Hi,

I am half Syrian and travel there every year to visit family and because I also am on the Syrian national tennis team.

First of all, if you want any information, there are a couple of travel guides which are very good: Lonely Planet (in English) and Le Guide du Routard (in French).

I can help you if you need any "other" information. I can recommend you great places to go to (eating and sleeping) that are off the beaten track which you will not find in the guides.

Do you know which cities you are intending on visiting yet? Also what kind of things interest you? Are you looking for more adventurous activities, cultural, gastronomical, or all of the above? This would help me in advising you best.

You will love Syria. It is a virtually untapped country tourist wise. It just might be a tad hot (40 degress in some places) in August.

Hope to hear from you soon,

Regards,

Romain.
radroumi, Jun 17, 2008 @ 00:48

Hi! Thank you for your reply! I'm sure it will be great, Well, we plan to go to Syria for 2 weeks, we are interested by all you have cited "adventurous activities, cultural, gastronomical," and i will just add the mediteraneen coast to the list ;-) could you recommand me a global itinerous? including Damas, Alep, Euphrate valley, mountains treck? Palmyre (too hot in august?) and a step in the sea coast to refresh.

We are going to book only the plane, so it would be great if you could recommand me some good adresses to eat and sleep in damas...

Thank you!!











[quote]Hi,



I am half Syrian and travel there every year to visit family and because I also am on the Syrian national tennis team.



First of all, if you want any information, there are a couple of travel guides which are very good: Lonely Planet (in English) and Le Guide du Routard (in French).



I can help you if you need any "other" information. I can recommend you great places to go to (eating and sleeping) that are off the beaten track which you will not find in the guides.



Do you know which cities you are intending on visiting yet? Also what kind of things interest you? Are you looking for more adventurous activities, cultural, gastronomical, or all of the above? This would help me in advising you best.



You will love Syria. It is a virtually untapped country tourist wise. It just might be a tad hot (40 degress in some places) in August.



Hope to hear from you soon,



Regards,



Romain.[/quote]
adelinda, Jun 17, 2008 @ 13:14

Hi again,

Well to start with I still think you are going to need a travel guide to read while you are there because there are so many things to see and visit that I could not possibly tell you all.

I will try to sum up what I know and can recommend you: First of all here is a list of the main places you should go to: Damascus, Allepo, Hama, Crak des Chevaliers, Palmyra (as you said it is very hot in August and its not the best time to visit), and Lattakia or Tartous for the sea.

I have yet to finish exploring this amazing country so my knowledge is limited.

Damascus

I recommend the Cham Palace if you can afford it. It is in the center and well located from shops and restaurants.

I suppose you will get a paper guide to help you so you will know to go to the museum, to the souk (Hammidyeh), the Ummayad mosque, etc.

Here are a few of my recommendations: Go visit the Christian quarters of old town (Bab Touma) for restaurants and drinks. There is one particular place called Haretna where all the locals go to meet and eat. The atmosphere is loud but incredible. To go for drinks there is café Rhoda where people meet to play cards, backgammon, and chess and to smoke Narghila. The hip part of town is in a quarter called Abu Ramani. There are many western style café's where Damascus' young crowd meet. When you are there, have as many freshly squeezed juices (called fruity's) as you can (strawberry, mango, watermelon, and lemon with mint are my favorite). You might want to go to Quassiun (the mountain ovelooking Damascus for drinks at sunrise or sunset. In Hammidyeh market there is a restaurant called Abu Ezz. It is hard to find so ask around. You will be eating with a panoramic view on the Ummayad mosque. You should ask taxi drivers for recommendations as well. They are very friendly (don't talk politics though) and very helpful. Beit Jedo and Beit Jabri are restaurants in old town which are houses changes into restaurant (like the Riyads in Morrocco). Shawarma stalls are plentiful but not all good, so make sure you ask around to find the bes ones (they are different than lebanese ones though (no vegetables. just some pickles garlic sauce and the meat.) For great ones and falafel go to the Midan ditrict. And don't leave before you have tasted the sweets! You also might want to try going to a Hammam (you might want to wait till you get to Aleppo though... see farther).

Aleppo

I don't know Aleppo that well. But you should go to the museum, the Hotel Baron (where Agatha Christie lived for 11 years, and Lawrence of Arabia among others stayed there), the Citadel, the Souk, and the Hamam. The Citadel is worth visiting. After doing that go to the Hamam that is towards the front of the citadel. It is one of the oldest in Syria and very beatiful. The souk is covered (largest covered souk in middle east, I think) and is seperated into specialities (soap, spices, gold, silk, etc.) Get some soap and pistachios before leaving (according to some, Aleppo pistachios are better than Iranian ones.) The Kabab Halabi is the best kabab you will have in Syria so definately have some.

Hama

Hama is well known for its water wheels (naouras). It is well worth going to. You can ride a camel there as well. Your guide can tell you more.

Ma'aloula

Near Damascus, this village is one of the last remaining places on earth where they speak jesus' language (aramaic) There are 2 monasteries carved into the rock face worth visiting.

The sites of Ugarit and Bosra are also must sees.

I hope this helps and if I think of anything more I will post it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

take care,

Romain
radroumi, Jun 22, 2008 @ 10:24

Hi! Sorry for the delay, i'd like to thank you for all your resume! I'm keeping all your suggestions, we are planning to travel in october finally, it will be less hot, we will enjoy

Thank you again! Have a nice summer!

Linda



[quote]Hi again,



Well to start with I still think you are going to need a travel guide to read while you are there because there are so many things to see and visit that I could not possibly tell you all.



I will try to sum up what I know and can recommend you: First of all here is a list of the main places you should go to: Damascus, Allepo, Hama, Crak des Chevaliers, Palmyra (as you said it is very hot in August and its not the best time to visit), and Lattakia or Tartous for the sea.



I have yet to finish exploring this amazing country so my knowledge is limited.



Damascus



I recommend the Cham Palace if you can afford it. It is in the center and well located from shops and restaurants.



I suppose you will get a paper guide to help you so you will know to go to the museum, to the souk (Hammidyeh), the Ummayad mosque, etc.



Here are a few of my recommendations: Go visit the Christian quarters of old town (Bab Touma) for restaurants and drinks. There is one particular place called Haretna where all the locals go to meet and eat. The atmosphere is loud but incredible. To go for drinks there is café Rhoda where people meet to play cards, backgammon, and chess and to smoke Narghila. The hip part of town is in a quarter called Abu Ramani. There are many western style café's where Damascus' young crowd meet. When you are there, have as many freshly squeezed juices (called fruity's) as you can (strawberry, mango, watermelon, and lemon with mint are my favorite). You might want to go to Quassiun (the mountain ovelooking Damascus for drinks at sunrise or sunset. In Hammidyeh market there is a restaurant called Abu Ezz. It is hard to find so ask around. You will be eating with a panoramic view on the Ummayad mosque. You should ask taxi drivers for recommendations as well. They are very friendly (don't talk politics though) