syria then? you make me suspicious.

Hi Joan! Syria is a place I want to visit before it becomes too popular. My question is, you entered though Lebanon, but where did you exit? I would fly to Beruit and spend a few days there before crossing the border. They say a Lebanon visa is free on arrival but that is only 1 entry. Did you pay for a multi entry visa and re-enter Lebanon or depart Syria though a different country? It sounds like its best to contact that lady and just do a 1 day tour to get your security clearance. What exactly is that anyway? Just to make sure you are not wanted by interpol!! or is it just a routine procedure? Thanks for any help. Tony.

Hi Tony, I entered and exited through Lebanon. Visa in available on arrival, so when you re-enter, you just get a new visa. The security clearance is just a background check and a requirement to obtain your Syrian visa.

Hi, how you got your copy of the security clearance ? Agency send it to you via post, or you got e-version?

you get an e-version

Thanks Joan. I will look into this trip either before June or after September. Too hot in between! Tony

Hello, I visited Syria in December as an independent traveller and I used a tour company to secure the visa but they didn’t require me to take a tour. I visited Damascus, Hama, Homs and Aleppo with no issues – I tried to visit Palmyra but apparently the security clearance that you may apply for in Damascus takes 5 days to clear and must take a tour as there’s still an active minefield. So unfortunately it may be hard to visit Palmyra for a while. Josh

Thank you Josh. I didn’t know that Hama was possible to visit. Was the ferry wheel still standing? By the way, which company did you book the tour from?

Hello, The water wheels are still standing and are lovely! I took my bus to Aleppo from Hama. Was a strange experience because in Hama because I hitchhiked from Krak des Chavalier to Hama at night and was then invited out to dinner almost as soon as I arrived with the Syrian tourist minister and some of his friends, I assume the hotel manager informed the minister I was staying town. I used some local tour company called Damascus Tours.

that sounds like a great adventure, thank you for sharing- Do you have perhaps the contact of this tour company? I tried to look for it on Google but I don’t see any company with a website named Damascus tours… I would really like to contact them and see if it could be a good alternative, so readers can know. thank you!

Hi Joshua, could you share contacts of Damascus Torus company?

Josh I want to visit Syria I have family there. I have American passport and was thinking about flying to Kuwait for a few days then to Damascus airport. Do you know if I can get a visa at the airport?

Hi Joan, I too tried to look for this travel company but couldn’t find it. Even if its possible to get the security clearance without a tour, it will still cost $325, yes? And the actual visa at the border. I saw the man you stayed with in Aleppo on couch surfing. Did he show you around the city, is the fighting completely finished there? I only ask you because on a Syrian government it mentioned military action in the Aleppo district. That may cover a large area though.

Yes, the security clearance costs 325USD and the Syrian visa at the border around 70USD, for European passports at least, except for British, who pay more. If you only pay for these 2 things, consider yourself lucky.

Yes, my CS host showed me around and as far as I know, the fighting in Aleppo is over.

Although fighting in the city itself has ended, there are jihadi forces relatively nearby. Fighting in the region could occur at any time and the city could get targeted. Anyone visiting should keep up to date constantly on the situation

Great article … I am Syrian … i read your article out of curiosity to see how is the general impression about my city …. you did great especially about the prices ….. Thanks for that

which city?

Damascus…

Joan, your article is wonderful!

Please, do share more of the things you discussed with locals during your stay. It is so hard to find any current info without a political bias. And I would really like to hear more Syrian people’s voices.

You mention they have a good WiFi connectivity in Damascus. Do you think they have any independent blogers that might be of interest?

Thank you again!

Hey! What do you mean by ”independent bloggers that might be of interest?”

You mean if there is any Syrian travel blogger who would be great to follow?

It is doubtful you will make it out alive…Bashar Assad is a murdering, lying psychopath

It’s extremely complicated in Syria. Despite the situation. in Syria, numerous minority groups are still protected by the central government controlled by Bashar Assad.

Speak of an Arabic government that allows such religious freedom.

Syria is all you can speak of. Thank you to the Syrian Republic.

Please talk to the people in idlib..they will tell you the truth..Assad is a psychopath..

I’d love to see your westerner/christian ass trying to walk 5 blocks in Idlibstan without lossing your head. Maybe Hillary can airdrop you there to fight against the christian saviour Bashar.

Bashar w bass.

Hello, My name Is Luisa and I would like to visit Syria in December. If you want we can talk each other my email [email protected] Whatsapp 0039 3204551648

And the Kurds are Pro-Israeli not to mention mainly Turkish. Wht try and take over Idlib at all? Qamishli wa a nice place but some groups want everything for themselves.

Hi Joan, Thanks for the very precise description and advices. I am planning to go there in May, however, I am wondering if they put a stamp on your passport because I have another flight to the US shortly after. Thanks

Hello, yes, they do stamp your passport

Hola Juan me ha encantado tu post muy bien detallado y la verdd dan muchas ganas de viajar. Tbn soy espanol residente del Paris. La cosa es que la semana que viene viajo a Turquia y de paso me encantaria pasar por Siria. Efectivamente las fronteras estan cerradas a turistas por lo que la sola alternativa es ir a Libano. Hoy estuve en la embajada Siria en Paris pero hacer el visado toma alrededor de un mes por lo que ya es practicamente imposible obtenerla aqui. Me parece que el tema de agencias es my caro, asi que me gustaria saber cual es para ti la forma mas barata y rapida de obtener el visado a para poder entrar a Siria ya que mi tiempo es bastante limitado y esperar mas de 3 dias para un visado seguramente anularia una posible visita siria.

Muchas gracias por tu post!!!

Hola Sebastián,la mejor manera será contactar con una agencia, con Sawswan por ejemplo, y reservar un tour de 1 día

Osea q tienes q pagar como minimo el security clearance de 325 USD + 100 USD del tour de un dia? Joder si es asi creo q optare para hacer siria en otro viaje haciendome el visado en la embajada donde me cuesta solo 25 eur…

si de verdad consigues un visado para Siria por sólo 25€, me lo cuentas para que lo pueda escribir todo aquí

http://www.ambassadesyrie.fr/services_consulaire3.php

Aqui tienes los precios. Pero bueno solo por confirmar a mi mensaje anterior, el minimo entonces para entrar desde Libano son 425USD??

En mi más humilde experiencia, jamás me fiaría de una página de información burocrática procedente de un país de Oriente Medio. Es más, estoy segurísimo de que estos precios son falsos y de todas formas, aquí también tendrías que añadirle el coste del security clearance, a parte de la carta de invitación que lo más probable es que te vayan a pedir

Bonjour Je peux vous aider si vous voulez Merci

il faut se contacter

I can say that you have the courage to visit Syria while it is not safe as it used to be many years ago. It is a very good article filled with important inforamtion.

Hi Joan, I sent a whatapp message to the lady you talked about who could maybe help with getting the secuity clearance-Sawswan. I asked her if if she could help with getting the clearance if I booked a tour with her around Damascus and maybe Palmeyria. I mentioned that I had got her number from you and that you had travelled to Damascus in few months ago. It looks like she got my message but no reply. Is there any other way to contact her , has she got a travel company or tour guide company? If I draw a blank with her is there another reputable guide or company I could try?

Thank you very much for the beautiful blog. As a Syrian who hasn’t been back in Syria in two years (living in Lebanon) this fills me with a sense of nostalgia. Thank you for visiting Syria and I hope you had fun!

We Syrians have always been happy to find tourists visiting our humble country, and I myself have always dreamed about helping tourists discover Syria (given the fact that I am one of the rare Syrians who actually speak English properly), but alas the war took away the tourists from me and I had to leave Syria to study abroad in them American University of Beirut.

A couple of my European friends here in Lebanon tried visiting Syria over the last couple of months and couldn’t enter; they went to the embassy and were told that they didn’t need a visa and should go to the border directly, only for the border to tell them to head back to the embassy and get a visa. I am happy that things are becoming more organized now as evidenced by the fact that you could enter the country without any complications. I hope you didn’t get ripped off though! We’ve always had a thing for ripping off foreigners back in the day, but perhaps now that tourists are so few and we’re so glad to have them back our great merchants aren’t too keen on ripping them off.

I do hope to one day return to Syria and meet the nice folk like yourself who have come to visit our country from overseas. Thank you again for writing this blog. I will forward it to all of my foreign friends here in Lebanon who have expressed their desire to visit Syria. I probably won’t be able to go with them (since I would need to get permission from the army to be able to leave the country again and it’s a hassle) but I am sure that the information you provided would very much help them get the visa and find local accommodations .

Thank you, Joan, and thank you to everyone who is standing by Syria and the Syrian people through these troubled times.

Hey there, thank you so much for your kind-hearted words, really.

I loved Syria and trust me when I say that nobody tried to ever rip me off. Everybody was always so kind and trying to be overprotective with me, and I am sure that anyone should have a very similar experience.

Hope you can travel to your beautiful country and the situation will normalize even more in the upcoming months and years.

Kind Regards

Hi Joan, Saludos de Portugal! Thanks for sharing your experience. I will be in Lebanon during May (9 to 17), and really wanted to take this opportunity to visit Damascus. I contacted this travel agent you mentioned, and she asks me for 500$ for a day trip, which is simply insane. I really wanted to do it independently, and, of course, much cheaply. I’ve contacted the Syrian embassy in Paris, but they’re not very responsive. Any recommendations?

Thank you for your time and good travelsl Rodrigo

Hi Rodrigo, It is quite a standard price. I didn’t go on a tour and only the security clearance cost me $325, (and other agencies charge more), so, unfortunately, there is not much you can do, because now there is no way to get a visa without booking first a tour.

Hello Rodrego My friend take those words as a standard whenever you want to visit Syria, the longer period you stay there the cheaper offers you get, for example ( 1 day trip is 500$, then every extra day will cost you 200$ including the hotel+the tourguide)

It is a reasonable price especially since it includes a visa to transfer to and from Beirut and a guide to the Damascus tour

Hi nice blog i live in syria and i am syrian i am 14 years old i read the article to see what people think of us with the lies shown in the media so thanks for the great article i hope when you visit us again you would go to my dad’s restaurant it is called kaza miza and it was awarded the best restaurant in syria by the syrian tourisim minestry in 2016 Again thanks for the article

Thank you! And I would have loved to taste your dad’s restaurants, really. A pity I didn’t know about it before 🙂

Hi Joan, First of all, great article, thanx a lot! I have been trying to go to Syria for a while, and I am thinking about going this coming Oct/Nov. 2019. I am also an independent traveler and hardly any time I take a tour, so far only have taken two; Tibet and DPRK. I want to visit on my own. Heard rumors about a German fella that got in trouble and now the government has implemented a “tour only” for all travelers into Syria, but I believe it is more like a rumor created by the tour agencies and operators. In any case, I hold a U.S. passport and one from the Republic of Georgia, unfortunately neither place has a diplomatic office from Syria. Saw your post about a week ago and wrote to the Embassy of Syria in Madrid, but have not yet received a response. If you don’t mind me asking, when you applied for your visa you had to go in person to the embassy in Madrid and then they sent your passport plus the visa by mail, correct? How long was the process? Also, I see your comments and you talk about a “clearance letter” worth about US $450.00 plus a fee of US $70.00 when you enter Syria, at the border? My plans are using my Georgian passport, obvious reason, and try and go get the visa either in Madrid or Brussels. I don’t count with a lot of time. Do you mind explaining a bit the process? Thank you very much! George G.

Hi George, things have changed a bit recently and you won’t be able to get a visa without booking a tour. Even most embassies will require you to get an LOI from a valid tour operator, which you will only get if you book a tour. This is kind of contradictory because then you can move around Syria independently.

Hi again, Joan, So, basically I can book a tour for let’s say, a day, then I can move independently? That sounds feasible. I know you went in independent, but does anybody here knows of a reliable and easy local tour operator then? Thank you Joan and all participants! George

I tried with the Syrian embassy in Brussels as its the nearest one to me. I emailed them but they never even replied. I think the tour agents are the only way. Just choose carefully!

Very interesting post, thanks for the info! I’m an independent journalist and visited Afghanistan a few months back which was impressive, and now Syria has become a big wish to visit! Those visa regulations suck though… Hopefully come across some local reliable tour operator somewhere. Given your contacts, do you perhaps know if there are different regulations for journalists, holding international press card?

Great site by the way, all the destinations of my interest, will be following!!

Hi Thijs, I don’t really know about journalism visas but Syria has been receiving loads of journalists for the past 8 or 9 years, so as long as you are not from the USA or the UK, I assume it should be feasible? But I don’t know about the process. I think you should contact the embassy!

Hi Thijs, just in case you ever revisit this Blog and your post: I‘m an independent filmmaker from Switzerland and visited Syria in January 2018. Iobtained a journalist visa through the consulate in Geneva. A few days ago I tried to Rentner the Country again, this time as a Tourist – and promptly was denied entry on the grounds of – well – being seen as a journalist. So, I‘d say it‘s risky to apply for a tourisr visa if you have a journalist visa from another country in your passport.

And yes, you should definitely contact your embassy. Btw, as a official journalist you‘ll have to accredit yourself at the ministry of information in Damascus after 24 hrs. and they will assign a governement employee to accompagny you throughout your travelsein Syria. Understandable after all the lies that have Bern Publisher about this Great country over the last decade by Western media . You‘ll have to pay for food and lodging of said employee. Best, Jan

Sorry for the tipos, am writing from 30 degrees Beirout… ;

Hi Joan, First of all, thank you for the great guide. I was so excited after reading your text, but then I looked at some comments and got pretty confused. So, to be clear: you have to get security clearance and visa to cross the border. You can ask for visa in local embassy, is that right? And after incident with German tourist, visas are now available only if you have booked tour? And tour operator is responsible for visa and security clearance, you don’t need to go to embassy? And there is currently no way for getting the clearance and visa without having to book the trip with travel agency? Once again, thank you for this brilliant site!

Hi Monika, yes, I know that this is confusing because everybody is getting different information/interpretation plus rules change every day. I wrote this post 2 months ago and the visa part already seems sort of outdated. Tomorrow will update it.

However, you got it 100% right. In summary, you can’t get a visa without booking a tour and, if you contact directly the agency, you don’t need to go to the embassy but I think that going through the embassy is cheaper (but slower) because you don’t have to pay the 300-400USD for the security clearance.

On the other hand, some rumors say that a few embassies like the one in Beirut and don’t know which Consulate/Embassy in Brazil don’t require the LOI but again, these are just rumors.

Joan, thank you for quick reply. I contacted Syrian embassy in Poland and they informed me that currently tourist visas are not issued at all. They told me to contact them again in two months. Wish me luck for the next time =)

Yeah, each embassy is a complete different world 🙁

Cześć Monika. I jak się Twoja historia skończyła? Jestem ciekaw bo również chciałbym pojechać na parę dni do Syrii. To Joan: Great article. I strongly appreciate that three are such people in Europe who can go to Syria, enjoy it and respect its law and fantastic people regardless of western media and western politicians WHO are responsible for syrian crisis. Greetings!

Hello everybody. I have just updated the visa section of the article. To be honest, the situation hasn’t changed much, meaning that getting the Syrian visa is still a pain, but based on new experiences from some travelers, I have re-written it and the process seems less confusing now. Please, remember that travel reports are more than welcome 🙂

Hi Joan There are a number of signs that a campaign against the rebels in Idlib is starting, which could explain the clamping down on visas and having to go on a tour. The govt isn’t going to want to have tourists going anywhere near fighting or undercover journalists using tourist visas. If so , Aleppo will be much more risky and there would be the risk of suicide bombings or attacks elsewhere. Personally I’d advise people to hold off on booking tours until the picture is clearer – when major fighting starts, which is only a question of when, not if, tours might just get cancelled anyway.

Amazing Article! I want to visit Damascus, Homs, Hama, and Aleppo from Jordan do any of you guys now any buses that go from amman to damascus? If so plz let me know 🙂 also I want to apply for a Syrian visa so do you guys know any cheap government secure agencies that issue them? Once again thank you!

Hi Mahdi, there are a few agencies listed on the article

Hi there is a company called jett which has buses from amman to damascus and if you are jordinian i dont think you need a visa

Thanks for the advice but I checked the Jett website but it seems that there is no bus that goes from Amman to Damascus if you do find it send me a screenshot somehow 🙂

Syria is not safe and will not be safe until the murdering psychopath Bashar Assad is gone.

Lori I wasn’t asking for your opinion on Assad so plz stop btw the only way Syria will be stable is if Assad is in power and everyone knows that, btw going on topic if there aren’t any buses how or where would you find taxis in Amman going to Damascus

Lori I wasn’t asking for your opinion on Assad so plz stop btw the only way Syria will be stable is if Assad is in power and everyone knows that, btw going on topic if there aren’t any buses how or where would you find taxis in Amman going to Damascus and is it possible just to rent a car by yourself and travel throughout Syria?

Hello I am making wild plans to travel from Amman to Kurdistan to enter Turkey from Syria, Aim is to cycle home from Jordan back to Europe. I know there were many conflicts there between the Kurds and IS, but i want to hear if anyone knows anything about this region/ traveling all trough Syria nowadays.

Someone can link me to someone or something?

All I can tell you is that you can’t travel around most Syria and the border with Turkey is closed. It is not the right time to cross Syria on a bicycle

Hello and thanks for the very informative article. Did you have or foresee any difficulties visiting other countries now that you have a Syrian stamp on your passport? Israel is now definitively a No-Go but I was wondering if other countries like the US might be difficult to visit afterwards. Thanks a lot! Hey

Hi Nicola, my Algerian visa was rejected. They didn’t tell me the reasons but I suspect it was due to the Syrian visa. Otherwise, it didn’t make sense

Nicola, That’s not true! If you have a passport with a Syrian (iranian, etc) stamp you can still visit visit Israel. As for the USA, you’ll need a visa (even if you needed before) if you visited the country after 2011. Bf th war I travelled Syria-Jordan-Israel, without any problem.

Joan, como estás? I´m a brazilian national applying for a tourism visa for Syria. As I don’t know anyone from Syria, I’ll have to inform in the application form that my contacts in the country are the hotel managers where I’ll be staying at. I liked your suggestion about the Green hotel. Do they have a website? Would you still recommmend Mohammed so that I can get in touch about a reservation? Or any other hotels I can call or write them? Thank you!

Hi Guilherme, yes, try to contact Mohammed, he is working there still. You can make reservations in other hotels and contact them, but I don’t know anyone personally

Hi there Joan,

this is an update about my sucessful trip to Syria in August, 2019, that might be useful for other travelers. I required a visa at the Syrian embassy in Sao Paulo, by filling an one-page form. It took less than a month and around USD 15 to get my 15-day visa. I booked a 5-night tour with The Golden Target tour company – recommended by Eva, von @evazubeck. It was simply amazing. My itinerary was: Damascus – Palmyra – Homs – Hamra – Aleppo – Crac des Chevaliers – Maaloula/Saydnaya. I had a driver and an outstanding guide (Tayseer) with me, full time. The driver pick me up at my hostel in Beirut and drove me straight to Damascus. Border crossing was wasy and everyone was very friendly. I paid around USD 1600, all included. Hotel rooms were amazing, including my 2-night stay at a five-star ottoman-damacean mansion in old the town in Damascus (Beit Mamelouk Hotel).

We normally started our day at 8:00 AM and finished at 10:00 PM. We saw a lot, no hurry. Every 10/20 km there was a military check point. The agency provided all permits and it was very easy to get through. Everywhere was safe. My guide and some cops/military would always give me some advices on my personal safety when walking around.

Although it sounds a fancy trip for backpackers like me, it was worth it and I had a fantastic genuine experience. I met hundreds of locals in the streets, cafes, road sides etc. It was beautiful. I have been to almost 70 countries, but Syria , blew me away.

Thanks for you post. I highly recommend everyone to go to Syria.

Guilherme, 31, Brazil

hi thank you for everyone, am from dubai want to travel damascus, and, aleppo for business purpose, is it safe to travel this city, can you advice any precautions. thank you

Hi Joan! Thank you so much for writing this article. I would love to travel to Damascus; I contacted Mr. Ayoub like you suggested. Is there any way you could give him a heads up so he knows to look out for my message?

Hi Irene, I think it is better if you wait for him to reply. He will-

Also, another question–will it be hard getting into Israel if I have a Syrian stamp on my passport?

Thanks again! Irene

Read this: https://againstthecompass.com/en/avoid-israeli-passport-stamp/

Hi. I travelled to Syria many times before the war – as a lone woman. And I never had any problems. To the contrary I was treated like a princess, with a huge amount of respect. If you dress conswrvatively and respect the culture, I don’t see why the wonderful Syrian sense of hospitality would have changed.

Im looking foward to go to syria for the first time How do i need to dress to go there??

Hi i am syrian it doesnt matter how you dress we are very open here but dont wear very short or exposing cloths

Hi joan i am a mexican citizen who looks to travel to syria in the future, what are the thing i need to do before i travel there to syria???

Hi Angel, you just need to do what says in the visa section of this post

Its a relief to know that and for me its amazing the idea to travel there, i really pray for the conflict to end and peace shall return to all syria

i am from Saudi arabia and i want to spend my vacation in syria ASAP, can anyone help me out? i have been reading so many articles and it seems so hard, can i travel by plane or by crossing border i have no idea, its so confusing! do i just have to make a tourist visa and a ticket and then i can fly from jeddah,riyadh(saudi arabia) to amman,or damascus (i dont know where the airport is). is that it? please let me know!

Hey, I’m Syrian and I’ve read your article and I really want to thank you about everything you said. We work too hard to show the world what the poor media don’t show, We have terrific nature, awesome historical places from too many cultures, delicious traditional food, and the most welcoming and heartwarming people you will ever met. When you add unbelievable views, delicious food and talented people you meet around here that what makes Syria just amazing. I’d love to help anyone wants to visit Syria with what I’m capable of and let you know about the best places to stay and visit. feel free to Email me: [email protected]

Hi Joan, thanks for putting all this super helpful information together. Do you happen to have any information about the border crossing procedure between Kurdistan Iraq + Rojava / Northern Syria in Semalka? I heard that the KRG sometimes issues permits to foreigners but I don’t know under which circumstances. Best regards from Germany, Karoline.

Hi Karoline, I don’t have any information, but the only issue here is that I have my doubts that you would be able to go to Damascus, as you would have to go through definitely NO-GO zones for tourists. Assuming they give you that permit, you’d be just able to visit Kurdistan, but even then, Syrian Kurdistan is not as autonomous as Iraqi Kurdistan, or at least the Syrian Government doesn’t recognize them as such, so I am not sure if you would also find there pro Al-Assad checkpoints. I would definitely do more research about it if I was you.

Please make a detailed Lebanon and Syria border crossing guide! And explain how you get the visa at the border! Keep the amazing work up!

It’s already explained in this article – There’s not much more to say about it

Hi Joan, I want to ask that I am a Pakistani and currently living in Germany doing my Masters here.In October,I am going to Sharjah UAE for the Internship for three months.During that time,I want to visit Syria to visit Damascus and Aleppo.Do you think that I will get the visa in that short time period of three months. Regards, Ahsan

hello, the visa process takes 1 week. contact Mr Ayoub and he will give more details about it

Hi Joan, I just got back from a few days in Damascus. It was awesome from transport from Beirut to visa clearances to everything. Through your blog I found out how this was all possible so thank you..

thank you for your feedback 🙂

Hi Kelly… your name was in our clearance 🙂 so… may i ask you how was your trip? Did you see many non arab tourists there? Is the city ok to be visited? Thank you sooooo much!

can I ask if you visited with the tour or independent?

thanks Paul

My husband and I booked a 3 day Damascus tour for the next montb and I can confirm they are super professional. Clearance has just arrived and all was pretty smooth. Details will follow… stay tuned

Great, thanks! 🙂 Let us know it goes!

Hi Marzia, Looking forward to connecting with you as am I yet to book my tour but will definitely do it since I’d love to visit Syria during my stay in Lebanon (I am going in October). Could we connect via email for instance to share experiences?

Sure, with pleasure. Mail me to [email protected]

Thanks, Marzia, just sent you a message!

amazing work.have you something to follows on Facebook ,i want to show all my friends AND to all the stupid people out there who still believe the shit in the news.

Thank you but please, keep the insults out of this page 🙂

Great info, thank you. I only carry a US passport, but have family in Lebanon, not far from Anjar. In the past, I’ve been able to just show up at the border, and been given a visa for 17.00 USD (from what I recall). I’m going with a friend, who has a US passport, at the end of November and was interested in knowing if this would be possible or not without having anything. We’re just wanting to visit Damascus, than head to Amman. I also have family in Sweida (Druze). It’s not a huge issue, as we can fly to Amman from Beirut, but would love to go back to Damascus for a few days. Many years ago, I took a train from Damascus to Amman, which was amazing. If a 350.00usd security clearance is the only option, I’m probable will not be able to afford that. Thanks again.

Hi there, the situation is getting more and more complicated for American citizens. I suggest you contact the person mentioned in this article to assist you with it.

If you would like to stay only in Damascous for 1 day, be really carefull with transportation connections, as a 5/6 hour delay while taxing the beirut – Damascus road is a huge possibility and you can easely miss a plane 😉 my suggestion is not to have a too tight schedule 🙂 good luck

I sent Mr. Ayoub an email using the address provided here, and it worked, he responded, but his company will not do tours for US citizens, as it’s to difficult to obtain (his words, not mine)

Yes he told me the same for US Citizens. Can anyone give advice on perhaps any other options to crossing the border from Lebanon into Syria as a US passport holder only? Or entering from another direction or country perhaps? I would like to visit in October and it’s very important to me that I visit.

I have just returned from a trip to Syria, it has been an unforgettable experience, very enriching. Without a doubt, the best and most interesting of all my trips until now. Many thanks to Joan and his website: Excellent prices, very good guides, everything very serious, efficient and well organized. Ayoub and his colleagues are great professionals and very kind, always ready to help the traveler. I chose the 5-day tour, which includes Damascus, Crac des Chevaliers, Aleppo, Hama, Maalula and Seidnaya.

The price of the tour (in my case around 900 €) includes visa clearance, transport between Beirut and Damascus (round trip), hotels in Syria (with breakfast), car journeys from one city to another (with driver), and entrances to places of interest (museums, castles, etc). As Joan points out in his post, this is the most effective, quickest, easiest and cheapest way to visit Syria and make the most of your stay in this wonderful country. Of course, it is cheaper to take care of everything yourself, applying for a visa at the nearest Syrian embassy; but being granted a visa can take several months. Therefore, hiring the services of a tourist agency is the best option (at least for the moment).

Luckily, the war is almost over: The cities are crowded with people at all times. Shops, restaurants, souks and markets vibrate with life and activity (both in Damascus and Aleppo). It cannot be denied, however, that the cruel war has left its mark: Of the cities I saw, especially in Homs (we drove there from Damascus to Aleppo and vice versa) and in Aleppo (where the old town near the citadel has been practically destroyed by bombs and missiles). But the Syrians are rebuilding their country. I saw many volunteers working on the removal of rubble. Many refugees have returned to the country, which is excellent news. On the roads there are many military checkpoints, but they are fast and fluid; soldiers don’t stop cars for long (at least this was in our case). They just control passports, checking that everything is OK, and that there are no “stowaways” (or weapons) hidden in the trunk. The terrorists (whom the media insist on euphemistically calling “rebels”) are entrenched in Idlib and its surroundings, but the rest of the country (under the control of the Syrian army) is extremely safe (probably safer than certain neighborhoods in some big European and American cities…). With the exception (apart from Idlib) of some areas in the north, of the border with Turkey, where there are sporadically collusions between Kurdish armed groups, illegal incursions from Turkey and Islamist gangs.

Many people believe that Syria is living a civil war, when the Syrians I had the opportunity to meet confirmed to me that many of the so-called “rebels” are not even Syrians, but foreign jihadists from all over the world (including non-Arab countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan, as well as from Caucasian regions such as Chechnya). It is very similar to the situation in Yugoslavia in the 1990s (history repeats itself).

In Damascus I walked through much of the city (especially the old town around Bab Touma, with its narrow alleys), visited the impressive Umayyad mosque, the Azzem palace (now a museum of Ottoman occupation), the national museum (with archeological pieces of great antiquity and value, some of them from Palmira), the craftsmen’s market, or the Via Recta (straight street), where St. Ananias converted St. Paul. The Crac des Chevaliers is a huge fortress on a hill close to Homs, where the Crusaders where (among others). In Aleppo, the archaeological museum is still being restored, but I visited the citadel (built by Saladin), from which there are spectacular views of the entire city. Hama is famous for its norias (waterwheels), which supply water to the region. Maalula is a beautiful mountainous village not far from Damascus, where most of the inhabitants are Christians and still speak Aramaic. Seydnaya is very close to Maalula, also in a mountainous area, and there are very old monasteries and churches, from the time of the first Christians. During my trip I also saw other tourists (from Spain, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, Germany…). They were still relatively few, but it is already something very positive and hopeful to see that, even if it is “with eyedrops” tourists start to come again (which is very good for the economy of the country, thus favoring its reconstruction).

In Syria people are very nice and open, very kind and hospitable. The Syrians are happy to see tourists again. When they found out that I was a foreign visitor, they greeted me with a big “you are welcome!” Many speak some English, but it’s not like in Lebanon, where almost everyone speaks English and/or French. So it is useful to learn a few words of Arabic, the most basic will do. So the Syrians will be even happier, seeing the visitor’s interest in their culture and language.

So, shukran ktir (thank you very much) to Joan and to this page. And tahya Suria! (Long live Syria).

Thanks you so much for taking your time in writing this awesome review and glad you had an awesome time!

I am hoping to go on a tour in Syria. I was just wondered if you could allay any safety concerns – was there anything concerning at all you experienced during your trip ? I am a female UK citizen and I would be travelling with one other female. Thank you so much for any insights. From your comment and those of others it appears that it should all be safe but I just wanted to ask to confirm.

Hello Jen, everything was perfectly safe 🙂 Best regards, Felix

Hi Joan. Thank you for such a fantastic article .. it’s full of great info. I’m just wondering .. how long do you recommend staying in Damascus for? I’d really appreciate your insight on this. Thanks so much, Mel

two full days at the very least!

Thanks so much.

Hi Joan, I’m a journalist looking into writing a feature about people going on holiday in Syria and I wonder if I could ask you a few questions? It’s obviously an unusual travel destination and one which many people might associate with war and violence because of it’s recent history. But there’s plenty of tripadvisor reviews from people who have visited in recent years, so I’m trying to speak to some people who have been to ask their perspective. Please reply if you would be interested to talk. Many thanks! Tom

Thanks, I just replied to your email.

Hi everyone, Thank you very much Joan for this amazing information! I want to visit a Syrian friend, but I do not want to ask her to provide a LOI, to avoid that her details are put under audit or anything. This rules out the embassy route and I will try to get the security clearance + visa through the tourism agency you recommend. My question is: can I have any problem if I buy the minimum tour (one day I guess) and then I spend 5 or 6 days in Syria with my friend? or do I need to be accompanied all the time? I could even pay for 1 day tour and not use it at all (or use it only to go from Beirut to Aleppo). Thank you! 🙂

Hi Alberto, this is a concern Ayoub should answer but in any case, I think it is a bit unlikely, basically because the agency you go with is fully responsible for you, so I doubt they will let you roam around freely because if anything happened to you, they would be fucked as well

Hello, My friends and I may be visiting the Middle East next year and want to visit Damascus. We are very respectful of culture and the crisis but I’m concerned about perception. I have 3 questions. How are American Tourists treated? My second question is how are black people treated in Syria (Damascus specifically)? I’m traveling with a friend from Nigeria as well. Any special advice for entry for Nigerian passport holder?

Hi Karmin, I don’t really know what is their perception and attitude towards people from certain nationalities like yours but just to let you know that as of today, they aren’t issuing visas to Americans anymore, but you should contact Mr. Ayoub to ask about the current situation, as well as what are the requirements for Nigerians.

Just saw a girl on YouTube make a visit into Syria from Lebanon and I must admit it has given me itchy feet to visit Syria. You and your blog also. Maybe at the start of next year, need to earn and save some money. Hopefully no issues travelling on British passport.

Read all the comments and no mention of Canadian passport… how is it treated? Same as Australia and New Zealand is my thinking, but if someone could clarify? 🙂

I was quite impressed by the volume of information shared on this website. Thank you! I am of Syrian decent. My father was part of the first born generation in America. HIs parents were born in Homs and remained there until they came through Ellis Island in 1910. The name in Syria was Elian but was changed by Ellis Island officer to “Ellien.” My father passed away in 2017 at t he age of 90 and his dream of going back to the land of his family was never realized. Now my generation is all who is left in the family and I would love to make the journey. I have to admit that I’ve been hesitant to make such a journey given the political unrest but it would be life long dream for me and for my entire family. I may be traveling alone-not sure I feel comfortable bringing my adult children with me. I worry about many things-carrying cash but not feeling comfortable with using credit cards even if they could be used, remaining in contact with family at home while traveling, having no knowledge of the language, risks related whatever political unrest may exist at the time of travel. If I do make a trip to Syria, it’s not going to happen this year for sure. Thank you in advance for any comments about my post.

Thanks for sharing your story. BTW, people with Syrian ancestry/background can get a visa much more easily.

Hi Joan, What do you think if i book a day tour with proper travel agent,then can i walk/travel independently for rest trip around 4-5 day? 5 day trip 1000 USD quite expensive for me. Thanks

Hi Joe, The travel agency won’t allow you as you will fully be their responsibility. In any case, I have been told that for the last couple of weeks, they are getting more and more strict with foreigners that walk around without a guide or a local person, even in the old city of Damascus

What do you exactly mean by getting more strict? Plus, you did go on a solo trip, nothing bad happened. Why not just pay for the clearance and go your own way…

Hola Joan, Soy Alicia, periodista. Estoy escribiendo un reportaje sobre el turismo en Siria y me gustaría hablar contigo. Si tienes un momento este miércoles o jueves te lo agradezco. Un saludo,

Hey, I’m travelling to Syria next month and I found all the info you gave very interesting. Are you sure “IATI seguros” cover syria though? This is what I found in their contract “The cover provided under the Policy excludes those countries that, during the Insured’s trip or stay abroad, are in a state of war, siege, insurrection or armed conflict of any kind, even when this has not been officially declared, and those that are specified in the invoice or in the Particular Conditions.” It would be great if you could somehow verify this info and edit the blog, cause lots of people could be dangerously misled!

Hi Maria, thanks for raising this topic. A few points to clarify: – First of all, IATI won’t cover you in case, let’s say, you are hit by a bomb or any terrorist attack. For this, you should hire a travel insurance specialized in war zones. I used to recommend First Allied that they are no longer providing coverage for people who travel for tourism purposes, only business – Second of all, if you have a car accident, break your leg, lose your luggage, etc, and the reason is a non-related to war event, they will cover you – However, what they mean with the statement you attached is that if you are in an actual war zone, the medical assistance is very limited, so they won’t be able to help you – This means that their coverage is restricted to specific regions. As of today, the only place which is in actual war is Idlib. If you go there and something happens to you, they won’t be able to help you, so your policy will remain invalid. However, Damascus is today a safe place, so you will be fully covered. Hope this clarifies.

I’m about to leave tomorrow for Beirut and onwards to Damascus. Alone. I just read the update that lone tourists get into trouble even in Damascus. What exactly does that report or source said? I’m expecting my clearance any minute now from a friend’s friend in Damascus but this got me worried.

George, is there any way I could contact you? I am planning to go alone too. And would really like to ask about your experience and clarify some stuff. My e-mail address is [email protected]

If you don’t want to put your contact here, please just drop me an e-mail, so I could write further questions to you. Thank you so much!

Wondering how it works as well tbh. I think as a white person you just need to be with Syrian all the time (when I was there we were accompanied all the time and taken care of) – otherwise military might look strangely on you

I just came back from a trip to Damascus with mr. Ayoub from Marotta (if you are reading that, once again, lots of love from Poland!) and everything was in completely perfect order, from start to the sad ending of leaving the beautiful city. I definitely had the most memorable experience of my life and I encourage everyone to go and see it for yourself – it would definitely change your perspective in a positive way.

Thank you Ayoub for organizing everything for me. Hope to see you very soon!

thanks fore your positive vibes, really appreciate it 🙂

thank you so much Wiktor! much love from Syria . all the best

Thank you buddy <3 Hope to be back very soon, sending all the vibes and love back to you!

It is really nice to see the excitement to visit Syria. As a Syrian coming from Damascus and living now in Germany, it makes me really happy to see people trying to reach my beloved country, even though it is still a post war zone, but yet full of history and stories to tell ( Damascus is the oldest still inhabited capital in the world). I have read this article very carefully and found most of it very accurate and would really like to thank Joan for the effort to make it easier for other to experience Syria, the cradle of civilizations. As a Syrian, visiting Syria regularly, I would like to add a couple of things since my last visit in July: 1- Most of the check points in Damascus are now gone, since the entire south region of Syria is secure and the borders with Jordan is open again. 2- Flying to Beirut then to Damascus on road is the easiest/cheapest option, but again it depends on where you come from, so the are flights to Damascus airport from Riad, Dubai, Sharjah, Doha, Kuwait, Baghdad, Tehran and maybe Tunisia ( Syrian airline, Cham wings). 3- As for lone female travelers, i can see no reason to be hesitated or afraid, since Syrian community is really open minded and tourist-friendly. Plus Syrian culture has much respect for independent women which you can find in many different areas of every day life. 4- As for exchange rate, there are couple of things that needs to be cleared: The are two rates: the “official” rate by the central bank of Syria which is relatively stable ( now about 434 SYP for 1 USD) and the black market price which changes by the hour and is hard to keep track with ( now about 625 SYP for 1 USD). 5- Syria and Israel are still in a war state, and Israel still doing, until this day Arial bombing to different locations in Syria with the entire world staying quiet about it. The borders are closed, with UN buffer zone since 1970’s with many Syrian lands occupied by the Israelis. An Israeli stamp on your passport will ban you entrance to Syria and vice versa. 6- In Syria there is no racism towards religion/color/ethnicity/etc.. we are all humans and every one is welcome, you will find full shades of humanity in the streets plus all kind of religions (even Jews, which was a surprise for some people). Just be respectful and you shall be respected back. 7- Couch Surfing is functional in Syria, as i was a host until 2018 when i moved to Germany. But you should always look for good references and avoid the creeps like in every other country. 8- Money wise: Cash and cash only. no Credit/debit/online/mobile/Googlepay/Applepay payments. Payments in currencies other than the Syrian Pound are not accepted. There are plenty of official exchange points in all major cities. 9- I personally recommend to visit Maaloula ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maaloula ) as it is the last city to speak western neo-aramaic language (the actual language of Jesus Christ) plus it’s a very important christian monuments and history. (Yes, Syria is full of christian history and attraction sites and has a big Christian community too). 10- If you speak to locals, it is recommended to say Crisis or situation, as referenced here in this article. what i want to add is you can too say war, since we see it as war including many nationalities from all around the world. But in no circumstance, I mean NEVER call it a civil war, because this is how the war was being falsely advertised in the west, especially by US/UK news agencies, which will take us to the next point. 11- Being a journalist is definitely a bad point to get in. it is not impossible though. i don’t know if there is any Development regarding this subject. 12- If you, for any reason, got sick in Syria, you can go directly to a pharmacy, where they probably would understand and speak English, then they will guide you what to do or where to go, (you can get prescription medications without a prescription if the pharmacist sees it fit, plus medications are super cheap). 13- Always have your passport on you, all the time. 13- If you have any other questions, i would gladly try to answer it to the best of my knowledge, and you can write to me in Arabic, English, German or French.

thanks for your amazing feedback man!

How is it possible to use Couchsurfing if foreigners can only move around in the country when together with a guide?

I am talking about independent travelers, i hosted a guy from China and another one from Malta back in 2018, I don’t have information on how to obtain a visa as an independent traveler, but i know it is possible.

Unfortunately its impossible unless you got your visa thru a travel agency, that’s the bnew rules

Thanks for all the updated information. Syria is on my list. Planning my second trip to Lebanon, will see what is possible to add Syria this time. So I will keep following this site (big thanks to Joan for sharing his experience). Best regards from Germany

5. I repeat what I said in a previous comment. I visited Israeli with a Syrian stamp in my passport(in fact, my itinerary was Syria-Lebanon-Syria-Jordan-Israel). So, it is not true that visitors to Syria are banned from visiting Israel. 10. I am confused. Syrians I know tell me Assad and his ethnic group, a minority, control most of the country and and other groups like the sunni majority and the kurds, are discrimininated by them . The war, or whatever you may call it, has put these groups and others fightinh against each other. They are all Syrians and so if they fight against each other, in English, it is a civil war. Care to enlighten me why a civil war can not be called a civil war?

HELLO JOAN TORRES: I thank you from the bottom of my heart for a most enjoyable trip to Damascus on Sept. 2019, made possible by your informative and generous advice through your exceptional posts. I contacted many consulates, embassies, travel agents, and got no replies. Your recommending Ayoub Smadi of Marrota Travels, answered my requests within hours. He personally, with office staff as Ghaidaa and Jasmine, the brilliant and amiable border expert, provided me a most memorable visit. I wish you long lasting success in all your endeavours.

Glad you had a great time with Ayoub. I only recommend the best!

Dr. Miguel It was a pleasure meeting you, i hope you are still in a good health, thanks for the recommendation and the good words, looking forward to see you again in Damascus. Be safe, god bless

Hey man! I unexpectedly realized we have a friend in common, Hadi from Tripoli in Beirut 🙂 We are very good friends and he personally recommended me to contact you about my ideas plans to travel to Syria! (just 3 days in Damascus actually). Could you assist please? Thanks!!

Hey man, that’s awesome! Yeah, I met Hadi almost 3 years ago during my trip to Lebanon. What do you want to know about Syria?

Hi Joan! Amazing post- thank you so much for taking the time to curate this resource and for connecting me with Mr. Ayoub. I’ve been in touch with him via email and Whatsapp over the past month – he’s provided me with great resources for various itineraries that his company organizes within the country. Communication has been prompt and professional- however I just found out today that my security clearance application was rejected and that all Americans would be rejected for the time being. From the beginning, he set expectations appropriately, that there was a 40% chance of it being approved as an American, which I considered to be too good to be true, and diplomatic relations have eroded since then. I figured this might be a helpful update since the situation is always evolving. Glad I tried and glad my experience was with him- this just gives me more time to explore Lebanon, which of course you provided an incredibly helpful blog post for as well. Thanks again, and safe travels!

Hey Andrea, thank you so much for your positive feedback, and update, and I am very sorry to know that your security clearance was rejected 🙁 Truth is that the diplomatic relations between both countries, USA and Syria, are so volatile and you never know what can happen

Hi Joan, Mr. NOUR HAIDAR keep appearing here. Do you know him?? Does anyone ever contacted him? TQVM

Hi, thanks for a great article. I’m planning a trip to Lebanon in the spring and a few days in Syria sound really interesting. Actually now I’m considering the option of continuing to Jordan – as travelling on Icelandic passport I have visa on arrival to Jordan, do you think that arriving from Syria would affect that status?

Hello, I would like to travel in April to Lebanon and Syria and I also thought about to visit Jordan from Syria. I have still a lot of douth. Specially about Visum and be able to across every country that I want to visit. If doesn’t annoyed you, I would like to be in contact with you in order to feel more calm while I’m organising my solo travel. Thank you

Joan, thank you very much for such a detailed guide. Are there any updates about visiting Syria alone, without travel agency? Is it still really hard to get clearance?

Hi Joseph, As far as I know, the situation hasn’t changed. Unless you have very strong contacts, your only way to get the clearance is via a travel agency and they will only give it to you if you book a tour with them

Hi Joan I’m Syrian living abroad and haven’t seen my home, my family in 10 years. Your words about my home country dropped me in tears. I thank you from my deep heart for this article.

Syrians are very cool nice people, warm heart and welcoming (our problem was always the government not the people, like any other threatened communist regime, zero humane). Of course I will be so much happy to hear that tourists are visiting Syria, Tourism in many countries is one of the main source of income for local economies, in addition for many people who are stranded within syria with no possibility to travel nowhere, for those; seeing a tourist is like seeing santa-cruise on Christmas.

You are always welcome, please be safe and ask a lot before you travel to Syria.

And Joan, couple of years ago I’ve visited Barcelona, it was the most beautiful vacation I’ve ever had, you should be proud of such a place, next time I’m visiting Spain will contact you for an advice.

Thanks for your kind words, and if you come back to Barcelona, let me know and we can meet up for a coffee/drink. Cheers!

Hello. Thank you so much for all the Information. It’s really help. I would like to travel to Syria in April, but the travel agency look like really expensive. More than 1600€ and I’m looking for another alternatives. I don’t know if the travel agency that you know he books just the guide or also the hotels like mine. Any extra information that you think I have to take on mind I would appreciate. Thank you in advance.

Hi Cristina, i already have an itinerary for April 6-11 in syria, with travel agency and german guided tour. Are you interested to join? Maybe we can get in contact, if you want.

I’m glad for this post, seriously Seria is one of the most beautiful countries in the world and I used to travel to that part of the world frequently. It a shame because most people would be put off visiting even when it safe.

I have some news!! In 16/2/2020 all syrians assured us by telling us that aleppo is now safe! That means that war is finished

I’ve travelled to Syria in October 2019 as an independant travel. The situation was perfectly safe in Damascus and surroundings (despite it can change from one moment to the other.. Car bombs in February 2020 in Damascus). Regarding the visa, it seems to be the most difficult part of the process of the travelers, in my case I applied in the embassy in Buenos Aires because I’m argentinian. I filled a simple paper with a reference contact in Syria (a syrian friend in my case). It’s important to know that your syrian reference will be contacted by the Security Office in Syria. They will ask about the relation between you and other questions for security purposes. This is the most important part of the application. Without an sponsor you won’t receive the clearance approvals. It took 4 weeks in total to have my visa stamped on my passport (the same type of visa before 2011) . Also, the authorisation is online and you don’t need to have visa stamped on passport. It cost 105 U$ and I only paid when approved. I traveled in a shared taxi from Beirut some hours before the chaos has started and roads became closed. The trip took almost 3 hours. Many checkpoints in the syrian roads but everything straightforward. I’ve walked the city accompanied and unaccompanied and never was detained for anything both in the old city and in new Damascus. I took taxis without any problem so I don’t know why you say it’s mandatory to be accompanied by a local all the time. The only you must take care is avoid take pictures of the military checkpoints. Damascus is without any doubt one of the most interesting cities to visit in the world but you should know that situation in this part of the world is so much volatile and you never know what can happen. Enjoy it!

Since reading your blog a few days ago I have made a booking for May with Ayoub at Marrota travel. A couple of emails and Ayoub is getting my Visa which will take 1-2 weeks. He has various well priced packages for Damascus only or longer for Homs. Included are getting visa organised and car pickup from hotel and return in Beirut. The hotel choice looked great. As an elderly female travelling alone I have chosen Beit Al Wali which looks fabulous. Am so excited will post more after my trip.

thanks, can’t wait to hear it!

Extremely educational article. Although I am not thinking of traveling there anytime soon, your article was a very interesting read.

I have just returned from trip to Damascus and I can say I’m so happy I took this trip and experienced Damascus myself. I felt perfectly safe, maybe even safer than back home. Food is so tasty! Beers can be found everywhere. Seeing locals living local life and talking to them was priceless! It’s totally opposite to what they serve us in western media! Trip (and security clearance) was organized by Ayoub and the guides were girls from Marotta agency. They were all so professional! I fully recommend them!

Thanks for sharing your experience with us 🙂

Hello, please confirm if google maps works in syria without the use of a vpn. I heard that it is jammed by the government. Or if there is any substitute?

i have been asked by a friend to come to Damascus and help her with a yoga retreat, but that seems impossible as a visa can only be acquired by taking a tour. I contacted the tour operator marrota, but he couldn’t help me or give me any solution. So the only way to go to Syria is with a fixed schedule tour. And you cant stay with a friend for 10 days.

Dear Joan I find that we are like-minded people in the sense that I love the Middle East and its people that cannot be quenched. Over the past 20 years or so, I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Morocco, Tunisia,Egypt, Lebanon,Syria and Palestine. I just cannot get enough of these countries especially Ancient Egypt (have made six visits) and remain hungry for more….does it ever ?, and dear, dear Syria. My heart bleeds for this now tragically destroyed country that I visited on three separate occasions and vowed to return. I must return. Last year I spent A month in Egypt and on my way back I stopped over in Dubai for my connecting flight. On my last night in Dubai, I decided to have a coffee in the foyer of the hotel I stayed at. Somebody approached me , sat down, we chatted and when he told me that he was from Syria. I couldn’t contain myself’ hugged him and wept tears of joy. Such was th mix of emotions that had weighed upon me on that unforgettable meeting. I can go on forever, it seems. . But, well, I won’t. I would like to know whether I could go there – I am not afraid- I trust and love and miss Syria so much. The Australian advisory is “Do not travel”, and I do know that when people returned here , that were suspect, even locked up,Do you have any info in this regard ? Thanks for reading this. I’d better stop now with kind regards. Francois

hey Francois, thank you so much for your beautiful comment, and here’s hoping you can go back to Syria soon! As per your concern, I have a Syrian stamp in my passport for more than a year now and didn’t really have any issues other than my Algerian visa being denied. I hold a Spanish passport and never heard of anyone getting into trouble with their governments

Thanks, Joan for your response. I think that I haven’t made my query clear enough. I may well be paranoid so that my problem was somewhat shrouded in secrecy. I actually meant that there were. I believe , instances where Australians travelling to “no go” countries were denied returning to Australia or interrogated overturning. Anyway, should I decide to greenback on a trip to Syria, I’ll take the bull by the horns and see where it all ends up. Best wishes to you. Francois

Hello, Thanks for your interesting articles about Syria ! I’m planning to visit Syria in the future, once the COVID-19 will be over. I’ve found an association in Paris that will help me with the visa. I have several friends who visited Syria recently due to their associative / religious ties there and enjoyed their time here.

Hi Stef, do you have any updates on you trip regarding Syria? How is the situation as a independent traveler at this point and time?

Hello Simon,

Unfortunately, I had to cancel it because of coronavirus… I’ll wait for Syria to ease visa procedures. Getting a visa for independent traveller seems impossible.

Hi, thank you for these valuable comments about Syria and Lebanon. Can you please advise as to the feasibility of a motorcycle trip from Europe to Syrian and Lebanon? Coming from Europe (Switzerland), I’d like to travel through Turkey, Syria and Lebanon with my motorcycle this coming summer (2020), assuming that the restrictions due to the COVID19 situation will no longer be in force by then. Is it possible to travel in Syria and Lebanon with a vehicle registered in a foreign country? Is it possible to cross the borders between Turkey and Syrian, and Syria-Lebanon? I will want to push further south to Israel and Egypt. Do you know if the border between Lebanon and Israel is open for motorcyclists travelling with their own bike? Thanks.

Hi Francis, here are my answers: Turkey-Syria border – Closed Syria- Lebanon border – Closed Lebanon-Israel border – Closed

As per traveling around Syria on a motorcycle, I am not sure about it but what I can tell you is that. as of today, you can’t apply for a visa unless you book a tour, so traveling independently with your motorcycle could be difficult

Hi Francis, do you have any updates regarding the boarders Turkey-Syria/Lebanon-Syria? I am planing to cross Syria with my bicycle at the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021. Cheers Simon

Thank you Joan!

Hi!, I’m Polish living in Oman. My husband (Egyptian) got a job offer from Syria and we are seriously thinking about moving there when the covid-19 crisis is over (we are thinking about beginning of 2021). I’m trying to find some recent information about travelling there and life in Syria now. The biggest concern for us is transporting our dog. I did not find any regular flights to Syria so I can check the requirements for transporting a pet. Are there any planes having regular flights to Damascus?

Dear Joanna, i live in Syria, the situation here is safe, don’t listen to the fake media. when Covid19 situation ends, you can transfer your dog with you easily by flight.

What is the situation near the archaeological sites at Mari, near Tell Hariri? Is visitation possible? Is it safe?

Mari(Tall Hariri) located in Syrian army controlled area’s , but it’s not possible to visit because it’s near the Kurdish control area’s .

I’m American, living in Damascus, Syria for nearly a year now. Life feels incredibly normal here, despite how it’s perceived in the media. It’s definitely not somewhere I’d rush to visit right now, especially considering the current economic crisis and the collapse of Lebanon, but I do hope that tourism will return to Syria one day. Syrians are incredibly kind and hospitable, and the country is so rich in history.

Hi everyone I’m nadr from homs city in the middle of the country All what he said above is actually right I can help any tourist who wants to come here and take a tour around the city Welcome to syria Wish you all the best ❤️

Hi Nadr. Thanks for being so kind and thoughtful. I am just curious what is a good time to visit Syria? A very good friend of mine is really keen to visit Syria and fortunately, I came across this post and thought to collect more details before I share with him. Thanks and looking forward hearing back from you soon

I would LOVE to visit Syria ..there are some awesome Free Syrians I have become friends with..but you will be a fool to try and visit with Bashar Al Assad still in some power..don’t think for very much longer though..HE GOT TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I wouldn’t pay too much attention to your Syrian friends say, they might well use your friendship to promote a syle of government you would never live under. Or they might say what your government wants to hear as they claim asylum. Don’t blame them in the second instance. This is a travel site, but I will say not every Muslim wants to restore the Ummah and live under a constitution that is not secular. For Syria that’ll mean another few centuries of war, look at their history, centuries of attacks from east and west. The adoption of a Sharia constitution will inevitably lead to the ill-treatment of Christians and Muslim (inc. Sunni minorities), as Britain will spur them on. You might welcome that American man in for his 3rd term of office. His wife is Jewish so he could well send the Jews (Israelis) into Syria to commit another genocide. I wonder how the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood will fare under them. Hamas, the Egyptian Muslim Britherhood didn’t do too well. In case you really aren’t a Muslim fundamentalist, the Brothers are the only opposition in Syria. Its a clash of ideologies not political parties.

Thank you for sharing your story and perspective and doing it with such compassion and heart. This was simultaneously beautiful and heart-breaking.

Hi Joan, I was also in Lebanon in 2016. It was my first time in the Middle East and I went to visit my Aunt and Uncle after their baby, my cousin, was born. My Uncle is American and was working in Beirut where he met my Aunt, who is Lebanese but raised in Australia as her family fled the civil war. I absolutely fell in love with Lebanon and am grateful that we got to visit Journey, Byblos, Tripoli and Baalbek, which is 30 miles from the Syrian border. I wanted to go to Damascus but, as you know, it wasn’t doable as this was the height of ISIS. That being said, I never once felt unsafe in Lebanon and Beirut reminded me a lot of NYC, where I live. I’m hoping to get back to the Middle East once a Covid vaccine is released and your blog is my go to for up to date info. Long story short, thank you for the detailed information you always provide!

Thanks, Cara for sharing your great experience. Hope we all get a vaccine soon and you can go to Syria 🙂

I remember having read somewhere that Syria would do a visa system similar to the Iranian one. It would be great for us travellers. Did anyone hear anything about this ? Thanks, Stef’

Hi Stef, to be very honest and unfortunately, I seriously doubt it, not in the short term at least.

Hi, I’m planning to visit Syria around the end of this year from the UK but only concerned about the Covid, I’ve heard the border is open now. Any advice about going during the pandemic? or simply just recommend not to go?

hey, I’m from Lebanon, and I was planning to go to Syria. but Syrian friends that are living in Lebanon right now said that there is a lot of control at the Syrian borders and using or having USD is considered illegal and you might get some problems at the military checkpoints ( Like taking away your money …). The covid 19 is uncontrollable with no proper health system and Some regions are still unsafe. I don’t know if there are recent updates from locals that are living there or more recent traveling experiences.

Hi Kate, do you have any updates on your plan? I am also interested to visit Syria at the end of the year. Since I am in Turkey and travelling with my bicycle, I will most likely have to enter thru Lebanon. Any updates are appreciated. Cheers

Hi, I may change my plan to visit Syria next year around March given to the circumstance right now.

Hi, The borders and airports in Syria are open only to Syrian citizens and international organizations, who have obtained an entry visa through a close relationship with a Syrian citizen inside the country. Borders and airports are closed to tourism, there are no exceptions at the moment. It is a great hope to allow tourists to enter before Christmas. For those entering Syria currently, there is no home quarantine, the procedures followed are to check the PCR test and exchange cars at the border because no Syrian or Lebanese car is allowed to enter the borders of the other country.

Hello Joan,

I don’t travel as simply as you do. I prefer to have archaeologists show me around a country and I found a licensed archaeologist tour guide in Syria. The problem is that the government’s rule would require me to use an official tour company rather than just a government-loyalist tour guide, which I already intend to use. This would add more than $1000 to the cost of the trip. Do you know of any ways to get the requirement to use an official tour company waived so long as you’re accompanied by an official tour guide at all times?

By the way, while many travelers dislike the idea of a guide, I think using a knowledgeable archaeologist or historian tour guide is an excellent way to really learn about the history of the sites while increasing the labor intensity of tourism, thereby giving money and employment to a country that needs it, don’t you think? I’m just still angry at that German tourist for ruining things for the rest of us, even if you’re not lol.

Too bad they’ve shut the borders because of the coronavirus and currency crisis. Hopefully they will give me a visa this May after I show proof of vaccination.

Hi there! I think that going with a liscensed tour guide is enough but the problem is that in order to get your visa, you must get it through a tour operator

Hi My husband and I plan to drive to the UK from the UAE starting in October this year. COVID depending. Would we be able to drive from Lebanon to Turkey through Syria? Would this be safe? Would we be able to get a transit visa? Thanks Hanneke

Hi Hanneke, as of today, the Turkish-Syrian border remains closed. It will also be difficult to get a visa to travel around Syria independently by car, but you should contact the person I recommend on this blog

Hello, Joan! This post isn’t about Syria, though I am interested in visiting Syria one day, but I noticed that you mentioned that you are from Spain. Have you ever been/do you know anything about Barcelona? I was planning on traveling there in May 2020, but COVID put a stop to my plans. I still want to plan a different visit in the future because I have always wanted to travel to Spain. If it’s not too much trouble, could you give me some recommendations on where to go in Barcelona? Or, really, anywhere in Spain? Any advice would be great. Thank you so much for your time and I really enjoyed reading your blog.

Sincerely, Elly

Hi Elly, I moved to Barcelona now, but I suggest you visit my hometown area, anything around Cap de Creus and northern Costa Brava, from Palamós to Portbou

Hi, I am a Canadian who is looking to visit Syria in the summer (if the covid situation calms down). Do you know if the entry requirements have changed? Do I need to book a tour? Have the visa requirements changed? I have been told that I can contact the Syrian embassies in Brazil or Cuba to file a visa application.

Hi Kiki, so far, the country remains closed, so there aren’t any updates or changes regarding entry requirements

Thank you Joan! do you know where I can receive updates about it?

Syria is officially open to Iraqi tourist groups, government sources said that the country will soon open to all nationalities within two months.

I live in Syria currently, and i speak English like a native, if you ever needed help coming to Hama city i would be there 🙂

Hi, I’m an American who would like to visit Syria for 3 or 4 months starting in April or May. Is the situation the same? Is the government still expecting to open to tourists soon? Are there some good Arabic schools you could recommend?

I would recommend against this. There are a number of issues with your plan such as the length of time you want to stay, and how you intend to obtain your visa. As an American, you’ll also be under more scrutiny.

On the Syrian ministry of tourism website

It doesn’t mention , tour groups

I wonder if things have changed ? And people can travel independently

Hi Hasan, the info found in the Syrian ministry of tourism website, or any embassy’s will never be updated

Hi! Any updates regarding traveling to Syria? Are the entry requirements still the same? Do we still need to book a tour?

Hi there, the country is still closed due to COVID19

Hola Joan, Muchas gracias por esta valiosa informacion. I have a couple of questions for you, regarding going to Syria and taking some things to help an animal shelter there. Do you think that it would be better to buy the things there, or do you think that it would cause any problems to take some items with me?

Thank you very much in advance. E.

Hi Ericka, items like what? In any case, we can answer most tourism-related queries, but I don’t know the legislation regarding your matter

Thank you so much! Best regards, Ericka

Hi, So you get a max of 10 days to tour Syria? Can you go and visit the people who are in need of help and help them? Is it allowed?

I doubt it, and hope not because you could be Islamic State. I shared a dorm room in Beirut in 2016 with a nice young Muslim woman from Canada. She was going to the Sabra/Shatila area of Beirut to volunteer with the Palestinians, many of whom, by then, had come in from Syria. Her father had sent her over from Canada and she supported the Islamists so was hoping to go to Syria with a charity that operated in Beirut. I’m sorry to say volunteering or do-gooding has helped IS get in to Syria and the anarchists in to get in to support the Kurds. I will admit most of them arrived from Turkey and entered Syria illegally. Why can’t you just visit and accept the country as it is?

Just rung the embassy, seems country is still closed to tourists due to covid 14th Oct 2021. Said a personal invitation might be ok but don’t have any contacts there and cant seem to find anyone online yet 🙂

Update! The borders have seemingly reopened to international tourism; visas are being issued. I am still uncertain as to what the Covid-19 entry/exit formalities are, but PCR test(s) are likely necessary.

Are the tourist visas, issued to individuals or does one still require a guided tour group based in Syrian ?

Correct. Visas are now being issued again.

Thank you for the info.

Just to confirm, I visited in the first week of December 2021. Everything was fine, but due to uncertainty over the Omicron variant, I would recommend caution before travelling. Do not visit Syria if you have any political, journalistic or humanitarian interest in the country.

did you go independently or did you have a guide?

Thanks! Dani

Let me get this straight – they put a guy in jail for taking a photo with a building? Sounds like North Korea if you ask me. No thank you.

Hey Joan Been following you for a while and feeding for your expertise to plan my independent backpack trip. Thanks for your amazing content. I’d be very keen on joining your Syria expedition but it’s sold out. Any chance you’ll have a second one some time this year? Thanks

Hello Joao! Yes, I will most likely in May. If you allow me, i can add you to my email list so you will find out when it’s released. Sounds good?

Sound good, please do so and looking forward to it! Thanks

actually, I just realized that you were already in the list!

Hi Joan, please add me to the list for the Syria tour in May, gracias, [email protected] , Caroline Horca

Do tourists still need to remain with a tour group when in Syria?

Hi there. Awesome blog. Really. Thanks for sharing your experience and views with us. I am planning to spend a month studying Arabic and I was considering Cairo, but I have just found out that Syria is open, which is great. Do you know any Arabic language schools in Damascus? Also… If you have any info regarding accommodation for a 1-month stay I appreciate. Shoooookran.

Hi can you add me to the list for the tour in May. [email protected]

Hey Joan Just learned from your IG that you’re planning to run a second expedition to Syria in April!!! :):):)

The meeting point would be in Beirut so we’d need to get a visa for Lebanon and Syria. Would you recommend getting the visas in advance or on arrival both in Lebanon and Syria? Btw, I have a Portuguese passport.

On the other hand, in case someone tests positive for Covid and can’t make the expedition, what is the policy there in terms of payments and options?

Thanks Joao

Hey Joao, yes but that one is for Spanish and is fully booked! If you want, you can join one in March. 2 spots left.

Consulta: Te escribo desde Argentina. En caso de querer hacer un viaje con vos, como es para ciudadanos de LATAM? Sobre para ciudadanos argentinos que hoy tenemos restringida las transferencias en dólares. Salen desde España o tienen algún contacto allí? Espero viajar con ustedes en algún momento, sobre todo Siria o Irak. Gracias amigo y felicitaciones.-

Hi Joan! I’m interested in going to Syria with a group, but I saw you mentioned Americans cannot travel to Syria. Might that be a typo? I’m not able to find that stated anywhere.

Hello Erin, unfortunately, US passport holders are not allowed to visit syria atm. Are you in my newsletter? I’ll announce it there once this ban reverts

Okay. I wouldn’t use the word “banned.” It sounds like you’re not comfortable bringing American passport holders, but we are allowed in the country. I had a group of friends go during the election last year.

Most people reading this site are American, so I am the first person who wants Americans to visit Syria – I have taken many Americans into Iraq – but in Syria they are currently banned, yes, banned. Ask any agency, either local or foreign, and you will see that nobody can get you a visa for tourism purposes. If you don’t believe it, then try to get one you will see. They are expecting things to change in the future but as of today, you can’t.

Last year, the country was closed due to COVID. They only opened in November and Americans have never been allowed since then, so I seriously doubt that your friends managed to get there with a tourist visa, nobody could. Maybe they went with a pilgrim or business visa, but that’s a different story. We only work with tourist visas.

Could you tell me where you’re reading that information? I don’t see it stated on the US embassy’s or US State Dept page. They definitely discourage you from going, but I do not see anything stating US passport holders will not be allowed in. The State Dept even has a “if you decide to travel to Syria” section.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/syria-travel-advisory.html

https://sy.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/#:~:text=The%20Department%20of%20State%20continues,for%20U.S.%20interests%20in%20Syria .

This is Syria, things arent written anywhere. My team in Syria works closely with the security department, the one who issues the security clearance to be able to purchase a tourist visa and I can assure you that they stopped issuing SC for Americans

Hello, am an Austrian traveler and would like to know if it is possible to walk by foot from Beirut to Damascus and from there further south to Jordan? In terms of visa and security… PS: Am on a pilgrimage and want to avoid public transport… Many thanks for your help and information in advance, Georg Richtsfeld.

Hi there… The thing is that you can’t get a visa unless you book a tour with a valid travel agency. The guide must go with you to travel between cities and in the hypothetical case walking into Syria on foot was allowed, I don’t know if the guide will want to join you on foot… I can try, and ask, but you definitely need to be with the guide.

I’m interested in this tour. I am an American passport holder but I also have an Armenian passport. I live in the USA. I know Americans can’t get into Syria, so I can use my Armenian passport. Will this be an issue if they also find out I live in the USA and am also an American citizen?

Hey Matthew! You can certainly apply with your Armenian passport. We had American dual citizens (Russian and Italian) born in the USA who joined our tours, but the approval takes a bit longer, and they get it 80% of the time, so it’s worth trying. In the hypothetical case you didn’0t get it, you’ll get a refund.

Hello, Am I able to visit Syria these days with an American passport?

Hey Dan! Unfortunately, still not possible…

It has been a great help to find this web site, just before traveling to give a hand to a religious ONG working on the field in Syria. So important to know carrying a credit card is nowadays useless there…

Hello. I have planned to go from Beirut to Damascus for a few days. I would like to know if there are still some not too expensive places to stay, hostels or whatever. Because i have many difficulties in finding one available. Thanks !

Hey Joan, according to Marrota Tourism and Travel Syria is issuing visas to Americans now. Have you heard anything about this?

Hi Chris, yes it’s true. We haven’t applied for anyone yet, but I already got some Americans interested in joining one of our tours

Hey, I am planning to visit west Syria, I wonder if its safe to camp with a tent on beaches? Or even allowed? Also heard many kidnapping stories. Are they still going on or it was during crisis?

Hi Bulut, there aren’t any kidnapping issues but independent travel in Syria is not allowed

Hi – are your trips in November and December proceeding as planned? I am trying to get a better understanding of what the actual situation is on the ground currently in Lebanon/Syria for potential trips.

We canceled October and November trip but if situation in Lebanon stabilizes, we’ll run December for sure!

Thanks for the update. I was wondering about the current travel conditions.

Hi Joan, I am a native Syrian and I found all these Information pretty objective and true, thanks for the detailed blog. I am a female dentist living in Aleppo, and I wonder if I could somehow join in this tour in Syria as a translator or a travel guide in my city 😀 I am looking for chances to get in touch with English and German speakers, and I thought this would be a good idea. Or maybe helping the solo travelers. Feel free to contact.

Dear Aaya, thanks for your offer! You are welcome to hang out with us any time we run a tour into SYRIA!

I am planning to go to Syria in a couple weeks. Do you recommend it given the current situation?

I’m gonna be traveling the middle east by car next year and i’m really happy to hear I can also visit Syria! I was wondering if I can take my car with me into Syria. Are there any tours for that? Or maybe solo traveling will be allowed again soon? I have a Land Rover Defender, and i’m traveling up north from Saoudi Arabia, so probably will enter through Jordan. What would be my options?

Hi Natascha, you can enter with your own vehicle, just that the clearance at the border will take a long time.

As per the rest, you can self-drive, but the guide is supposed to go with you in the car.

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Travel advisory july 13, 2023, syria - level 4: do not travel.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed. 

Do not travel to Syria due to  terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, armed conflict,  and  risk of unjust detention .

Country Summary:  The U.S. Embassy in Damascus suspended its operations in February 2012. The Czech Republic serves as the protecting power for the United States in Syria. The U.S. government is unable to provide any emergency services to U.S. citizens in Syria.

Syria has experienced active armed conflict since 2011. No part of Syria is safe from violence. Kidnappings by armed groups, unjust arrests and/or detentions, the use of chemical warfare, shelling, and aerial bombardment of civilian centers pose significant risk of death or serious injury. The destruction of infrastructure, housing, medical facilities, schools, and power and water utilities has also increased hardships inside the country.

The U.S. government particularly warns private U.S. citizens against traveling to Syria to engage in armed conflict. U.S. citizens who undertake such activity face extreme personal risks, including kidnapping by armed groups, unjust arrests, injury, or death. The U.S. government does not support this activity. Our ability to provide consular assistance to individuals who are injured or kidnapped, or to the families of individuals who die in the conflict, is extremely limited.

Protests and demonstrations are quelled by government forces through aggressive tactics and protestors, activists, and political dissenters are routinely detained without access to legal representation or communications with friends and family.

Terrorist groups are active in Syria. Parts of Syria have experienced recent increases in incidents of bombings, IEDs, and assassinations. Fighting on behalf of or providing other forms of support to designated terrorist organizations, including ISIS and al-Qaeda affiliates, can constitute the provision of material support for terrorism, which is a crime under U.S. law that can result in penalties including prison time and large fines.

There is an ongoing risk of kidnapping and detentions of U.S. citizens and Westerners throughout the country. U.S. citizens remain a target. U.S. citizens are also targets of abduction and/or unjust detention by the Syrian government and while in detention do not have access to due process or medical attention. Government detention centers are known to be unsanitary facilities where widespread cruel, inhumane, or degrading treatment of detainees has been documented, as well as torture and extrajudicial killings. Minors, persons with physical, sensory, or mental disabilities, and elderly have frequently been victims of unjust detention. The Syrian government has also been implicated in the enforced or involuntary disappearance of more than 100,000 citizens, including medical and humanitarian workers, journalists, human rights activists, political opposition, and additionally those suspected of affiliation with these groups and their family members. Note: Only the Syrian government can issue a valid entry visa to Syria. Failure to obtain a legitimate entry visa directly from the Syrian government could result in detention. 

Due to risks to civil aviation operating within or in the vicinity of Syria, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM) and/or a  Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) , which says that heightened military activity associated with the Syrian conflict may result in the risk of GPS interference, communications jamming, and errant long-range surface to air missiles straying into adjacent airspace within 200 nautical miles of the Damascus Flight Information Region. These activities may inadvertently pose hazards to civil aviation transiting the region. It also has the potential to spill over into the adjacent airspace managed by neighboring states and eastern portions of the Mediterranean Sea.

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to Syria.

If you decide to travel to Syria:

• Visit our website on  Travel to High Risk Areas .
• Draft a will and designate appropriate insurance beneficiaries and/or power of attorney.
• Discuss a plan with loved ones regarding care/custody of children, pets, property, belongings, non-liquid assets (collections, artwork, etc.), funeral wishes, etc.
• Share important documents, login information, and points of contact with loved ones so that they can manage your affairs if you are unable to return as planned to the United States. Leave DNA samples with your medical provider in case it is necessary for your family to access them.
• Establish your own personal security plan in coordination with your employer or host organization or consider consulting with a professional security organization.
• Develop a communication plan with family and/or your employer or host organization so that they can monitor your safety and location as you travel through high-risk areas. This plan should specify who you would contact first, and how they should share the information.
• Enroll your trip in the State Department's  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP)  to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel. 
• U.S. citizens who travel abroad should always have a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

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Syria reopens to international tourists amid terror threats.

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Syria has reopened its war-ravaged country for tourism amid active terror threats and a broken economy hammered by years of brutal war and COVID-19.

The Syrian government started authorizing tourist visas again earlier this month after abruptly stopping them when COVID-19 hit in March last year, a travel company operator told the Post Tuesday.

As a result, a number of international tour agencies have started advertising trips to Syria for later this year and into early 2022 – and at least two have said their first tours have already booked up.

“Within a week the first group trip for Spring 2022 sold out and we have added extra dates. We also have sold three private trips for small groups or individuals in the same week,” James Willcox, the founder of the UK- based Untamed Borders, told the Post.

Another travel company, Rocky Road Travel based in Germany, has already fully booked a week-long tour in March, according to its website.

The US State Department’s highest level alert warning Americans not to travel to Syria remains in place due to the ongoing threats of terrorism, civil unrest and armed conflict within the country.

The advisory warns also that Americans and other westerners are at a particularly high risk of being kidnapped while in Syria.

It wasn’t immediately clear if any Americans had registered for the upcoming trips.  

The Syrian Tourism Ministry currently only grants tourist visas via tour companies, and the government heavily vets them to make sure no journalists or activists are trying to get into the country.

Willcox said visa authorization for Americans generally takes longer than UK or EU citizens. US citizens are also more likely to be refused entry into Syria, he added.

The re-emergence of tourism comes amid the still unresolved decade-long civil war in Syria that arose from an uprising against President Bashar Assad in 2011.

The conflict has left hundreds of thousands dead, forced millions to flee Syria and seek refused in nearby countries and resulted in growing sanctions from the US and other western nations.

While the conflict is still unresolved, Assad is currently back in control of much of Syria due, in part, to support from Iran and Russia.

Syria’s northwest is still run by jihadists who were previously associated with Al Qaeda, while the east and northeast are controlled by Kurdish forces backed by the US.

While the West still shuns Assad, some Arab allies of the US – including Jordan, the UAE and Egypt — are now reviving economic and diplomatic ties with Syria.

King Abdullah of Jordan spoke to Assad for the first time in a decade this month, and the border between the two counties reopened fully for trade in September.

But there has been no change in policy toward Syria under the Biden administration, which recently carried out a drone strike in the country as recently as last month that targeted a senior al-Qaeda leader.

“What we have not done and will not do is express any support for efforts to normalize or rehabilitate the brutal dictator Bashar al-Assad, lift a single sanction on Syria, or change our position to oppose the reconstruction of Syria until there is irreversible progress towards a political solution,” a US State Department spokesperson said.

Willcox said his travel company constantly assess the risks associated with Syria and have plans in place to minimize threats, including avoiding travel to government areas or places where high-profile people gather.

In the event the Assad government takes a dislike to their tours, Willcox said “we reduce the risk by following their protocols, we vet other guests to ensure there are no journalists or activists in our groups, we also ensure our guests are fully briefed about what they can and cannot do in Syria.”

With Post wires

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Everything You Need to know about traveling to Syria | Is Syria Safe Now?

By Author Christian L.

Posted on Published: November 2, 2019  - Last updated: October 7, 2021

Categories Syria , Asia , Destinations , Middle East

People often have many reservations about traveling to Syria. They wonder: is Syria safe now? It might sound strange to some people, but this Middle-Eastern country is ready to receive foreign tourists once again.

Syria re-opened at the beginning of October 2021 for tourists once again after been closed for 18 months, due to COVID. The process to get a Syrian tourist visa takes around 15 days and you are still required to have a local guide.

A fantastic country with one of the richest histories in the world. I was one of the very first tourists to visit in 2017. Here’s your complete guide to how you can travel to Syria as a tourist.

Syria Tourism 

Syria is one of the most historical destinations in the world and one of the most popular travel destinations in the Middle East, with 8.5 million foreign tourists visiting Syria back in 2010, just one year before the civil war broke out in March 2011. In comparison, 6.6 million tourists visited the Philippines in 2017.

Since late 2018, western tourists can once again cross the border to Syria from Lebanon or Jordan to discover one of the friendliest and most beautiful places in the Middle East.

Yes, I know this is very hard to believe. But you should go and see for yourself.

The Syria tourist visa is now straightforward to obtain, but you are required to have book a tour through an official Syrian Travel Agency, and you are required to have a guide with you all the time.

When I visited Damascus in October 2017 and again got the visa in April 2018. The visa process was a pain. It usually took 10-12 weeks, but a lot of things have changed since then. Since November 2018, most people can get a visa in less than a week and often in less than 72 hours.

And you don’t even need to visit a Syrian Embassy; you just need to send a copy of your passport to a Government Licensed travel Agency, and they will take care of the rest.

The visa process still takes a bit longer for citizens from the USA, Philippines, India, Thailand, Afghanistan, and some African countries.

After a few western tourists didn’t follow the rules over the last few years, so now everyone is required to book a tour to Syria.

Any Syrian tour agency giving a tourist visa without a tour guide now will be closed down.

Every tourist has to get through security clearance to be able to get a tourist visa, which takes 2-5 days.

The easiest way to get a visa is to go to a Travel Agency that is licensed by the local government in Syria to handle and to get your Visa Application Approved.

The Current price charged is $270 – $550 by the travel agency, be aware that you also will have to pay a visa fee at the border and that the visa fee is different from nationality to nationality.

Most Europeans pay $300, the British pay $500, and Americans pay $550.

You can enter Syria at any official border and at Damascus airport when the papers are ready.

Currently, there are only three land borders that are open for foreigners: the border close to Damascus and one close to Krak des Chevaliers with Tripoli in Lebanon.

The land border with Jordan is also open for foreigners.

There are currently NO open borders between Iraq and Syria, and the occupied Kurdish parts are also not accessible for foreigners.

An Israel stamp in your passport or proof of visit to Israel will get you denied entry to Syria. Despite different rumours online on various travel forums and Facebook groups, you are NOT able to buy the visa at the border unless your Security Permission is approved and you are registered in the system of the Immigration Department.

This Is what the local Travel Agency will arrange for you and take care of.

Visa Fee for international tourists at the border to Syria:

• Australians and New Zealand is $130
• European passport holders pay $72
• South American countries $20-$40
• Hong Kong $75
• Thailand $35
• Malaysia Free

The border crossing and immigration are very smooth and easy when your papers are ready, and it takes no longer to cross than other borders in the Middle East. The border is open 24/7.

Depending on the number of people in the queue, but it shouldn’t take more than 20 minutes of processing.

The immigration counter furthest to the right is the one for foreigners.

You will have to pay the visa fee in the window to the backside of the big immigration room.

You also has to pay 2500 Syrian pounds for exit tax you will have to pay when departing Syria.

A person you can contact are: (You don’t need to contact both, it’s two different travel agencies) Tell them Christian from Norway sent you:) 

Ayoub from Marrota Travel; [email protected] +963954840021 WhatsApp.

Sawsan Joumaa +963933753839 WhatsApp.

I do not recommend people to use Basel / The Travel King to arrange their trip to Syria.

There have been many reports of him scamming people.

When your application is approved, will you have three months to enter the country.

The visa is just a small stamp in your passport and is valid for 10/15days.

Just be aware that a Syrian stamp in your passport will make you no eligible for the American Visa waiver program for five years, and you might get questioned in some countries when entering; I’ve personally been questioned by the Immigration in both Dubai and Oman because of the Syrian visa in my passport.

Travel to Syria from Lebanon and Jordan

Depending on your budget, so are the different options available on travel from Syria.

Driving Through Syria From Lebanon

A private taxi from Beirut airport to Damascus costs $100.

A shared taxi from Beirut to Damascus costs $20-$35, be sure to agree on the price before leaving!

There are different shared Taxi Services in Beirut that you can use, VIP Taxi, Allo Taxi (which has an online booking). They offer pick-up service all over Beirut; get your hotel to call them if you are staying in Beirut before going to Syria.

There’s currently NO bus service between the two countries. But for the cheapest shared taxis, head to Charles Helou bus station (It’s the big one under the overpass road in Beirut).

Shared taxis from there to Damascus are cheaper than VIP Taxi and Allo Taxi but not as comfortable as the two.

A local shared taxi costs %20 and leaves Charles Helou bus station whenever it’s full, shouldn’t take more than 30min.

If you want to save money, can you take a local bus from Beirut to Majdal Anjar, the last town before Syria, It should cost you $1-$2. There are also some old Roman Ruins in Majdal Anjar.

A shared taxi from Majdal Anjar to Damascus should cost you less than $10.

The drive from Beirut to Damascus is 116KM/72Miles, and takes 2hour to 4hours, heavily depending on the notorious traffic jams when leaving Beirut.

If going from Tripoli in northern Lebanon to Tartous, will it take you 2-3 hours. $10 for a shared taxi.

The tour company you arrange your tour with can also arrange a private driver to pick you up in Beirut or Tripoli.

Jordan To Syria overland

The Jaber Border Crossing between Jordan and Syria is open from 7 am to 15.00 every day.

And it can get very crowded, especially on Mondays and Sundays.

From Amman, there is a daily bus from Abdali Terminal with Jett Bus to Damascus.

From Amman to the border is only 1hour and 15min. And from the border to Damascus is around 2 hours.

Be aware that your Syrian tour guide will have to pick you up at the Syrian side of the border once you are through immigration and have entered the country and be with you until you leave the country again.

Can You Fly to Syria? Latakia Airport & More

The connection to Damascus International Airport (DAM) is currently not very good from outside the Middle East, but it’s improving.

Just be aware the Israeli Airforce is occasionally bombing Damascus airport; the last time it happened was the 15 September 2018, so the airport sometimes has to shut down for a short time.

Flights to Syria

Currently, these are the flights to Damascus International Airport that are operating:

Cham Wings Airlines flies from Damascus to Amman (Jordan), Sharjah (UEA) , Moscow (Russia), Kuwait, Muscat( Oman ), Erbil (Iraq Kurdistan), Yerevan (Armenia), Beirut (Lebanon), Baghdad , Basra , Najaf (Iraq), Khartoum (Sudan) and Tehran (Iran).

Syrian Air: flies from Damascus too: Dubai (UEA), Kuwait, Doha (Qatar), Cairo, Algiers (Algeria), and more destinations getting added.

UPDATE  December  2020. There are now 3 international airports working in the country

Aleppo international airport reopened 21 December 2020 with weekly flights to Beirut, Ebril, and Cairo.

Latakia International Airport has also reopened with flights to Abu Dhabi, Cairo, Damascus, Dubai–International, Kuwait, Sharjah.

Getting Around Syria

Since you are required to have a local tour guide to travel around the Syrian government-controlled parts of the country.

So are transportation included in the tour package you will have to book before you are allowed to visit.

In some parts of Syria, you will have to get a permit which takes +/- 5 days; Maaloula is one of the places that require a permit.

Same with the Roman ruins at Palmyra and far eastern Syria.

But things change fast in Syria. Places can be open one day, then closed the next day, depending on the security situation. And, of course, are the front line around Idlib off-limit, it’s also there still ongoing cleaning operation from the Syrian Army against ISIS around Swedia and the desert close to Palmyra. There are still a lot of military checkpoints around Syria, so it will take time to travel around.

Money in Syria

There are currently NO ATM/Cash Machines in Syria working with foreign bank cards; this is because of Americans and European sanctions against Syria.

So you will have to bring hard cash with you when you visit Syria. Everything in the country will you have to pay in cash. Euro and USD is the currency to take. I exchanged all my Euro for Syrian Pounds at the hotels I stayed at.

Most ATMs/cash machines in Beirut and Lebanon has a USD withdrawal option.

Just be aware that exchange shops cant exchange back USD / EURO for your Syrian Pounds, So be sure not to exchange too much the days before leaving.

All hotels accept payments in USD/EURO.

The exchange rate changes almost daily, but around 450 Syrian Pounds for $1 And 550 Syrian Pound for Euro was about “normal” when I visited in 2017, now in 2020, the Syrian pound has collapsed, and $1 is around 3400 Syrian Pounds.

Prices have increased quite a lot since my visit to Syria in October 2017 to now in late 2018. The price for most of the hotels has increased by almost 30% in one year.

ETC. The hotel I stayed in 2017 charged $75 a night with breakfast; now it’s $135 for the same.

Getting Online In Syria

Most hotels and higher-end restaurants and coffee shops/bars have free WIFI, while the connection is not super fast, so have the speed and stability increased a lot over the last year.

If you want to buy a local Simcard will you have to visit a proper MTN or Syriatel office (the small shops on almost every corner cannot sell you), ask your hotel where the closest one is located.

Bring your passport.

The price is $8 for a local sim card with 5 GB data of data. All the small local phone shops can recharge.

Where to Stay in Damascus, Syria

Like I mentioned back in my post in 2017, so where most of the hotels were already up and running back then.

Now a year later, even are more hotels are up and running, you will be surprised by how many foreign tourists you will see in Syria and 2020. It’s actually not rare that the most popular hotels get fully booked these days.

The is hotels for every budget in every city.

Damascus:  You want to stay around Bab Toma, the old part of Damascus.

If you are staying in other parts of the town, a taxi will cost you $1-$2 around the city, no meters, agree on the price before going.

Beit Al Wali is the best hotel in the old city of Damascus; It is a beautiful five* hotel in a traditional building in Bab Toma, the old part of Damascus.

I’ve stayed here four times here myself during April – October, the best season for Syria. This is the hotel every foreign that was visiting Syria during the middle of the war was staying in; it was not rare to see famous western journalists here.

The price is $125-145 a night, with a great breakfast buffet. I can not recommend this hotel well enough.

This is one of the best hotels I’ve stayed in anywhere in the world, and I stayed here the first time when the war was less than 3KM away. The staff here is fantastic.

The bar street is less than 5min walk away. You will be surprised that the nightlife in Damascus is as good as anywhere in Europe, and this bar street did never shut down during the war, even when rockets were falling down less than 1km away!

Hotel Al Majed is a cheaper option right outside Bab Toma. A popular budget option. $$33 for a double room.

A bit outdated. But a great choice, there are more hotels on the same street with similar prices.

You can try the spots below in Aleppo .

Park Hotel: located in the middle of the city center on Baghdad Station Street, a bit run down but a good option.

I’ve stayed here in October 2017 and again in late 2018. Around $70 a night,

Other travels are recommending: Riga Hotel for $100 a night.

Junada Hotel, one of the biggest hostels in Syria. I stayed here in October 2017. Private beach, numerous restaurants. $145 a night.

Travelers are reporting that Hotel Cleopatra on Althoura street is an excellent option for $20 a night.

Is Damascus Safe?

One of the most frequently asked questions is “Is Syria safe to visit?”. Many people wonder is it safe to travel to Syria because the war has now been raging for more than nine years.

Most parts of Syria today are completely safe to visit, especially the capital Damascus, and Aleppo is just as safe as big European cities.

Don’t believe me? Go on traveling forums and Facebook groups and read the daily reports from other western travelers visiting Syria these days.

But there are a few things you should absolutely not do while traveling in Syria now. But you should always check the latest travel advice and the current security situation in Syria before you decide to travel.

Do NOT TAKE Photos of any Military bases, checkpoints, Soldiers, etc. this includes Russian, Iranians, and Hezbollah.

While the situation is improving daily, so are soldiers very suspicious of foreign spies even now in 2020.

I know of a few examples of a foreign tourist being stupid and taking photos of checkpoints and army stuff, this resulting in getting all their photos deleted and getting questioned for hours.

Tourists Sites Destroyed Because of Syrian Civil War

With a war that now has lasted more than nine years around the country, is there no surprise that some of the architectural masterpieces that once stood around Syria is destroyed or heavily damaged, but far from everything is destroyed.

And even somethings are completely unharmed, but you do have sited like the Roman ruins of Palmyra that was almost entirely destroyed by ISIS, same is it with Aleppo’s Great Umayyad Mosque , and the historic souq (Reconstructing heavily going on), the dead cities in Idlib are also long gone.

Krak des Chevaliers, one of the most famous castles in the world, got minor damage; reconstruction is going on and should be finished by late 2019.

The Christian temples in Saidnaya were looted and damaged by terrorists, but rebuilding is already completed.

The waterwheels in Hama is also still standing unharmed.

The historical part of Bab Touma. Damascus was hit by rockets and mortars, but every site have been prepared; the National Museum of Syria once again opened for the public again in late October. Bosra Roman Ruins in Southern Syria is entirely unharmed and is now possible to visit.

If you have any questions about visiting this amazing country, feel free to comment, and I will try to answer as well as I can.

Syria’s Economic Collapse in 2020

The Syrian pound has fallen, since the beginning of April 2020, to a level not seen in its history before, so that the Syrian market is affected in one way or another by these consecutive setbacks of its currency, which led to a new rise in prices, and the deterioration of the already tense living situation.

Causes of decline:

The drop in oil prices on the international market, which has negatively affected countries supporting the system due to their heavy dependence on oil trade in their economies.

As a result, Iran’s cash assistance to Syria decreased.

The Syrian Central Bank is free from foreign exchange and gold, as the presence of foreign currency reserves and gold are the main pillars upon which national currencies are based.

The central bank has become empty of foreign exchange reserves due to the stoppage of the revenues of land, sea, and air transit transport and the stopping of the export movement, the largest contributor to foreign currency revenues.

US and European sanctions imposed on key figures over the local government.

• The exchange rate is now 2,700 liras per dollar
• The exchange rate was 1050 liras in March
• The income of the Syrian citizen became $ 20 a month.

Final Thoughts on Tourism in Syria

Hopefully, this post has answered all of your questions on traveling in Syria and gotten rid of some of your reservations about visiting. Now that you know it is safe to travel to Syria, you can have a perfectly pleasant time in the country. Be sure to spend a night at one of the Syrian hotels recommended above. Fly safe and have a great journey.

Wednesday 19th of October 2022

What to do if I want to stay at some friend's home?

Christian L.

Saturday 5th of November 2022

Hello. It depends on your nationality, if you can visit without a guide, then its no problem. If you need a guide then it's not possible unfortunately at least by the law

David Holland

Saturday 29th of January 2022

Amazing, 500K Syrians have died, some becuse of chemical weapons and there are 2 million Syrian refugees sitting outside of Syria and yet people want to spend money there and support the Assad regime. Doesn't matter if it's safe or not. you are supporting evil people.

Not Your Average American

Friday 9th of June 2023

@David Holland, In case you didn't know, it was Assad (with the help of Russia, Hezbollah, and Iran) who liberated the areas held by terrorists...NOT Trump. Look at the map. Are you saying Assad killed half a million people and terrorist groups like ISIS and Al Nusra killed 0? They are called "terrorists" for a reason. Don't give Assad too much credit on the deaths. Look at how many civilians we killed during OUR invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan...or even Vietnam and Laos. As your president would say..."C'mon man!"

Average America

Saturday 8th of April 2023

@David Holland Support for Syria is a kick in the ass to sadist-state Israel. God bless Assad and all of Syria for standing strong against the phoney Khazar feces. Long live Syria!

Margrit Hertenstein

Saturday 12th of June 2021

Hello, I am a german citizen and I'd like to visit Syria in august 21. I will live with some syrian friends and don't need a hotel or a guide. Do I still have to book a guide and does the visa still cost 500 Dollar? Thank you for your answer.

Thursday 29th of July 2021

Hello. The border is still closed for western tourists. Unfortunately, so are you required by law to stay in a hotel and have a guide, even if you have local friends, up tp 2019 we could travel freely, but one Australian tourist screwed up and now everyone require to have a guide with them all the time. The visa is cheaper than 500 usd

Sunday 2nd of May 2021

Hello...Im from cape town south africa...a very beautiful city...but would love to visit syria...our hearts are with all the syrian people to be blessed in stability and prosperity in their lives...we are continuously praying for u all Some day we will visit.. Blessings In Jesus Almightiest Name Love you all to bits n pieces

God Bless n Shalom

Thursday 28th of January 2021

Hello. I came across this blog and I thought it was very interesting bit of information. Thank you. I am American and I saw that the travel ban has been lifted for Syria. I know that Lebanon and Syria have been experiencing a rise in COVID cases but I don't know how restrictive Syria has been in obtaining a travel visa. I'm planning to travel to Lebanon in February. I hope that I can have a chance to experience this beautiful country.

Tuesday 11th of January 2022

@Christian L., Hi, long time no see....well I did not see your email. I did contact an Ayoub from Morrata and he said he would help me get my visa but he said that he also never did one for an American before. -_-hmm.. I also did not travel because of the COVID situation here in the US. Now in 2022, I am hoping that I can travel here, even for a few days.

Friday 30th of July 2021

Did you manage to visit Syria during your visit to this part of the world?

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Security situation

The Syrian conflict began in 2011, and Syria remains an active conflict zone in which the security situation could worsen with little warning.

The Syrian regime and its allies conduct regular strikes in northwest Syria despite a ceasefire agreed to in 2020. Since September 2014, the global coalition against Daesh has carried out aerial bombardment operations on terrorist targets across the northeast. There is also frequent shelling by Türkiye near the northern border due to longstanding tension between Syrian Kurdish groups and neighbouring Türkiye.

Central and southern Syria are unstable and dangerous due to sporadic airstrikes against Iranian-aligned targets. Occasional active fighting between opposition and regime forces, as well as drug-smuggling activities in the area, pose an additional security threat. Syria’s chemical and biological weapons program and their historic use on civilians contribute to the volatile situation.

The use of small arms, tanks, artillery and aircraft is common. Common war tactics have also involved:

• blockading entire cities for months or years with little or no warning
• denying entry to humanitarian aid workers and supplies into cities

If you attempt to travel to Syria, you expose yourself to grave risk. In addition to threats from war, terrorism, criminality, arbitrary detention, torture and forced disappearance by the Syrian regime are ongoing threats.

The Government of Canada has urged Canadians to leave Syria since November 2011. Commercial means to leave the country are limited. Most commercial airlines have suspended their flights. Airports in Damascus and Aleppo may close with little or no notice. Checkpoints may also delay or impede access to the airport.

The Embassy of Canada in Damascus has suspended its operations. Our ability to provide consular assistance and other support in Syria is extremely limited.

Do not travel to Syria. If you choose to travel to Syria, or remain in the country, despite this advisory:

• exercise extreme caution at all times
• always be aware of your surroundings
• keep in mind that you are responsible for your own safety and that of your family
• ensure that your travel documents are up to date

There is a significant threat of terrorism in Syria. Extremist groups control parts of the country and pose a dangerous risk to foreigners. Terrorist attacks including suicide bombings, car bombings and other violent incidents occur regularly, resulting in civilian casualties.

Further attacks are likely, and the security situation could worsen with little warning.

Targets could include:

• government buildings, including schools
• places of worship
• airports and other transportation hubs and networks
• public areas such as tourist attractions, restaurants, coffee shops, shopping centres, markets, hotels and other sites frequented by foreigners
• residential areas

Always be aware of your surroundings when in public places. Be particularly vigilant during:

• religious holidays
• public celebrations
• major political events

Terrorists may use such occasions to mount attacks.

The crime rate has increased significantly in Syria. State and non-state actors engage in criminal markets. Smuggling and trafficking routes have greatly expanded throughout southwestern Syria. There is widespread corruption and bribery throughout the country. Petty crime, such as pickpocketing and purse snatching, occurs.

• Avoid travelling at night
• Avoid showing signs of wealth
• Ensure that your belongings, including your passport and other travel documents, are secure at all times

Kidnapping for ransom is a frequent phenomenon in various parts of the country, especially in tribal areas and across southern Syria. Others are disappeared. Politically motivated kidnappings by armed and terrorist groups often result in execution or disappearances.

• Be extremely vigilant at all times
• Use varied and unpredictable routes and schedules when travelling

Demonstrations

Demonstrations rarely occur. Security forces and the military use excessive force to suppress uprisings and demonstrations throughout Syria.

Peaceful demonstrations frequently turn violent. They lead to disruptions to traffic and public transportation. Civilians are frequently arrested without cause and for being near the site of a demonstration.

• Avoid areas where demonstrations and large gatherings are taking place
• Follow the instructions of local authorities
• Monitor international and social media for information on ongoing demonstrations

Mass gatherings (large-scale events)

Women’s safety

Women travelling alone are at risk of facing harassment and verbal abuse, and in some areas—notably in territories controlled by terrorist groups—are at risk of physical assault.

Advice for women travellers

Service outages and supply shortages

Due to infrastructure damage and mismanagement, Syria experiences regular power outages. At best, some areas of the country receive roughly 2-3 hours of electricity per day. Those who are most fortunate rely on fuel-powered generators. Access to fuel is rare and inconsistent.

Drought has caused severe water and food shortages across the country. Safe running water may not always be available.

Telecommunications are sometimes disrupted without notice.

Road safety

Road conditions and road safety are poor throughout the country. Unenforced traffic law and problematic roads and infrastructure make road travel very dangerous. Authorities may also impose road travel restrictions without notice, making travel slow and dangerous.

Avoid driving after dark.

Roadblocks and checkpoints

Roadblocks and checkpoints are common, including on major roads and highways in and around major cities. They are also present along the highways connecting Damascus to Aleppo, Jordan and Beirut.

Never attempt to cross roadblocks, even if they appear unattended.  

We do not make assessments on the compliance of foreign domestic airlines with international safety standards.

Information about foreign domestic airlines

Every country or territory decides who can enter or exit through its borders. The Government of Canada cannot intervene on your behalf if you do not meet your destination’s entry or exit

Verify this information with the  Foreign Representatives in Canada .

Entry requirements vary depending on the type of passport you use for travel.

Before you travel, check with your transportation company about passport requirements. Its rules on passport validity may be more stringent than the country’s entry rules.

Regular Canadian passport

Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the date you expect to leave Syria.

Passport for official travel

Different entry rules may apply.

Official travel

Passport with “X” gender identifier

While the Government of Canada issues passports with an “X” gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries. You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the “X” gender identifier. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Other travel documents

Different entry rules may apply when travelling with a temporary passport or an emergency travel document. Before you leave, check with the closest foreign representative for your destination.

Useful links

• Foreign Representatives in Canada
• Canadian passports

Tourist visa: required Business visa: required Student visa: required

If you are a non-Arab national, you can’t obtain a visa at border points of entry. You must obtain it from the nearest Embassy of the Syrian Arab Republic or one of its consulates prior to your departure.

Registration

If you intend to stay in Syria for longer than 14 days, you must register with the Syrian Immigration and Passports Office before the 15th day after your arrival.

If you travel on a tourist visa, this requirement is applied each time you enter Syria, whether you have a multiple or single-entry visa.

Exit permits

Some travellers may require an exit permit to leave the country. The permit can be obtained from the General Security Department.

Health entry requirements

You must be tested for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) if you intend to:

• obtain a residence permit in Syria
• marry a Syrian national

Syrian authorities won’t issue a residence permit unless you have a negative HIV test.

Regional travel

Travellers have been denied entry into Syria because their passports bore:

• an Israeli visa
• an Israeli border stamp
• an Egyptian or Jordanian border stamp issued by an office bordering Israel. Such a stamp would indicate that the traveller visited Israel prior to coming to Syria

Children and travel

Learn more about travelling with children .

Yellow fever

Learn about potential entry requirements related to yellow fever (vaccines section).

Relevant Travel Health Notices

• Global Measles Notice - 13 March, 2024
• COVID-19 and International Travel - 13 March, 2024

This section contains information on possible health risks and restrictions regularly found or ongoing in the destination. Follow this advice to lower your risk of becoming ill while travelling. Not all risks are listed below.

Consult a health care professional or visit a travel health clinic preferably 6 weeks before you travel to get personalized health advice and recommendations.

Routine vaccines

Be sure that your  routine vaccinations , as per your province or territory , are up-to-date before travelling, regardless of your destination.

Some of these vaccinations include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, varicella (chickenpox), influenza and others.

Pre-travel vaccines and medications

You may be at risk for preventable diseases while travelling in this destination. Talk to a travel health professional about which medications or vaccines may be right for you, based on your destination and itinerary. 

Yellow fever is a disease caused by a flavivirus from the bite of an infected mosquito.

Travellers get vaccinated either because it is required to enter a country or because it is recommended for their protection.

• There is no risk of yellow fever in this country.

Country Entry Requirement*

• Proof of vaccination is not required to enter this country.

Recommendation

• Vaccination is not recommended.

* It is important to note that country entry requirements may not reflect your risk of yellow fever at your destination. It is recommended that you contact the nearest diplomatic or consular office of the destination(s) you will be visiting to verify any additional entry requirements.

About Yellow Fever

Yellow Fever Vaccination Centres in Canada

There is a risk of hepatitis A in this destination. It is a disease of the liver. People can get hepatitis A if they ingest contaminated food or water, eat foods prepared by an infectious person, or if they have close physical contact (such as oral-anal sex) with an infectious person, although casual contact among people does not spread the virus.

Practise  safe food and water precautions and wash your hands often. Vaccination is recommended for all travellers to areas where hepatitis A is present.

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. It can spread quickly from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

Anyone who is not protected against measles is at risk of being infected with it when travelling internationally.

Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are fully protected against measles.

  Hepatitis B is a risk in every destination. It is a viral liver disease that is easily transmitted from one person to another through exposure to blood and body fluids containing the hepatitis B virus.  Travellers who may be exposed to blood or other bodily fluids (e.g., through sexual contact, medical treatment, sharing needles, tattooing, acupuncture or occupational exposure) are at higher risk of getting hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B vaccination is recommended for all travellers. Prevent hepatitis B infection by practicing safe sex, only using new and sterile drug equipment, and only getting tattoos and piercings in settings that follow public health regulations and standards.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious viral disease. It can spread from person to person by direct contact and through droplets in the air.

It is recommended that all eligible travellers complete a COVID-19 vaccine series along with any additional recommended doses in Canada before travelling. Evidence shows that vaccines are very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. While vaccination provides better protection against serious illness, you may still be at risk of infection from the virus that causes COVID-19. Anyone who has not completed a vaccine series is at increased risk of being infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and is at greater risk for severe disease when travelling internationally.

Before travelling, verify your destination’s COVID-19 vaccination entry/exit requirements. Regardless of where you are going, talk to a health care professional before travelling to make sure you are adequately protected against COVID-19.

 The best way to protect yourself from seasonal influenza (flu) is to get vaccinated every year. Get the flu shot at least 2 weeks before travelling.  

 The flu occurs worldwide. 

•  In the Northern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs from November to   April.
•  In the Southern Hemisphere, the flu season usually runs between April and   October.
•  In the tropics, there is flu activity year round. 

The flu vaccine available in one hemisphere may only offer partial protection against the flu in the other hemisphere.

The flu virus spreads from person to person when they cough or sneeze or by touching objects and surfaces that have been contaminated with the virus. Clean your hands often and wear a mask if you have a fever or respiratory symptoms.

In this destination, rabies is commonly carried by dogs and some wildlife, including bats. Rabies is a deadly disease that spreads to humans primarily through bites or scratches from an infected animal. While travelling, take precautions , including keeping your distance from animals (including free-roaming dogs), and closely supervising children.

If you are bitten or scratched by a dog or other animal while travelling, immediately wash the wound with soap and clean water and see a health care professional. In this destination, rabies treatment may be limited or may not be available, therefore you may need to return to Canada for treatment.  

Before travel, discuss rabies vaccination with a health care professional. It may be recommended for travellers who are at high risk of exposure (e.g., occupational risk such as veterinarians and wildlife workers, children, adventure travellers and spelunkers, and others in close contact with animals). 

Safe food and water precautions

Many illnesses can be caused by eating food or drinking beverages contaminated by bacteria, parasites, toxins, or viruses, or by swimming or bathing in contaminated water.

• Learn more about food and water precautions to take to avoid getting sick by visiting our eat and drink safely abroad page. Remember: Boil it, cook it, peel it, or leave it!
• Avoid getting water into your eyes, mouth or nose when swimming or participating in activities in freshwater (streams, canals, lakes), particularly after flooding or heavy rain. Water may look clean but could still be polluted or contaminated.
• Avoid inhaling or swallowing water while bathing, showering, or swimming in pools or hot tubs. 

Travellers' diarrhea is the most common illness affecting travellers. It is spread from eating or drinking contaminated food or water.

Risk of developing travellers' diarrhea increases when travelling in regions with poor standards of hygiene and sanitation. Practise safe food and water precautions.

The most important treatment for travellers' diarrhea is rehydration (drinking lots of fluids). Carry oral rehydration salts when travelling.

Typhoid   is a bacterial infection spread by contaminated food or water. Risk is higher among children, travellers going to rural areas, travellers visiting friends and relatives or those travelling for a long period of time.

Travellers visiting regions with a risk of typhoid, especially those exposed to places with poor sanitation, should speak to a health care professional about vaccination.  

Cholera is a risk in parts of this country. Most travellers are at very low risk.

To protect against cholera, all travellers should practise safe food and water precautions .

Travellers at higher risk of getting cholera include those:

• visiting, working or living in areas with limited access to safe food, water and proper sanitation
• visiting areas where outbreaks are occurring

Vaccination may be recommended for high-risk travellers, and should be discussed with a health care professional.

Insect bite prevention

Many diseases are spread by the bites of infected insects such as mosquitoes, ticks, fleas or flies. When travelling to areas where infected insects may be present:

• Use insect repellent (bug spray) on exposed skin
• Cover up with light-coloured, loose clothes made of tightly woven materials such as nylon or polyester
• Minimize exposure to insects
• Use mosquito netting when sleeping outdoors or in buildings that are not fully enclosed

To learn more about how you can reduce your risk of infection and disease caused by bites, both at home and abroad, visit our insect bite prevention page.

Find out what types of insects are present where you’re travelling, when they’re most active, and the symptoms of the diseases they spread.

Cutaneous and mucosal   leishmaniasis   causes skin sores and ulcers. It is caused by a parasite spread through the bite of a female sandfly.

Risk is generally low for most travellers. Protect yourself from sandfly bites, which typically occur after sunset in rural and forested areas and in some urban centres. There is no vaccine or medication to protect against leishmaniasis.

Animal precautions

Some infections, such as rabies and influenza, can be shared between humans and animals. Certain types of activities may increase your chance of contact with animals, such as travelling in rural or forested areas, camping, hiking, and visiting wet markets (places where live animals are slaughtered and sold) or caves.

Travellers are cautioned to avoid contact with animals, including dogs, livestock (pigs, cows), monkeys, snakes, rodents, birds, and bats, and to avoid eating undercooked wild game.

Closely supervise children, as they are more likely to come in contact with animals.

Person-to-person infections

Stay home if you’re sick and practise proper cough and sneeze etiquette , which includes coughing or sneezing into a tissue or the bend of your arm, not your hand. Reduce your risk of colds, the flu and other illnesses by:

•   washing your hands often
• avoiding or limiting the amount of time spent in closed spaces, crowded places, or at large-scale events (concerts, sporting events, rallies)
• avoiding close physical contact with people who may be showing symptoms of illness 

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) , HIV , and mpox are spread through blood and bodily fluids; use condoms, practise safe sex, and limit your number of sexual partners. Check with your local public health authority pre-travel to determine your eligibility for mpox vaccine.  

Medical services and facilities

Basic medical care and medications are extremely limited throughout Syria. There are severe shortages of medical personnel, supplies and equipment throughout the country. Large parts of the country rely on international organizations to provide medical assistance.

You will likely need an emergency medical evacuation is case of serious illness or injury. However, it may be difficult to arrange evacuation due to the volatile security and political situation.

Make sure you get travel insurance that includes coverage for medical evacuation and hospital stays.

Travel health and safety

Keep in Mind...

The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller. The traveller is also responsible for his or her own personal safety.

Be prepared. Do not expect medical services to be the same as in Canada. Pack a   travel health kit , especially if you will be travelling away from major city centres.

You must abide by local laws.

Arbitrary detention, torture and forced disappearance may occur. Syrian authorities may not help you contact the Government of Canada if they detain you.

Learn about what you should do and how we can help if you are arrested or detained abroad .

Penalties for possession, use or trafficking of illegal drugs are severe. Convicted offenders can expect severe penalties, which may include the death penalty.

Drugs, alcohol and travel

Photography

It’s prohibited to photograph official buildings such as military or government installations.

Seek permission prior to photographing individuals.

Mobile phone

It’s prohibited to use your cell phone at checkpoints.

Communications are likely to be closely monitored by security services.

Dress and behaviour

The country’s customs, laws and regulations adhere closely to traditional and Islamic practices and beliefs.

To avoid offending local sensitivities, particularly when visiting religious sites:

• dress conservatively
• behave discreetly
• respect religious and social traditions

In 2024, the lunar month of Ramadan is expected to begin on or around March 10.

In public, between sunrise and sunset, refrain from:

Identification

Local authorities may ask you to verify your identity at any time.

• Carry photo identification, such as a passport, at all times
• Keep a photocopy of your passport in a safe place, in case the original is lost or confiscated

Syrian authorities scrutinize foreign journalists and media. Reporters can face considerable restrictions in the context of their work.

Journalists attempting to work in Syria without official approval from the Syrian government place themselves at considerable risk. Armed groups in opposition-held areas have injured, kidnapped and killed journalists and other foreigners operating there.

The Syrian Arab Armed Forces and other armed groups have also detained journalists in Syria. 

2SLGBTQI+ travellers

Syrian law criminalizes sexual acts and relationships between persons of the same sex.

2SLGBTQI+ travellers could also be discriminated against or detained based on their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or sex characteristics. They could be charged with promotion of homosexuality. If they are convicted, they could face the death penalty.

2SLGBTQI+ travellers should carefully consider the risks of travelling to Syria.

Travel and your sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics

Dual citizenship

Dual citizenship is legally recognized in Syria.

The Government of Canada’s ability to provide consular services in Syria is extremely limited.

General information for travellers with dual citizenship

Compulsory military service

Men aged 18 or over who are of Syrian descent, including dual citizens and those without Syrian citizenship, must complete compulsory military service or pay an exemption fee if they travel to Syria. If you choose to travel to Syria despite the advisory to avoid all travel to the country, contact the Syrian government before travelling for information on compulsory military service.

International Child Abduction

The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction is an international treaty. It can help parents with the return of children who have been removed to or retained in certain countries in violation of custody rights. It does not apply between Canada and Syria.

If your child was wrongfully taken to, or is being held in Syria by an abducting parent:

• act as quickly as you can
• consult a lawyer in Canada and in Syria to explore all the legal options for the return of your child
• report the situation to the nearest Canadian government office abroad or to the Vulnerable Children’s Consular Unit at Global Affairs Canada by calling the Emergency Watch and Response Centre.

If your child was removed from a country other than Canada, consult a lawyer to determine if The Hague Convention applies.

Be aware that Canadian consular officials cannot interfere in private legal matters or in another country’s judicial affairs.

• International Child Abduction: A Guidebook for Left-Behind Parents
• Travelling with children
• Canadian embassies and consulates by destination
• Emergency Watch and Response Centre

You must be at least 18 years old to drive in Syria and have a valid certificate confirming that you have third-party insurance.

There is zero tolerance for having alcohol in your system while driving.

You must carry an international driving permit.

International Driving Permit

The currency of Syrian is the Syrian pound (SYP).

The economy is primarily cash-based. Credit cards are not widely accepted. You should carry enough U.S. dollars or Euros to cover your expenses.

ATMs are available in major cities, such as Damascus and Aleppo, but are not always reliable.

Due to international sanctions, several foreign credit institutions and banks have suspended their transactions with Syria. As a result, you may not be able to use your Canadian credit and debit cards. Contact your financial service provider before travelling to Syria to confirm whether you can use your cards there. Regulations regarding financial transactions, financial sanctions and currency exchange can change without notice.

It’s illegal to exchange currency on the street. You must exchange foreign currency in banks or at official exchange counters. The Syrian pound cannot be exchanged outside the country. You will need to present official exchange receipts to exchange Syrian pounds into foreign currency before your departure. Keep all your official exchange receipts.  

Earthquakes

Earthquake in türkiye and syria.

On February 20, 2023, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake and an aftershock of 5.8 magnitude struck the area near the border with Türkiye. This follows a series of earthquake in southeastern Türkiye on February 6, 2023 which had already severely impacted northern Syria, including Idlib and Aleppo. There are reports of further damage to buildings and more casualties.

If you are in the affected area:

• monitor local media
• follow instructions from local authorities

Syria is located in an active seismic zone. Earthquakes may occur.

Familiarize yourself with local evacuation plans in the event of an earthquake.

• Earthquakes  - What to Do?
• Latest earthquakes  - U.S. Geological Survey

Dust storms

The weather is very dry and hot from May to October. Sand storms and dust storms may occur during the summer months.

Sand-laden winds can blow at high speeds for days, creating difficult driving conditions. These storms can also cause respiratory problems, which can be fatal for some people.

If a dust storm is occurring:

• stay indoors
• keep windows closed
• be prepared to change your travel plans on short notice, including cutting short or cancelling your trip
• monitor local media for up-to-date information on the situation

Drought and flooding

Syria has been facing drought in recent years, leading to crop failure and severe food shortages.

While infrequent, torrential rains and heavy flooding also occur, which can hamper overland travel and reduce the provision of essential services. Roads may become impassable and bridges damaged.

In the event of flooding:

• avoid the affected area
• stay informed of the latest regional weather forecasts
• follow the instructions of local authorities

Large-scale emergencies abroad

Local services

In case of emergency, dial:

• police: 112
• medical assistance: 110
• firefighters: 113

Consular assistance

The Embassy of Canada to Syria, in Damascus, has suspended its operations.

The ability of the Embassy of Canada to Lebanon, in Beirut, to provide consular and other support throughout Syria is extremely limited.

Canadians in Syria and their relatives seeking information should contact the Emergency Watch and Response Centre in Ottawa.

For emergency consular assistance, call the Embassy of Canada to Lebanon, in Beirut, and follow the instructions. At any time, you may also call the  Emergency Watch and Response Centre  in Ottawa.

The decision to travel is your choice and you are responsible for your personal safety abroad. We take the safety and security of Canadians abroad very seriously and provide credible and timely information in our Travel Advice to enable you to make well-informed decisions regarding your travel abroad.

The content on this page is provided for information only. While we make every effort to give you correct information, it is provided on an "as is" basis without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. The Government of Canada does not assume responsibility and will not be liable for any damages in connection to the information provided.

If you need consular assistance while abroad, we will make every effort to help you. However, there may be constraints that will limit the ability of the Government of Canada to provide services.

Learn more about consular services .

Risk Levels

  take normal security precautions.

Take similar precautions to those you would take in Canada.

  Exercise a high degree of caution

There are certain safety and security concerns or the situation could change quickly. Be very cautious at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities.

IMPORTANT: The two levels below are official Government of Canada Travel Advisories and are issued when the safety and security of Canadians travelling or living in the country or region may be at risk.

  Avoid non-essential travel

Your safety and security could be at risk. You should think about your need to travel to this country, territory or region based on family or business requirements, knowledge of or familiarity with the region, and other factors. If you are already there, think about whether you really need to be there. If you do not need to be there, you should think about leaving.

  Avoid all travel

You should not travel to this country, territory or region. Your personal safety and security are at great risk. If you are already there, you should think about leaving if it is safe to do so.

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Joe Windsor-Williams

At the time of writing, Syria was one of the most dangerous places on the planet. To put it simply, you can’t go. And if you can, you shouldn’t. The uprising against the Assad regime that began in early 2011 long ago became a civil war. Syrians themselves have paid the heaviest price: as many as 475,000 people have died in the conflict and millions have been forced into exile. Westerners, including journalists and aid workers, have also been targeted, very publicly, both for kidnapping and for execution. In addition to the human cost, entire cities have been laid waste and untold damage has been done to some of the Middle East's most important historical and archaeological sites. Put simply, Syria is a war zone, and peace seems as far away as at any time since war began in 2011.

Latest stories from Syria

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Sep 3, 2020 • 17 min read

In this essay from 2009, Tahir Shah visits Damascus, Syria, two years before the country would be thrown into civil war. Here's what he experienced.

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How to Travel to Syria in 2024 – Everything You Need To Know

Are you planning to travel to Syria? If so, this blog is written just for you.

You will find everything you need to know about Syria before you go.

Hi, we’re Rach & Marty!

We’ve visited every country in the world and want to help you get the most out of your travels!

Whether you need an expertly planned itinerary , some experienced hints and tips , or just craving a delicious food adventure , we’ve got you covered!

We may earn affiliate commissions from websites we link to, at no cost to you. Click here for details.

Our travel to Syria was a very memorable experience. We travelled overland from Lebanon in September 2019.

Syria used to be one of the most popular destinations in the Middle East, and now is finally opening up for travellers again.

While general tourism to Syria is probably still a few years away, curious travellers are waiting to see this magnificent country.

Let’s cover how travelling to Syria is possible and the steps you must take to make it happen.

How to get Syria Visa

Can you travel to Syria right now? Are tourists travelling in Syria at the moment?

Yes, and yes. To travel to Syria, you must obtain a visa unless you are one of the few Arabic nations that don’t require a visa for Syria.

So, how do you get a Syrian tourist visa?

Your Syrian visa can be obtained from your nearest Syrian Embassy or at the border. However, to get your visa, you will currently need a special security clearance that needs to be organised through a travel agency in Syria.

Important: US passport holders can now visit Syria again (March 2024), but the process can take longer. You must travel with a tour operator; no independent travel is currently allowed .

If you decide to travel to Syria with a travel agency on a tour (see more on that below), this security clearance will be included in your tour cost. It usually takes only a week or two, unless you have a US passport.

You will then be able to obtain your visa at the border. The cost of the visa depends on nationality; some examples are listed below:

Syrian Visa fee at the border:

• Australians and New Zealand is 130 USD
• European passport holders pay 50 – 100 USD (Slovak passport was 70 USD)
• Americans 160 USD 
• British 140 USD

When you leave Syria, you will also have to pay an exit fee of 2,500 SYP, around 5 USD.

You cannot get your visa at the border if you don’t have security clearance.

If you try to visit independently, this security clearance cost varies from USD 270 – 500 per person and is obtained through the travel agency.

The Syrian Visa at the border is a stamp only, valid for 15 days from entry.

Please Note: you will not be eligible to get an ESTA visa for the USA if you have visited Syria .

You must apply at the US embassy for a different type of tourist visa and pay a fee of USD 160. You also cannot have an Israel stamp in your passport; you will be refused entry.

And if you are trying to visit every country as we have , note that with a Syrian stamp in your passport, you might not be allowed to enter Libya.

Make sure you get Travel Insurance before hitting the road. We recommend Heymondo & SafetyWing

Click here and get 5% off Heymondo from us!

Recommended Tour Agency for Travel in Syria

We travelled in Syria with  Golden Target Tours and would highly recommend this local tour operator.

Contact Khaldoun at +963 944 372 700 (WhatsApp) for more information, or you can contact him via email:  [email protected]

Check out our Visa Page for helpful information on how to get a visa for some countries

More Travel Tips

We have so many tips to help you travel more!

These 21 cheapest countries to visit will help you stretch your hard-earned dollars further.

Read our top 6 travel hacks to save money and the  20 best travel apps to make travel easier! 

For food lovers, don’t miss our top 10 best countries for foodies. And, if history is your thing, these 30 amazing historical places worldwide will fascinate you!

We have many tips to save money for travel and consider these 20 jobs that PAY YOU to travel the world to help you travel longer.

If you become a trusted housesitter , you can also get FREE accommodation worldwide. Read more about how this works .

Check out our ultimate packing list for travellers , and remember to pack travel insurance! We recommend these two travel insurance companies for excellent coverage.

Our  12 essential tips for safe travel in any country are worth a read. 

You’ll need to stay connected while travelling the world. We recommend eSIM. It’s easy, reliable and affordable. View eSIMs for individual countries , or consider  a Global eSIM if you travel to multiple countries or regions. This eSIM connects you in 124 countries , offering data-only eSIM and data/call/text eSIM .

The Global eSIM has been a game-changer; we couldn’t imagine travelling without it now.

If you want to travel with like-minded travellers, consider joining a group tour. Get the best deals on worldwide group tours with Tourradar .

Check out our best-ever travel tips compiled from more than twenty years of experience.

Travel Planning Resources

✈️ Flights : We use Skyscanner to book cheap flights worldwide.

🏨 Accommodation :  Booking.com is our preferred platform for booking hotels and accommodation. We use Vrbo to book apartments and long-term stays.

🏥 Travel Insurance : We recommend Heymondo ( Get 5% off Heymondo)  & SafetyWing

🚌 Transportation : Trainline is the best website to reserve trains. We use Omio to book transport worldwide. For travel in Asia, we use 12Go.  

🚘 Car Rental : We use DiscoverCars to book rental cars worldwide.

👫 Group Tours :  G Adventures OR compare multi-day tours worldwide with Tourradar .

📸 Day Tours & Trips :  GetYourGuide  & Viator are the only two platforms you need.

📚 Lonely Planet: The Best Range of Travel Guides & Ebooks , and FREE Shipping! (use code RACHELDAVEY10 for a 10% discount)

🎒 Luggage :  Osprey Farpoint 40L Backpack  or  Samsonite Luggage Range.

🛄 What to Pack:  Don’t forget your Universal charger and a good  power bank .  To help you pack the essentials, here is our ULTIMATE Packing List for all Travellers .

🐶 Become a House Sitter:  Join Trusted Housesitters and enjoy FREE accommodation worldwide. Use our invite to receive 25% off your new membership.

💰 Send Money Anywhere: WISE  &  Revolut  are the best online accounts that let you send money, get paid, and spend money internationally. Both are so easy to use and way cheaper than any bank transfer.

📶  Stay Connected: Airalo eSIM allows you to get connected the moment you land at your destination, and you can avoid those expensive data roaming charges. We LOVE this product! Use promo code NOMAD15 for 15% off ALL eSIMs (new Airalo users only) OR use NOMAD10 for 10% off ALL eSIMs (for existing Airalo users)

✅ Check out our Travel Gear  and  Travel Resources for more valuable tips to save you money!

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18 comments . leave new.

Aside from all the helpful information, I really appreciate the focus on supporting the local economy and being safe and respectful. It seems very easy for travelers to forget that sometimes, in pursuit of the best story or the most-liked instagram photo.

Spending some time in Syria is on my SO and my list for next year! Tons of great info that will help us make our plans, thank you Marty!

Thanks, Fred, glad you found the information useful. 🙂

Syria is still my favourite country in the world due primarily to its people, the most hospitable you can imagine. I lived there for 3 years as a student in Damascus and can’t wait to return. You post is very encouraging. I hope I can take my 9 year old there in the near future!

A very interesting blog post content quality is also good .Thanks for sharing with us.

Hi, We are group of five friends, planning for Syria trip this April 2020. I am just seaching on google and found your blog with detailed information. Really helpful. Keep writing.

Visited Syria in 2009 (before the war) and fell in love with it – the history, the kindness and hospitality of the people and the food – the best hommus and the pomegranate molasses! I think we may have even stayed at the same hotel in the Old Town, I recognise the courtyard where we were greeted with a glass of juice as we signed in. We visited Paul’s church and saw where he was hoisted over the old city wall in a basket to escape the Romans, tried the ice cream in the souk and visited the museum in Damascus. We did a big loop from Damascus to Palmyra, Aleppo, Resafah, the Dead cities (including St Simeon’s stone), Apamea, Homs and Hama, Krak de Chevalier, Maaloula and Sadanya and back to Damascus. We were fortunate to see and photograph so many sites that are now damaged or destroyed. In a grotto at Maaloula there was a painting of Mary, painted by Luke that was very sacred to the local Christians, I wonder what happened to that? I remember a local shopkeeper in Damascus inviting us into his shop where he and his buddies were having fresh, warm bread and zata’ar, he pulled up a chair and made more tea and shared their mid-morning snack with us. Everyone went out of their way to help us with directions even though we didn’t speak Arabic, they took us to where we needed to go, even though it was out of their way. We walked around in the wee hours of the morning and never felt unsafe. I am so happy to hear that things are returning to normal and maybe one day we can revisit this beautiful country and have another cup of Berber coffee with cardamom at Cafe 66 on the route to Aleppo. Thank you for this post and the hope that Syria will recover and the many refugees may be able to return home

Thank you for this lovely report. I travelled to Syria in 2019 and plan to go back this Easter holiday and I am actually looking for travelcompanion. One must for me is Palmyra, which I did not visit in 2019 since we did not have the time. I am Austrian and a very experienced traveller

Thanks, Heidi, we would love to see Palmyra one day too. Safe travels.

They are very beautiful hearts and hospitalet people in world , their country is destroyed but they still warm welcome u the scam rate is 0% and there is no theft around. I didn’t travel but o heard from my pakistani friends and recently some of indians went there And also im planing to go there on ‘jun’ im from pakistan and i speak fluent arabic and working here in hongkong living with my family If any one who watching this comment and want to travel to syria we can travel together because im alone i need someone im 29 years old and working in hk airport +85255444181

Hello!!! Thanks for this article !! I am actually planning to go to Damascus in a few week, without a private guide. Bus the problem is that I can’t find any accommodation in Damascus online. Even Beit al Mamlouka didn’t answer me when I sent them an email. Do you know how can I do to deal with this problem ?

Hello, we assume you’ve already secured a visa for Syria then? If the hotel isn’t answering your emails, we’d recommend asking a taxi driver to take you to a hotel that is popular with visitors. They usually have a few good ideas.

You need to update your report because an American passport holder is not allowed in Syria. So if you are a dual citizen and not on the banned list then you can be qualified for security clearance.

Hi Kay, thank you so much for pointing this out. All updated. 🙂 Happy Travels. Marty

Hello all, sorry in case I overread it but do you have a recommendation on budget hotels where they still speak English? I will travel Syria end of September and I am so much looking forward to it. I am a solo female traveler and so grateful for all your insights you shared – so much appreciated! Greeting from Germany, Veronika

Hi Veronika, No, we don’t have that information for you about budget hotels in Syria. At the time of our visit to Syria, we had to travel with a driver/guide and all hotels were pre-booked for us as part of our package. We recommend you search online on Wikipedia or perhaps some traveller groups on Facebook may have some of this information. We wish you all the best 🙂

Hi, many thanks for this usefaul information 🙂 Could you recommend a tour operator?

Yes, we can. We travelled in Syria with Golden Target Tours and would highly recommend this local tour operator. Contact Khaldoun at +963 944 372 700 (WhatsApp) for more information, or you can contact him via email: [email protected] . I’ve updated our blog post with this info too.

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Do not travel to Syria due to the extremely dangerous security situation and the threat of armed conflict, air strikes, terrorism and kidnapping.

Syria (PDF 755.31 KB)

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Local emergency contacts

Fire services, medical emergencies.

Call 110 or go direct to a hospital.

Call 112 or visit the nearest police station.

Advice levels

Do not travel  to Syria.

Do not travel  to Syria due to the extremely dangerous security situation and the threat of armed conflict, air strikes, terrorism and kidnapping.

See Safety .

• An increased threat of military and terrorist attacks against Israel and Israeli interests across the region and ongoing military action in the Occupied Palestinian Territories could lead to increased tensions in other locations in the Middle East. Demonstration and protest activity may occur, and localised security situations could deteriorate with little notice. Avoid all demonstrations and protests. 
• This may also result in airspace closures, flight cancellations and flight diversions and other travel disruptions. 
• The security situation in Syria is dangerous due to military conflict, air strikes, high levels of violence, terrorism and kidnapping. Chemical weapons have been used in the conflict. If you're in Syria, despite our advice, avoid possible terrorist and military targets. Seek professional security advice if you enter Syria. Limit your movements. Keep stocks of food, water, fuel and toiletries.
• Foreigners, especially aid workers and journalists, have been kidnapped. Vary your routines so your movements don't become obvious to others.
• Protests can turn violent. Authorities have arrested people near demonstrations, regardless of their citizenship. Avoid large public gatherings.
• Crime has increased, including violent robberies, kidnappings and carjackings. Keep your vehicle doors locked and windows up, even when moving. Carry only what you need.

Full travel advice:  Safety

• Access to hospitals and medicine are limited due to the ongoing conflict. The quality of health care in Syria is low. If you're seriously ill or injured, you'll need medical evacuation. This is expensive and hard to organise. The Australian Government won't organise evacuation or pay for these costs.
• Insect-borne diseases, such as leishmaniasis, are common. Malaria occurs in the northern border region, particularly in Al Hasakah Province. Ensure your accommodation is insect-proof. Use insect repellent. Consider taking anti-malarial medication.
• Waterborne, foodborne, parasitic and other infectious diseases are common. These include brucellosis, typhoid and hepatitis. Drink only boiled or bottled water. Avoid raw or undercooked foods and unpasteurised dairy products.

Full travel advice:  Health

• Don't use or carry drugs. Penalties for drug offences include the death sentence.
• Get professional legal advice if you're involved in local legal matters, especially family or business law.
• Be careful when taking photos. It's illegal to photograph military and government buildings and other sensitive infrastructure.
• Using a drone is illegal and could result in a severe penalty. 
• Always carry ID. It's required by law.
• Syria recognises dual nationality. However, if you're an Australian-Syrian dual national, Syrian authorities will treat you as Syrian. If you're a male dual national, you may have to do military service if you go to Syria. Contact your nearest  Syrian embassy or consulate  for details.
• Same-sex relations are illegal in Syria.

Full travel advice:  Local laws

• If you travel to Syria despite our advice and don't have Syrian identity documents, you'll need a visa. Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. You should contact the nearest embassy or consulate of Syria for the latest requirements.
• Contact Lebanese and Syrian authorities for the latest information on travelling between Syria and Lebanon. Entry and exit measures may change without notice. 
• Leave Syria as soon as you can. Most commercial airlines have stopped flying to Syria. Commercial air services and airports could be attacked or stop operating at any time. Roads and border crossings may be blocked without warning. Plan your exit carefully to minimise safety risks. 
• Ongoing conflict in Syria may increase risks to civil aviation in the region. Civil aviation authorities in a number of countries do not allow airlines from those countries to fly in Syrian airspace.
• The local currency is the Syrian Pound (SYP). The economy is primarily cash-based. Penalties for carrying or using currencies other than the SYP are severe. Your credit cards and ATM cards may not work.
• The SYP continues to depreciate heavily and can drastically affect the cost of everyday goods. Ensure you have enough cash for your stay, including depreciation rates. 

Full travel advice:  Travel

Local contacts

• The  Consular Services Charter  details what we can and can't do to help you overseas.
• Australia doesn't have an embassy or consulate in Syria. Our ability to provide consular services in Syria is severely limited. The Romanian Embassy in Damascus may be able to provide some emergency consular services to Australians in Syria. For further information, contact the  Australian Embassy in Beirut .
• To stay up to date with local information, follow the Embassy’s social media accounts.

Full travel advice:  Local contacts

Full advice

Armed conflict and terrorism.

The security situation in Syria is dangerous due to:

• ongoing military conflict, including air strikes
• high levels of violence
• civil unrest and political tensions
• terrorist attacks
• kidnappings involving foreigners

Chemical weapons have been used during the conflict in Syria. These weapons could be used again.

If you're in Syria despite this advice, prepare to leave as soon as possible. Get a valid exit visa in your passport in case you need to depart quickly.

While you're in Syria you should:

• seek professional security advice
• adopt effective personal security measures
• stay in a safe place and limit your movements
• always be alert
• keep a low profile
• vary your routines so your movements don't become obvious to others

Take safety precautions, including: 

• avoiding possible targets for a terrorist or military attack
• having a clear exit plan in case there's a security incident

If there's an attack:

• leave the area as soon as it's safe
• avoid the affected area in case of secondary attacks
• monitor the media for any new or emerging threats

The security situation means access to food, water and fuel can be difficult. You should stockpile essential goods, including toiletries and prescription medication.

Terrorism is a threat worldwide.

More information:

Foreigners have been kidnapped in Syria. Kidnappers often kill hostages.

In the past few years, aid workers and journalists have been kidnapped.

The Australian Government's longstanding policy is that it doesn't make payments or concessions to kidnappers.

Civil unrest and political tension

The security situation in the region remains unpredictable and could deteriorate with little or no warning.

Public protests and events with large groups of people can turn violent.

Syrian authorities have arrested people near demonstrations, regardless of their citizenship.

Civil unrest may limit your ability to travel by road.

If you're in Syria despite our advice:

• avoid rallies, demonstrations and crowds
• avoid funerals and mourning processions
• avoid areas where people congregate after Friday midday prayers
• monitor the media for new safety and security risks, including political events that could increase tensions
• Demonstrations and civil unrest

The breakdown in law and order has led to an increase in crime, including:

• violent robberies
• kidnappings
• carjackings
• drive with your doors locked and windows up
• secure your accommodation
• stay alert to your surroundings

Cyber security 

You may be at risk of cyber-based threats during overseas travel to any country. Digital identity theft is a growing concern. Your devices and personal data can be compromised, especially if you’re connecting to Wi-Fi, using or connecting to shared or public computers, or to Bluetooth.

Social media can also be risky in destinations where there are social or political tensions, or laws that may seem unreasonable by Australian standards. Travellers have been arrested for things they have said on social media. Don't comment on local or political events on your social media.

Cyber security when travelling overseas

Climate and natural disasters

Syria is subject to  earthquakes . Dust storms and sandstorms also happen,  especially during the summer months when there have been long periods of dry weather.

If there's a  natural disaster  or  severe weather :

• secure your passport in a safe, waterproof location
• monitor local media and other sources such as the  Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System
• follow the advice of local authorities
• keep in contact with friends and family

Travel insurance

Get comprehensive  travel insurance  before you leave. 

Your policy needs to cover all overseas medical costs, including medical evacuation. The Australian Government won't pay for these costs.

You'll probably need a special insurance policy that covers travel to high-risk destinations. Most Australian policies won't cover you for travel to Syria.

If you can't afford travel insurance, you can't afford to travel. This applies to everyone, no matter how healthy and fit you are.

If you're not insured, you may have to pay many thousands of dollars up-front for medical care.

• what activities and care your policy covers
• that your insurance covers you for the whole time you'll be away

Physical and mental health

Consider your physical and mental health before you travel, especially if you have an existing medical condition. 

See your doctor or travel clinic to:

• have a basic health check-up
• ask if your travel plans may affect your health
• plan any vaccinations you need

Do this at least 8 weeks before you leave.

If you have immediate concerns for your welfare, or the welfare of another Australian, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on +61 2 6261 3305 or contact your  nearest Australian Embassy, High Commission or Consulate  to discuss counselling hotlines and services available in your location.

• General health advice
• Healthy holiday tips  (Healthdirect Australia)
• COVID-19  (Department of Health and Aged Care)

Not all medication available over the counter or by prescription in Australia is available in other countries. Some may even be considered illegal or a controlled substance, even if prescribed by an Australian doctor.

Due to the ongoing conflict, there is a shortage of medicine. 

If you plan to bring medication, check if it's legal in Syria. Take enough legal medicine for your trip.

Carry a copy of your prescription or a letter from your doctor stating:

• what the medicine is
• your required dosage
• that it's for personal use

Health risks

Syria is exposed to the international spread of  polio .

Insect-borne diseases

Insect-borne diseases, such as  leishmaniasis , are common.

Malaria  occurs in the northern border region, particularly in Al Hasakah Province.

To protect yourself from disease:​ ​

• make sure your accommodation is insect-proof
• use insect repellent
• wear long, loose, light-coloured clothing
• consider taking malaria prevention medication

Get medical advice if you have a fever, muscle pain, a rash or a severe headache.

Other health risks

Waterborne, foodborne, parasitic and other infectious diseases are common. These include:

• brucellosis
• tuberculosis

Serious outbreaks could happen.

To protect yourself from illness:

• drink boiled water or bottled water with sealed lids
• avoid ice cubes
• avoid raw and undercooked food, such as salads
• avoid unpasteurised dairy products

Get medical advice if you have a fever or diarrhoea.

• Infectious diseases

Medical care

Medical facilities.

Access to hospitals is limited due to the ongoing conflict. The quality of healthcare in Syria is low. 

If you become seriously ill or injured, you'll need to be evacuated to a place with suitable facilities. Medical evacuation is expensive and hard to organise. The Australian Government won't organise evacuation or pay for these costs.

You're subject to all local laws and penalties, including those that may appear harsh by Australian standards. Research local laws before travelling.

If you're arrested or jailed, the Australian Government will do what it can to help you under our  Consular Services Charter . But we can't get you out of trouble or out of jail.

Penalties for drug offences are severe and include the death penalty.

• Carrying or using drugs

If you're involved in local legal matters, get professional advice. Know your rights and responsibilities, especially in family law matters like:

• child custody
• child support

Serious crime such as murder have the death penalty.

These activities are illegal in Syria:

• same-sex relationships
• taking photos of military or government buildings or other sensitive infrastructure
• not carrying ID
• failing to have the right entry visa

If you wish to preach a religion other than Islam, get local advice. Restrictions can apply.

• Advice for LGBTI travellers

Australian laws

It's illegal under Australian law for Australian citizens, including dual citizens, to support any armed groups in Syria. This includes:

• joining the conflict
• funding, training or recruiting someone to fight
• supplying or funding weapons

Australia has  imposed sanctions on Syria , including a ban on weapons.

Some Australian criminal laws still apply when you're overseas. If you break these laws, you may face prosecution in Australia.

• Staying within the law and respecting customs

Dual citizenship

Syria recognises dual nationality. 

If you're an Australian-Syrian dual national, Syrian authorities will treat you as Syrian. This limits the  consular services  we can give if you're arrested or detained.

Children of Syrian men obtain Syrian citizenship automatically at birth.

• Dual nationals

Military service

Syria has compulsory military service.

If you're a male dual national, you may have to do military service if you go to Syria. Having an Australian passport won't get you out of military service.

Local customs

Standards of dress and behaviour are conservative, particularly around religious sites.

If you're female, wear loose clothing that covers your arms and legs. Wear a headscarf.

Take care not to offend. If in doubt, seek local advice.

The Islamic holiday month of  Ramadan  is observed in Syria. Respect religious and cultural customs and laws at this time. 

During Ramadan, eating, drinking and smoking may be illegal in public during the day. If you're not fasting, avoid these activities around people who are. Seek local advice to avoid offence.

Explore our Ramadan page to learn more, including dates for Ramadan.

Visas and border measures

Every country or territory decides who can enter or leave through its borders. For specific information about the evidence you'll need to enter a foreign destination, check with the nearest embassy, consulate or immigration department of the destination you're entering. 

If you travel to Syria despite our advice and don't have Syrian identity documents, you'll need a visa.

You can apply for a visa at the nearest Syrian  embassy or consulate  before you go to Syria. You can't get a visa when you arrive.

You must inform Syrian Immigration if you intend to stay in Syria longer than 15 days from the date of entry. This applies to residence permits and visa extensions. 

Parts of Syria, including north-east Syria, are controlled by groups that may issue local travel permits. But you'll still need a visa issued by the Syrian Government if travelling to Syria.

Border measures

Check entry requirements with Syrian authorities before travelling. Monitor media and announcements from local authorities. 

You must declare all foreign currency and electronic equipment when you arrive in Syria, or else you could face delays when you leave. You may need to declare how much currency you're carrying when you arrive and depart. This covers all forms of currency, not just cash.

If you're a dual Australian/Syrian citizen and enter Lebanon using your Syrian documentation, to visit the Australian Embassy in Beirut, you'll need to prove you have an appointment before you'll be allowed to enter the embassy. The Australian Embassy in Beirut can inform Lebanese General Security of your intention to enter Lebanon. To contact the Australian Embassy in Beirut, see  Local contacts .

Syrian border authorities have held Australians of Arab origin for long periods without charge.

If you've overstayed your visa, you'll need an exit visa for you and your children before leaving.

If you have a residence permit, check with Syrian Immigration regarding the 'exit and return' requirements. 

Be aware that:

• children born in Syria must have their father's permission to leave Syria
• a Syrian husband can stop his wife from leaving the country, regardless of her nationality
• unmarried women can be prevented from leaving Syria due to strict family controls

Travel to Israel

If there's evidence that you've travelled to Israel, authorities will refuse your entry to Syria or deport you. Evidence includes:

• Israeli exit or entry stamps in your passport
• Egyptian or Jordanian stamps from border crossings with Israel
• travel itineraries or tickets that include Israel as a destination
• souvenirs from Israel
• airline tags on your bags

Leaving Syria

Leave Syria immediately by commercial means.

Contact Lebanese and Syrian authorities for the latest information on travelling between Syria and Lebanon. Entry and exit measures may change without notice. Most commercial airlines have stopped flying to Syria. Other commercial air services and airports could stop operating without notice.

Civilian airports could come under attack at any time, including in Damascus and Aleppo. 

Telecommunication and travel restrictions may limit your exit options:

• transport options to airports and seats on flights may be limited
• roads may close or be blocked without warning, affecting access to border crossings
• major highways may be blocked
• border crossings can be closed with little or no warning
• conflict can limit access to all border crossings

To minimise risks to your safety:

• seek local and expert advice
• make contingency plans
• check the status of routes to airports and borders
• always carry your passport and travel documents

Other formalities

Do not carry electronic devices such as standalone GPS or hand-held radio equipment. These are illegal in Syria.

Do not use mobile phones at check points.

The Syrian Government enforces restrictions on prior travel to Israel.

Authorities can hold anyone, regardless of their nationality, for questioning for several days and then deport them.

If you travel to Syria despite our advice, note that some countries won't let you enter unless your passport is valid for 6 months after you plan to leave that country. This can apply even if you're just transiting or stopping over.

Some foreign governments and airlines apply this rule inconsistently. Travellers can receive conflicting advice from different sources.

You may end up stranded if your passport is not valid for more than 6 months.

The Australian Government does not set these rules. Check your passport's expiry date before you travel. If you're not sure if it will be valid for long enough, consider getting  a new passport .

Lost or stolen passport

Your passport is a valuable document. It's attractive to people who may try to use your identity to commit crimes.

Some people may try to trick you into giving them your passport. Always keep it in a safe place.

If your passport is lost or stolen, tell the Australian Government as soon as possible.

• In Australia, contact the  Australian Passport Information Service .
• If you're overseas, contact the nearest  Australian embassy or consulate .

Passport with ‘X’ gender identifier 

Although Australian passports comply with international standards for sex and gender, we can’t guarantee that a passport showing 'X' in the sex field will be accepted for entry or transit by another country. Contact the nearest  embassy, high commission or consulate of your destination  before you arrive at the border to confirm if authorities will accept passports with 'X' gender markers.

• LGBTI travellers

The local currency is the Syrian Pound (SYP).

You can change money in government banks or at recognised exchange bureaus. However, many exchange bureaus can no longer exchange foreign currency. There are severe penalties for carrying or using currencies other than SYP.

You can't convert Syrian pounds into other currencies when you leave.

International sanctions mean financial organisations in several countries have stopped doing business with Syrian companies.

Credit cards may not be accepted in Syria. You may not be able to access your money via ATMs.

Local travel

Local restrictions.

Travel within some parts of Syria can be particularly dangerous.

If you're in Syria despite our advice, consider the security environment before travelling within the country. See  Safety

Road travel

Access to international border crossings may be limited due to roadblocks, road closures and fighting. This can happen with little to no warning.

Major highways may become or are already blocked, due to conflict. These include:

• Tartous-Latakia
• Tartous-Homs
• Latakia-Aleppo
• Homs-Damascus
• Damascus-Jordan

If you need to travel by road, first:

• get local information on possible routes
• Driving or riding

Don't travel to Syria by sea due to the dangerous security situation.

The international airport in Damascus is the only airport operating international flights in Syria. 

Ongoing conflict in Syria may increase risks to civil aviation in the region. Civil aviation authorities in a number of countries do not allow airlines from those countries to fly in Syrian airspace. If you travel to Syria despite our advice, refer to the Smartraveller page on air travel and check with airlines before booking.  Flight paths are subject to change.  Check with your airline for updates and departure options. 

DFAT does not provide information on the safety of individual commercial airlines or flight paths.

Emergencies

Depending on what you need, contact your:

• family and friends
• travel agent
• insurance provider

Always get a police report when you report a crime.

Your insurer should have a 24-hour emergency number.

Consular contacts

Read the  Consular Services Charter  for what the Australian Government can and can't do to help you overseas.

Australia doesn't have an embassy or consulate in Syria. The ability of the Australian Government to provide consular help in Syria is severely limited.

The Romanian Embassy in Damascus may be able to provide limited emergency consular services to Australians in Syria. They provide these services under a consular assistance arrangement in conjunction with the Australian Embassy in Beirut.

Romanian Embassy, Damascus

8, Rue Ibrahim Hanano, PO Box 4454, Damascus, Syria Phone: (+963 11) 332 75 72  Fax: (+963 11) 332 75 71 Email:  [email protected]  or  [email protected]

Australian Embassy, Beirut

Embassy Complex, Serail Hill  Downtown Beirut, Lebanon  Phone: +961 1 960 600  Fax: +961 1 960 601  Email:  [email protected] Website:  lebanon.embassy.gov.au Facebook:  Australian Embassy - Beirut, Lebanon Twitter:  @SafirAustralia

24-hour Consular Emergency Centre

In a consular emergency, if you can't contact an embassy, call the 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on:

• +61 2 6261 3305 from overseas
• 1300 555 135 in Australia

Travelling to Syria?

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• Passports, travel and living abroad
• Travel abroad
• Foreign travel advice

Warnings and insurance

Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).

FCDO advises against all travel to Syria

FCDO advises against all travel to Syria due to the ongoing conflict and unpredictable security conditions.

If you are a British national in Syria, leave the country by any practical means.

UK government support

There is no UK government support available in Syria, as all British Embassy services in Damascus are suspended. If you need help, call the FCDO in London on +44 (0)20 7008 5000.

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel against FCDO advice, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance . Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

About FCDO travel advice

FCDO provides advice about risks of travel to help British nationals make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice .

Follow and contact FCDO travel on Twitter , Facebook and Instagram . You can also sign up to get email notifications when this advice is updated.

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Syria eyes visitor bounce back, hopes for return of European tourists

Damascus (AFP) – Visitor numbers to Syria are growing again after a collapse caused by a decade of war, the tourism minister said Wednesday, adding he hoped for a return of European tour operators next year.

Issued on: 24/11/2021 - 18:28

"We are expecting 2022 to be better than previous years," Tourism Minister Mohammed Martini told a press conference in Damascus announcing a 10-year plan to revive the sector.

The number of arrivals to Syria so far this year stands at 488,000, in what he said was already an annual increase, although he did not provide last year's figures.

He also said that the income generated by state-owned hotels had increased fivefold over the past year.

Martini did not specify the origin of the latest arrivals, but Syria is an important destination for Shiite pilgrims and has continued to welcome visitors from Iran, Iraq and Lebanon during the conflict.

President Bashar al-Assad's regime is a pariah in the West, and foreign sanctions have drastically reduced its economic ties with the rest of the world.

Martini, himself a hotel and tour operator owner under EU sanctions since 2019, said Syrian tourism players were touring European fairs to push for "a return of cultural tourism".

He said his ministry had already received "dozens of requests from European tour operators" interested in organising trips to Syria, which used to be a popular destination before deadly conflict erupted in 2011.

"I am not saying that the numbers will go back up" to pre-2011 levels, "but they are going to grow," he told AFP.

At least two European tour operators, one based in the United Kingdom and the other in Germany, have already advertised trips to Syria for 2022.

Syria is home to several UNESCO world heritage sites that were very popular with tourists before the war, such as Palmyra and the Krak des Chevaliers crusader castle.

Most sites were damaged by more than 10 years of a conflict that has killed nearly half a million people, but restoration work was undertaken and the minister insisted all major attractions were now safe.

Fighting in the country has receded since the beginning of last year, but Syria's economy is on its knees and the regime is seeking to claw itself out of international isolation.

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15 Best Things To Do In Syria in 2024

When I decided to travel to Syria the first thing everyone said was of course: ‘are you crazy!?’. An understandable reaction but it didn’t change my mind. I realized that for me it was safe to visit Syria and their outstanding tourist attractions were on my bucketlist for a very long time.

For many years this country was topping the bucketlist of many travelers and no wonder because there are so many amazing things to do and places to visit in Syria. But when the Syrian war in 2011 started, everything changed...

First I will list the best things to do in Syria before I tell you more about my trip, about the safety issues traveling to Syria in 2024 and also give you some more Syria travel tips and an ultimate Syria itinerary to start planning your own trip to Syria.

Apart from Palmyra and Latakia, all the Syria attractions and tourist destinations listed below I was able to visit myself on a 1-week Syria itinerary. At the end of this blog I will also show you my Syria itinerary and tell you more how I traveled around and got passed all the checkpoints.

For many years this was the most iconic Syria tourist attraction, but unfortunately it suffered heavily during the Syrian War and a lot of this historical site got destroyed. This archeological site and the most popular tourist attraction in Syria was built in 200 AD by the Romans. The ruins of this city are so iconic that I remember them from one of the first travel books I once got when I was a kid. Palmyra was one of the reasons I badly wanted to visit Syria.

In 2024 you are able to visit Palmyra again, but unfortunately I did not get a permit to travel to Palmyra in 2019. Yes, you needed a special permit, which can be arranged by the travel agency. This has nothing to do with your visa, this permit has to be personally approved by the high officials in the military.

Recently several tourists have been lucky enough to get a permit to visit Palmyra (at no extra costs, just safety measures). For me it is another reason to travel to Syria again in the future.

2. Krak des Chevaliers

One of the most preserved medieval castles in the world can be found in Syria on a hill not too far from the city of Homs. It was built in the 11th century and its size is truly impressive. It endured the Syrian war pretty damn well, but looking at its majestic size I am pretty sure it will still be there another thousand years from now. Krak des Chevalier was one of my Syria highlights.

When I caught the first glimpse of Krak de Chevalier I was in awe and after taking many photos from outside we toured for almost 2 hours inside the castle. Our guide was telling one interesting story after the other.

There are many hidden rooms and the view from the top is amazing. Read more about it in my Krak des Chevalier blog .

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When we sat down for a tea after visiting Bosra we heard that we were the first European tourists in 9 years! I couldn’t believe my eyes, because when you travel to Syria make sure to include this in your itinerary if possible! The Bosra amphitheater and the ruins of the old city are one of the best things to do in Syria in 2024 for sure.

Sorry Italians, but the massive amphitheater in Bosra is much more impressive than the Colosseum in Rome. This place blew my mind and writing about this place to visit in Syria makes me smile again. On the other hand it also makes me a little sad knowing that this unique tourist attraction has been unable to visit for so many years. Bosra is located in the south of Syria on the Jordan border, about 1,5 hours drive from Damascus.

Behind the Amphitheater you will find the ruins of the old city of Bosra dating back to 200 AD. Incredible to walk through as well and even our guide had not been in 9 years time. He was just as much a tourists as me. According to his words most of this Syria attraction has endured the war pretty well.

For videos about visiting Bora click here to see my Instagram stories .

4. Damascus

Now that I first told you my 3 favorite things to do in Syria I can start with the capital. Being one of the oldest capitals in the world, Damascus obviously is a meltpot of cultures and a piece of ancient history can be found on every street corner. Small doors opening to amazing courtyards, hidden underground churches, the big Damascus souk and of course the the most impressive Umayyad Mosque, one of the best things to do in Damascus. Also don’t forget to get lost in the narrow streets in the Christian quarter and for a good rooftop restaurant with views over the city go to Naranj.

One of my best Damascus travel tips is to go on a guided city tour and I can recommend you the following guide: Ghassan +963 933 334 416. This amazingly friendly and patient guide was a legend, so kind and calm. He is a Christian living in Damascus all his life, who can tell you the hidden corners in the Christian quarter as well as in the Muslim areas.

On top of that one of my Syria travel tips is to go out at night! Yes go party in the Christian Quarter in Damascus, there are many bars and even some rooftops. It is totally safe in Damascus to walk around on your own at night. At least that was my experience!

See here the videos on my Instagram story about Damascus here including the party, sleeping in a mosque, the churches and getting lost in the narrow streets.

The second biggest city and a major Syria tourist attraction before the war. Not that long ago it reopened its doors to international tourists and when you are visiting Syria try to add this to your Syria itinerary. Unfortunately two of the best things to do in Aleppo got completely destroyed during the war: the Aleppo Great Mosque and the Aleppo Souk. The mosque is closed for visitors as it is one big construction site, but the souk is open, although only reconstructed for about 10% at the moment.

So why bother going you might ask yourself when it is almost completely destroyed in the Syrian War? Right now the Aleppo great Mosque is under construction and they are rebuilding it from the ground. The Aleppo souk was in total 12 kilometers long and is a living history. Here I met several people, sat down and had tea with them while listening to their stories about the past, the war and the future. Strolling through the remains of the Aleppo souk was one of my Syria highlights, an emotional experience.

Aside from the destruction there is the Aleppo citadel, a castle on top of a hill. The Aleppo castle is survived the war and is an amazing place to visit in Aleppo. You can climb all the way to the top of one of the watch towers which will give you a 360 view over this massive city.

At night the area around the citadel is extremely lively and the walk around the castle walls is like a boulevard with tea houses and restaurants dotted along the way. We went out partying, see my Instagram stories . Visiting Aleppo on you trip to Syria will be totally worth it and don’t forget to eat traditional Aleppo Kebab.

6. Beehive Houses at Al Jaboul Lake

Because of the ongoing war in the Northwest of Syria the highway between Hama and Aleppo is closed. To visit Aleppo you have to make a detour through the desert, but that will bring you to the  remains of the famous Beehive Villages. These mud houses were designed for life in the desert but deserted already for a long time. These deserted villages now became one of the Syria tourist attractions. You can find them around the Al Jaboul Lake.

7. Salt Lake (Al Jaboul Lake)

Syria has its own salt lake worth adding to your list of things to do in Syria. It is located just an hour Southeast of Aleppo and perfect to add to your itinerary together with the Beehive villages. The highway towards Aleppo follows along the Salt Lake for a bit and you can’t miss it. The friendly workers will surely invite you for a tea when you stop here.

Personally I was not a really big fan of Hama. Not saying it is not worth visiting, but it is not topping my list of best things to do in Syria. Hama is famous for its impressive waterwheels and historical irrigation system. The wooden water wheels can reach lengths up to 30 meters in diagonal. The city is dotted with a lot of them.

The narrow streets in the old city are also worth strolling through and there you will find a restaurant hidden in an amazing courtyard. It reminded me a bit about my trip to Iran where I found loads of these kind of places. The name of the restaurant is Aspasia. When visiting Hama definitely go here for dinner or lunch, see the videos on my Instagram Stories 2.

At night the streets of Hama were like one big night market, almost like Thailand style. It also was the most conservative place I have ever been after Iran.

Unfortunately Homs is one fo the places that suffered a lot in the Syrian War and many Syria tourist attractions got destroyed. I definitely don’t encourage you to visit remains of a war zone, but what I saw in Homs was unreal. Strolling through the endless destruction in Homs, made me rethink about a lot of things in life. The sad reality of what people do to each other…

In the middle of the destruction in Homs there is a beautiful restored mosque. It was one of the most impressive things to do in Syria. While sitting inside a beautiful restored mosque in the heart of the most worst destructive area in Syria I simply lost it. Visiting Homs will be emotional, though worth it on your trip to Syria!

10. Sednaya

Visiting Sednaya was put on my Syria itinerary instead of going to Palmyra. Looking back Sednaya was a great place to visit in Syria. This mountain village located 1,500 meter above sea level is most famous for its Greek Orthodox Monastary on top of a hill. According to the legends of the Christians AND the Muslims Holy Virgin Mary appeared here at the Our Lady of Saidnaya Monastery. Climb up to the top of the monastery for amazing views over this mountain village.

Sednaya is located only 30 kilometers north of Damascus and easy to visit on a day trip from Damascus.

11. Maaloula

According to many Syria travel guides similar to Sednaya, but to me visiting Maaloula was even more interesting. To me visiting Maaloula felt like a fresh wind. Most places to visit in Syria are Muslim orientated, but Maaloula is more about the history of Jesus Christ. Maaloula is one of the only 3 remaining villages where they still speak the Aramaic, the language of Jesus Christ.

There are several things to do in Maaloula, like visiting the Saint Sarkis Monastery, the Saint Thecla Monastery, the statue of Virgin Maria, a walk through a narrow canyon and the taking in the view over this beautiful mountain village from one of the viewpoints.

All these amazing places to visit in Maaloula made it one of the best things to do in Syria for me! It is about 30 minutes north of Sednaya, fairly close to Damascus as well.

The religious music that was coming from the speaker of the Saint Sarkis Monastery on top of the hill and blasting over this mountain village literally gave me goosebumps. You should see my Instagram Story about Maaloula . Another amazing moment was a lady that came came to pray in Aramaic inside the church. So many magical moments, I really loved visiting Maaloula!

12. Latakia

Because of the way our Syria itinerary was created we had to skip Latakia and I got a lot of ‘shit’ for it from Syrians. Just for fun of course, but according to many of my followers this is one of the best places to visit in Syria. Fancy some days at the Mediterranean Sea then visit Latakia. The 4th biggest city in the country houses several historical buildings in the city center, but is more famous for its beautiful bays, beaches and delicious seafood.

The city of Tartus was my first stop in Syria, regarded the safest city during the Syrian War. This Mediterranean coastal city is your base for visiting Amrit, the best preserved temple in the world of the Phoenacians dating back more than 4,000 years ago. Our guide himself did not visit this famous archeological site in more than 9 years. You can also find several tombs here in the countryside close to Tartus. Read more about visiting this Syria tourist attraction in my Tartus travel blog .

Unfortunately some amazing things to do in Syria are not safe to go at the time of writing this article.

14. Qalaat Al Madiq

In Qalaat Al Madiq you would be able to find amazing Roman ruins of an old city that has a similar feel to Palmyra. There is also a castle on top of a hill worth visiting. Only in May 2019 the Syrian Armed Forces retook this town from the rebels. Tourists have been back visiting Qalaat Al Madiq. It is one my list of places to visit in Syria when I return.

Unfortunately due to time restrictions I had no time to visit Daraa on my trip to Syria. But if you after all the dusty desert towns also want a slice of green nature then make your way South to Daraa. Here you will find canyons, green hills, waterfalls and more spectacular nature just 10 kilometer from the Jordan border.

Just like Busra it has not been visited by foreign tourists for many years. Im not saying it is safe to visit at the moment, I would leave that up to your Syria travel agency to decide. Daraa is where the Syrian conflict got sparked with the arrest of 15 youngsters when they painted anti-government slogans on buildings.

In case you get a chance and you feel it is safe to visit I would add this highlight to your Syria itinerary.

Is it safe to travel to Syria?

Of course that is the first question I would like to discuss. Obviously I didn’t wanna risk my life to see all the Syria attractions so I did a little research. Mainstream media are not the places to do your research. When you are ready to travel to Syria in 2024, Im pretty sure you are aware of that already.

I reached out to people that lately took a trip to Syria. How? Social media, blogs, etc. These are the people that can really tell you if it is safe to travel to Syria. Instagram is a good source, but you have already found my Syria travel blog and I can tell you I did NOT feel uncomfortable or whatsoever on my week long trip to Syria.

Syria travel advice

Yes there is a negative travel advice for Syria and that is because officially there is still a war ongoing. Well, let me tell you that is not where you want to go and you won’t even be able to of course. All the things to do in Syria that I am showing you are safe to visit. My advice is to go travel to Syria with a reputable local travel company.

The company I used to travel to Syria with Golden Target Tours. The company is run for more than 30 years by a Syrian man called Khaldoun Alamy . If you contact him tell him you are referred by Traveltomtom and he will have a nice offer for you!

My trip to Syria

This Syria travel blog is written based on MY OWN experiences on my trip to Syria at the end of 2019. It was MY OWN idea to travel to Syria, no one has forced me to go, nor did anyone force me to write travel blogs about Syria.

To date it is the most expensive trip I have ever done in 7 years around the world as a full time traveler. My tour was arranged with an independent Syria travel agency running Syria tours for more than 30 years.

All my videos about my trip to Syria can be found in my Instagram Stories highlights , I recommend you to have a look to see the good, the bad and the ugly about traveling to Syria in 2019. There are 3 different stories on my Instagram @traveltomtom : Syria 1, Syria 2 and Syria 3.

The reason I wanted to visit Syria was not only to see all the fabulous places to see in Syria, but also to get in touch with the amazingly friendly Syrian people and show the world that NOT everything about Syria is negative!

Yes I feel deeply saddened for those Syrians that had to run for their lives and are not able to go back to their homeland. But let me assure you that I travel to learn, to become a better person from all that I experience on the road. The only people I wanted to support with my trip to Syria are those Syrians I met on the street, the locals.

Best itinerary for Syria in 2024

To tick off all the above mentioned safe things to do in Syria I recommend you travel to Syria for at least 1 week. At the moment almost all trips to Syria start from Beirut, Lebanon.

Day 1: Beirut to Tartus/Latakia - (A,B)

Day 2: krak des chevalier - homs - salt lake (c,d,e), day 3: aleppo (f), day 4: hama - palmyra (g,h), day 5: sednaya - maaloula (i,j), day 6: damascus (l), day 7: busra - daara (k), syria travel blogs.

I hope all my Syria travel tips, places to visit and things to do were helpful for your upcoming trip to Syria. I also wrote a couple more personal Syria travel blogs about my first days. In my blog about Tartous you can read about my first impressions of Syria and the border crossing from Lebanon to Syria. In my Krak des Chevalier blog you can read all about my visit to one of my favorite things to do in Syria.

Curious with which Syria travel agency I arranged my trip or any other questions about my trip to Syria then please send me a message on my Instagram @traveltomtom and I am happy to help you out sending you my contact and help in any way I can planning your trip to Syria.

My Instagram is also where you can find more about my journey to visit every country in the world . As of January 2024 I have visited more than 155 countries!

Enjoy your trip to Syria!

Syria is one of the richest countries of the world with its diversity of civilizations, archeological sites, as well as its assorted nature from its desert, to its mountains, plains, sea and rivers. This is the land where great civilizational achievements, which were reached throughout the efforts and gained experiences of the human race, first saw the light.

Palmyra was a capital to one of the most important kingdoms of the Levant. The kingdom of Palmyra, currently known as “the bride of the desert”, dates back to the second century B.C. Notable for its marvelous monuments and its expanding streets surrounded by columns, gates, temples and its theatre as well as suburbs, houses and palaces, and its historical castle

بهدف تأمين فرص عمل في المؤسسات والمنشآت السياحية تطلق وزارتا السياحة والشؤون الاجتماعية والعمل بالتعاون  مع الأمانة السورية للتنمية الثلاثاء القادم

وزارة السياحة تؤكد على المقبولين للتعاقد بموجب إعلان المسابقة والاختبار المعلن عنهما لصالح الوزارة  والواردة أسماؤهم في القرارات

Under the patronage of the Ministry of Tourism and in cooperation with the General Sports Federation and the Tartous Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Union of Fine Artists in Syria opened on Friday an exhibition of 50 paintings and 25 sculptures of 37 artists 

In order to highlight and promote the city of Qadmous and its tourist, archeological and natural elements, Tartous Tourism Directorate held the cultural week in Qadmous city in cooperation with the city of Qadmous and under the patronage of Tartous Governor

In the framework of encouraging youth initiatives and activating domestic tourism to different governorates, a trip to Wadi Qandil in Lattakia Governorate was organized for three days

The work of the Sand Sculpture Forum will be opened at the marina (Yacht Club) organized by the National Association for Tourism Development in Syria in collaboration with the Lattakia City Council and the Union of Fine Arts in Syria

• Rif Dimashq
• Deir ez-Zor

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Syria Tours

Group & private syria tours.

We organise both private and group tours to Syria. Whether you’re looking for a one day trip to Damascus or a 15 day bespoke whole Syria tour – we’ve got you covered.

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Our Syria tours start and finish in either Beirut, Amman or Damascus airport. Our team of guides and drivers will pick you up and escort you from wherever you wish to start and finish.

All scheduled group tours start and finish in Beirut. Transfers from Beirut to and from Damascus are included in the tour price.

We constantly monitor the situation on the ground with our partners in Syria. Tour itineraries are subject to last minute changes depending on the security situation.

Entry will be refused to those with Israeli stamps in their passport.

Check out our full list of group trips below – all our groups are capped at only 12 people .

Prefer a private trip? We can arrange a tour for any number of people on any dates – just get in touch and let us know when you want to travel.

Covid - 19 Update

The Syrian borders are open to international tourism with zero covid requirements. 

Damascus – Maaloula – Krak des Chevalier – Homs – Aleppo – Lattakia – Tartous – Hama – Palmyra – Bosra.

Unsure of where to go? Check out our Map & Sample Itinerary below

You can travel to Syria on any dates but the summers can get quite hot and the winters are cold and snowy. All places we visit and include on our itineraries are regarded as safe.

All museums are closed on Tuesdays.

Damascus, SY

The Syrian visa on arrival takes approx 2 weeks to process and is open to most nationalities worldwide.

Get in touch and we will let you know if you qualify for a tourist visa.

We will inform you when your security clearance is approved, then you are free to collect the visa on arrival at the border.

Group   Tours

Itinerary Summer 2024

It’s our most comprehensive Syria tour – covering the essentials plus the Mediterranean coast, Bosra and one hell of a festival!

• August 11 - 19th, 2024

Itinerary Autumn 2024

Our classic 7 day Syria tour taking in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Maaloula and Palmyra!

• September 16 - 22nd, 2024

Itinerary December 2024

No better place to ring in the new year than Damascus Old Town!

• December 27 - Jan 2nd, 2025

Itinerary March 2025

See Damascus, Homs, Aleppo, Palmyra & much more on this tour of Syria from Beirut return!

• February 28 - March 6th, 2025

Itinerary Easter 2025

What better place to spend your hard-earned Easter break! Spring time is also the perfect time to visit Syria.

• April 18 - 24th, 2025

Sample Itinerary

Beirut – Damascus – Krak de Chavaliers – Homs – Aleppo – Damascus – Beirut.

Day 1 - Beirut / Damascus

• Early pick up from Beirut, Lebanon .
• Transfer to the Syrian border for exit/entry formalities.
• Continue onto Damascus by private car.
• Check into your incredible Old Damascene hotel. Take a short rest before starting a walking tour of the old town.
• In the afternoon we’ll explore the Al-Hamidiyah Souq .
• Free time in the evening to enjoy Damascus’ vibrant night-life along “Straight Street”.
• Optional visit to a Hamam for an evening scrub! There’s no better way to end your first day in Damascus than relaxing in one of it’s ancient bath houses.
• Overnight in Old Damascus .

Day 2 - Damascus

• After breakfast, we’ll start our full day Damascus city tour .
• Visit the National Museum of Syria.
• Explore the Handicraft market  for some of the best handmade goods in the Middle East.
• Azem Palace (a perfect example of a traditional Damascene house turned museum of the Ottoman times)
• Umayyad mosque (a place of worship since the first millennium B.C. It was once a church and now one of the most unique and important mosques in the world).
• Visit The church of St. Ananias , the window of St.Paul .
• Dinner and and overnight in Damascus.

Day 3 - Malloula, Krak des Chevaliers & Homs

• Drive onto Maaloula , a small Christian town that was almost completely decimated by ISIS in 2014. It’s one of the most scenic villages in Syria and is the only place in the world where Aramaic; the language spoken by Christ is still used as a living language
• We’ll visit a Catholic church which was destroyed but has already  been largely rebuilt.
• Continue driving to Krak Des Chevaliers – “The most wholly admirable castle in the world.” – According to Lawrence of Arabia – and one of the most important preserved medieval crusader castles in the world.
• After touring the castle, we continue onto Homs . Witness some of the rebuilding efforts underway and visit Khaled Ibn Al-Walid shrine .
• Dinner and overnight in the Homs countryside.

Day 4 - Homs & Aleppo

• Homs tour including a visit to the St. Mary’s Church of the Holy Bel t – the seat of the Syriac Orthodox Church.
• Depart for the 2 hour drive north to Aleppo.
• Arrive in the early evening.
• Explore some of the old town around the citadel by night.
• Dinner at a famous Armenian family run Syrian restaurant.
• Overnight in Aleppo .

Day 5 - Aleppo

• Aleppo was arguably one of the worst affected cities during the Syrian war. Here you’ll get the chance to see some of the terrible destruction as well as the opportunity to witness the early stages of the massive rebuilding projects that Syrians are now undertaking.
• Our first stop in the morning will be the famous Aleppo Castle . 
• We’ll also be able to see the destroyed souk and see the fully restored parts.
• Visit the Aleppo Museum and walk through the adjoining markets.
• Visit the Baron Hotel – one of Aleppo’s most famous landmarks. It’s the oldest still functioning Hotel in Syria which once welcomed the likes of Charles De Gaulle, Yuri Gagarin, Lawrence of Arabia, Agatha Christie and Theodore Roosevelt. Stay here if you dare but you will have to do without heating, electricity or hot water.
• Dinner & overnight in Aleppo

Day 6 - Hama & Damascus

• Departure after breakfast to Hama . We’ll visit the famous waterwheels here which once provided vital water ways to the land.
• Drive back to Damascus , with some scenic stops along the way.
• Arrive in Damascus in the late afternoon. Check back into our hotel.
• Free time to explore for the rest of the day.
• Overnight in Damascus.

Day 7 - Damascus & Beirut

• Final sightseeing around the places you might have missed before!
• Last chance for souvenirs at the craft market.
• After lunch begin the drive back to Beirut by private transfer.
• End of tour.

Most frequent questions and answers for our tours to Syria.

Following the war, Syria has recently become safe again for travel. All the places we visit on our Itineraries are safe and we do not venture to places which are not deemed safe for foreigners.

Travel insurance is a must. We have teamed up with IATI Travel Insurance because they provide cover for all our destinations. You’ll also automatically receive a 5% discount with them as a Rocky Road Travel customer.

Syria enjoys a temperate Mediterranean climate. Spring and early Autumn are perfect. It gets pretty cold in the winter and hot in the summer. We can arrange travel for any dates of your choice.

The easiest way is overland from Beirut where most of our tours start. It’s also possible to start from Amman, Jordan.

USD is the main currency for exchange into the Syrian pound. Make sure to bring cash as ATM’s are unreliable.

Our scheduled group tours have a maximum of 12 participants only.

When you sign up for one of our tours we will apply for a Syrian security clearance on your behalf. This will then allow you to travel to Syria and pay for your visa on arrival at the border. To apply for the security clearance we require the following info:

-a scan of your passport

-your address

-a proof of current or previous employment

The restaurants we visit cater for vegetarians, vegans and other unique dietary requirements out there. We do recommend bringing in some snacks from home just in case you get the munchies on the road and can’t find anything suitable at the time.

YES! We strongly recommend giving a tip to your local guide and driver at the end of the tour.

For men, regular clothing is fine. Women should cover shoulders and knees in holy places. Hair only needs to be covered in one or two mosques. Abaya’s will be provided when needed.

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Further   Reading

How to spend 24 hours in Beirut

All those about to embark on, or just returning from one of our Syria tours will find themselves in Lebanon’s high-octane capital, Beirut. Beirut is

Is It Difficult To Travel To Syria?

How to get into Syria travelling to Syria is not totally foolproof, and there are certain instances where entry will be denied. Depending on your

Top 5 Syrian Foods You Should Try

The best of Syrian Food Put simply, the food in Syria is outstanding. Mediterranean ingredients combined with ancient techniques and Arabic flavours; those into their

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clock This article was published more than  1 year ago

Amid criticism, Western tourists returning to a battered Syria

BEIRUT — Standing high on the castle-like walls of Aleppo’s historic citadel, Nick White was shocked by the destruction to the city. The 63-year-old British tourist could see how large parts had been flattened by Syria’s terrible civil war.

The ancient Citadel of Aleppo has never been breached, his guide said, pointing to the thin slits and other openings along the walls where 800 years ago defenders shot arrows and poured boiling oil down on Crusader invaders. In 2013, those openings became sniper positions.

The medieval fortification is surrounded by a deep moat and steep walls, with the sole entrance through a stone bridge resting atop high columns. The protection the citadel offered centuries ago was revived in 2013, when government forces holed up there for three years, fending off rebels in the city below, fueled by the belief that he who controls the citadel controls the front lines.

After years of conflict, tourists are returning to a changed Syria. This summer, locals and tour operators are reporting an uptick in visitors from Western countries. Authorities restarted issuing visas in October to let curious foreigners see for themselves the country whose conflict once dominated television screens and flooded Europe with refugees.

Syrians fleeing desperation at home flock to the United Arab Emirates

Now, as the echoes of war die down in Syria — despite several still-active front lines — and travelers are returning, detractors demand that visitors consider how their trips support a government known for its oppressiveness and brutality .

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Criticism of such trips has mounted abroad, particularly in 2019 following a brief revival of Western tourism and the ensuing flood of videos and blogs by travel influencers. Anger flared among Syrians residing abroad, many of whom had been displaced by the war and cannot return home themselves.

Syria had resumed granting tourist visas in 2018 in hopes of pulling in some much needed revenue, before the pandemic put an end to that.

The Syria Justice and Accountability Centre, a Washington-based nonprofit, said last summer that while tourism can help locals in Syria, “mass promotion without nuance or understanding is irresponsible at best and potentially fatal” for those still living under “a government involved in systemic human rights abuses.”

White, like many of his fellow travelers, knows the criticism that tours such as his face, and everyone in his group wondered if this is “effectively supporting the Assad regime.”

“But no, we were supporting the Syrian economy,” he said. “We’re supporting the people on the street, trying to bring some money into the economy.”

The tours typically cost about $1,700 per person for a week-long trip that includes stops in Damascus, Aleppo, Palmyra (with its unparalleled Roman-era ruins) and the Crusader fort of Krak des Chevaliers — considered one of the finest examples of medieval military architecture in the region.

Where they don’t go is to the northwest, where former al-Qaeda affiliates, Turkish-backed rebels, Syrian soldiers and Russian mercenaries nervously eye one another amid talk of a new Turkish invasion. Out of sight are also the areas to the east where Iranian militants roam and U.S.-backed Kurdish forces are still hunting the remnants of the Islamic State.

ISIS leader dead after U.S. raid in Syria, Biden says

All outside tourism agencies are required to work with local companies registered with Syria’s Tourism Ministry, which are responsible for handling visa applications and coordinating security clearances, accommodation and transportation.

While U.S. passport holders are almost always rejected, those from Europe are increasingly allowed in, and residents in Damascus and other cities report seeing much larger numbers of tourists distinct from the usual Iranian pilgrims, Russian mercenaries and Chinese visitors.

Tour leaders interviewed for this article all said they are not accompanied by government minders, who are typically assigned to supervise and restrict the movement of foreign visitors.

There is one exception: An unarmed member of the Syrian army escorts every group through Palmyra, desert city of the fabled Queen Zenobia , who took on the Roman Empire in the 3rd century. The man is typically a lieutenant who was directly involved in the battles to liberate the city from the Islamic State, which conquered the area twice, in 2015 and 2017, and destroyed some of the historic ruins.

“Really hearing the modern history,” White said, “with ISIS and the things that they got up to, seeing the ruins in Palmyra that they had blown up and knocked down, and hearing that they executed people on the stage, in the auditorium we were sitting in, it was really,” he paused, “poignant.”

The officer describes the battles, points to the damage, answers questions. “But then he gives a little bit of an ideological speech,” said one tour leader, painting “the Syrian army as national heroes.”

To give as balanced a view as possible, this particular tour leader makes sure his trips include another stop, where the travelers meet a member of the Free Syrian Army, a loose band of factions and fighters created in the wake of the revolts that spread throughout the country in 2011.

Made up at first largely of defected soldiers and officers, it fought government troops across the country, labeling areas “liberated Syria,” before collapsing from infighting and other factors, amid the rise of radical Islamist groups.

The tour leader, who spoke on the condition of anonymity for security reasons because he still works in Syria, makes sure his groups hear a different version of history here, where the Syrian army “started slaughtering and burning down houses, along with Hezbollah.”

Lebanese spy chief says U.S. wants his help freeing Americans in Syria

James Willcox, founder of the Britain-based travel agency Untamed Borders, said tourists resuming their visits to the country give Syrians a sense that some things, at least, are slowly returning to normal. “After a decade of conflict, normalization is good,” he said in a phone interview. “It’s a really positive sign; it’s one of those symbols of better times ahead.”

The resumption of Western tourism in Syria does present a lifeline for hotels, restaurants and small-business owners, especially those in and around old cities in Damascus and Aleppo, who for generations have been catering to adventurous foreigners.

But they are not the only ones to gain financially: Individuals and groups close to the government naturally stand to benefit as well. According to local reports, the Katerji Group, under U.S. sanction and run by two brothers who accrued their wealth on the back of the war, has plans underway to turn Aleppo’s old military hospital into a five-star hotel complex — profiting from one of the most vicious sieges of the war, which saw whole neighborhoods leveled by Russian-backed artillery.

Attempts to clear the rubble and rebuild in the city are underway, but a war-torn economy, sanctions and the steep depreciation of the Syrian pound have sunk the country into a financial crisis that will prolong any reconstruction.

White said he visited Syria in April with the Spanish-based agency Against the Compass “because it is just a place that not a lot of people have been to, and I just wanted to see for myself.”

Visible from the citadel, whose walls were partly collapsed by a bomb in 2015, are Aleppo’s famous covered markets, once a must-see on the tourist trail but now destroyed by fighting between the rebels and the government in 2012. “Heart-wrenching,” White said.

THE 5 BEST Syria Tours & Excursions

Syria tours.

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• Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.

1. Marrota Travel & Tourism

2. Syrian Guides

3. Nawafir Travel & Tours

4. Syria Scope Travel

5. RJ Travel Agency in Syria

6. Luxor Travel & Tourism

7. Hejaz Railway

8. Mithra Travel

9. naya tours, what travelers are saying.

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Syria open for tourism

Tourist visa for Syria

After 1.5 year of closure, Syria has resumed tourist visa. Since this week tourist visas are issues again for most Western countries (including USA). While it’s still very recent news, several announcements have already been made about the new regulations.

• It’s only possible to arrive via Lebanon, Jordan or Damascus Airport.
• For now you have to arrive via a certified agency, they will make sure that you’ll get security clearance so that you can get your visa upon arrival at the border. We are a certified partner for this.
• Visa costs are around €70 but it depends on the nationality.
• It takes between 15 to 30 days to get security clearance, for Americans it might take longer.
• COVID-19 restrictions: upon arrival you need to present a negative PCR-test (max 72 hours)

Currently it’s safe to travel around Syria except for the regions that are not controlled by the government. That means you can opt for a quick visit to Damascus , or tour around Aleppo, Homs, Palmyra and/or Latakia. We have a group tour in March , if you are more keen in joining a group. It’s gonna be a small group so make sure to book early!

Questions or do you need more info? Contact us now!

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8 EU members say conditions in Syria should be reassessed to allow voluntary refugee returns

Cyprus’ interior minister Konstantinos Ioannou, second left, talks with his counterparts Austria’s Gerhard Karner, left, Czech’s Vít Rakusan, right, and Greece’s Minister Of Immigration and Asylum Dimitris Kairides, second right, during the Ministerial Summit Migration and Syria Dynamics in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 17, 2024. The governments of eight European Union member states say the situation inside Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for voluntary returns of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Cyprus’ interior minister Konstantinos Ioannou, left, talks with his counterparts Austria’s Gerhard Karner, right, Czech’s Vít Rakusan, second right, and Greece’s Minister Of Immigration and Asylum Dimitris Kairides, second left, during the Ministerial Summit Migration and Syria Dynamics in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 17, 2024. The governments of eight European Union member states say the situation inside Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for voluntary returns of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Cyprus’ interior minister Konstantinos Ioannou, second left, talks with his counterparts Austria’s Gerhard Karner, left, Czech’s Vít Rakusan, right, and Greece’s Minister Of Immigration and Asylum Dimitris Kairides, second right, stand by, during the Ministerial Summit Migration and Syria Dynamics in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 17, 2024. The governments of eight European Union member states say the situation inside Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for voluntary returns of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Cyprus’ interior minister Konstantinos Ioannou, second right, talks to the media during a press conference as his counterparts Austria’s Gerhard Karner, left, Czech’s Vít Rakusan, second left, and Greece’s Minister Of Immigration and Asylum Dimitris Kairides, right, stand by, during the Ministerial Summit Migration and Syria Dynamics in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 17, 2024. The governments of eight European Union member states say the situation inside Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for voluntary returns of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

Cyprus’ interior minister Konstantinos Ioannou, right, talks to the media during a press conference as his counterparts Austria’s Gerhard Karner, left, and Czech’s Vít Rakusan stand by during the Ministerial Summit Migration and Syria Dynamics in capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday, May 17, 2024. The governments of eight European Union member states say the situation inside Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for voluntary returns of Syrian refugees back to their homeland. (AP Photo/Petros Karadjias)

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NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The governments of eight European Union member states said Friday the situation in Syria should be re-evaluated to allow for the voluntary return of Syrian refugees back to their homeland.

In a joint statement, officials from Austria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Greece, Italy, Malta and Poland said they agree on a re-assessment that would lead to “more effective ways of handling” Syrian refugees trying to reach European Union countries.

The eight countries, which held talks during a summit meeting in the Cypriot capital, said the situation in Syria has “considerably evolved,” even though complete political stability hasn’t been achieved.

Cyprus has in recent months seen an upsurge of Syrian refugees reaching the island nation primarily from Lebanon aboard rickety boats.

Earlier this month, the EU announced a 1 billion euro ($1.06 billion) aid package for Lebanon aimed at boosting border controls to halt the flow of asylum seekers and migrants to Cyprus and Italy.

The eight countries said the EU should further boost support for Lebanon to “mitigate the risk of even greater flows from Lebanon to the EU.”

“Decisions as to who has the right to cross a member state’s borders, should be taken by the government of the relevant member state and not by criminal networks engaged in migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings,” the joint statement said.

The call comes a day afte r 15 EU member countries publicly called for the bloc to boost partnerships with countries along migratory routes in hopes of heading off attempts to reach EU countries.

The countries said that while they “fully embrace” the need to support Syrian refugees in line with international law, they hoped their talks could open a wider debate within the 27-member bloc on the process of granting the migrants international protection.

“What European citizens want from us ... are solutions, practical, realistic solutions that can be implemented,” said Greek Migration Minister Dimitris Kairidis.

Cypriot Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said the United Nations’ refugee agency has already “established lines of communication” with Syrian authorities regarding possible voluntary returns in line with international law.

The Cypriot minister said returns would initially be on a voluntary basis, but that could develop into forced returns at a later stage. Much more needs to be done for that to happen because the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad isn’t recognized by the EU, he said.

In Lebanon, where anti-refugee sentiment has been surging recently, more than 300 Syrian refugees returned to Syria in a convoy earlier this week.

Lebanese officials have long urged the international community to either resettle the refugees in other countries or help them return to Syria.

Israel-Gaza latest: Israeli fighter jet hits West Bank in deadly strike; aid pier off Gaza coast 'not enough'

An Israeli fighter jet has struck the West Bank. Palestinian authorities say at least one person has been killed. Meanwhile, the bodies of three hostages have been recovered.

Friday 17 May 2024 22:57, UK

• Israel-Hamas war

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• Israel says its fighter jet has hit West Bank
• IDF has 'seized bodies of three hostages from Gaza'
• They were murdered while celebrating life', IDF says | Netanyahu 'heartbroken' over deaths
• Alistair Bunkall: Discovery of bodies will reinforce Israeli belief that more hostages are in Rafah
• Israeli protesters attack truck in attempt to block aid reaching Gaza
• Spain bans ships carrying weapons for Israel from docking at its ports
• Scroll down for the latest on the Israel-Gaza war
• Listen to the Daily above and tap here  to follow wherever you get your podcasts

That's all for this evening, but if you're just catching up, here is a recap of the key developments.

• An Israeli fighter jet struck a refugee camp in the West Bank, killing at least one person and injuring eight;
• The bodies of three Israeli hostages were recovered from Gaza;
• An investigation was launched after a 450kg bomb fell from an Israeli fighter jet into an Israeli town;
• Spain banned ships carrying weapons for Israel from docking at its ports;
• Dozens of Israeli protesters in the West Bank attacked a truck in an apparent attempt to prevent aid from reaching Gaza, beating its driver and setting it on fire.

A group of US medical workers trapped at a hospital in Gaza have now left the territory, the White House says.

American doctors providing care in Gaza were unable to leave after Israel closed the Rafah border crossing.

Among them were 10 from the US-based Palestinian American Medical Association, who had intended to leave after a two-week mission at the European Hospital in Khan Younis.

Today, 17 American doctors and healthcare workers, out of a total of 20, left Gaza, White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said.

"I can assure you that any of them that wanted to leave are out," Mr Kirby said. 

Three of the doctors chose not to depart Gaza, a source familiar with the situation said.

The Palestinian American Medical Association reported on Wednesday that its team of 19 healthcare professionals, including 10 Americans, had been denied exit from Gaza

Israel seized and closed the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt on 7 May.

The number of people injured by an Israeli airstrike in the West Bank has risen to eight, according to the Palestinian health ministry.

They are in a stable condition and receiving treatment at hospitals, it said.

As we reported in our last post, at least one person has been killed by the attack on Jenin refugee camp.

Residents of the camp said a house was targeted.

Unlike Gaza, such a strike is a rarity in the West Bank, which is run by the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas.

The Israeli military says a fighter jet has carried out a strike in Jenin in the West Bank.

One person was killed and two injured, the Palestinian health ministry said.

While Palestinians live in both Gaza and the West Bank, the territories are controlled by distinct groups.

Hamas has ruled over Gaza since seizing control in 2007 following a brief civil war with the Palestinian Authority.

The West Bank, meanwhile, is still run by the Palestinian Authority, headed by president Mahmoud Abbas.

By Mark Stone , US correspondent

A three-year-old Palestinian girl with an ultra-rare genetic condition has been forced backwards in her quest to leave Gaza for life-saving treatment.

Julia Abu Zeiter, whose story is being followed by Sky News, was moved with her family from a tent in the southern city of Rafah and relocated to a supposedly safer zone to the north and further away from the border they had hoped to cross.

Speaking to Sky News, her mother Maha said: "We were going through the travel procedures to leave Gaza. When the time for us to travel through Rafah crossing got close, the Israelis occupied the crossing, and they told us they want to invade Rafah."

She added: "I was between two fires, not knowing where to go. Do I go try to travel to treat my daughter or do I flee to another place?"

Read on here...  

Israel has assured the US they are willing to continue discussions before making any major decisions on plans to assault Rafah, a US official has said.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said national security adviser Jake Sullivan will raise the issue on a visit to Israel to meet Benjamin Netanyahu.

Mr Sullivan will stress the need to go after Hamas in a targeted way, not with a full-scale assault on the southern city, Mr Kirby said.

He said it was important that the Rafah crossing was opened immediately.

The Israeli military seized control of the crossing between  Gaza and Egypt earlier this month.

Hamas says the US-built aid pier off Gaza's coast is no alternative to opening all land crossings under Palestinian supervision.

It added that they reject any military presence on Palestinian land.

Trucks carrying aid rolled across the pier today for the first time in an operation the US says will scale up to 150 truckloads a day.

But Gaza is already on the brink of famine, according to international aid organisations.

Aid groups also say land crossings are much more effective, and at least 500 trucks a day are required to meet the basic needs of the population.

Israeli restrictions on border crossings and heavy fighting have hindered the delivery of food and other supplies.

An investigation has been launched after a 450kg bomb fell from an Israeli fighter jet into an Israeli town this morning, according to reports.

Images showed the munition landed close to homes in Yated.

The Israeli military said it was intended for Rafah and described the incident as "unusual", reported the Times of Israel.

"Air Force technical teams arrived at the scene and began an in-depth investigation of the incident."

The Rafah strike was carried out moments later, the military said.

Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed at least five people including Lebanese militants, Hamas fighters and Syrian civilians, security sources told Reuters.

A series of strikes on a coastal town further north than the usual conflict area killed a Hezbollah member as well as two Syrian civilians, the security sources said.

They said a separate Israeli strike on Majdal Anjar, on Lebanon's eastern border with Syria, killed two Hamas fighters.

Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire across Lebanon's southern border for seven months in parallel with the Gaza war, but it has ramped up in recent days.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

The recovery of the bodies of three hostages from Gaza is a "painful reminder" of those who are still in captivity, says a member of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

Professor Hagai Levine said over the last day, rumours circulating about which bodies had been returned to Israel were "very painful for the families" of all the captives.

It was important to bring home the bodies of hostages to give their families closure, he said.

"We do not lose hope. We are preparing for the return of the hostages that are alive," he said.

"As long as we promote a solution to release the hostages, it will also help to prevent further bloodshed in Gaza."

Turning to the approach the Israeli government has taken, Mr Levine said the government "is not representing well the desires of the public".

"There is a majority in Israel that believe that we should now promote regional agreements and together with the moderate countries, not the extremists, we should kick out Hamas... and replace them with another kind of government.

"This could really bring peace and prosperity to the Palestinians and to Israelis and to the entire region and we feel that the government is not doing enough."

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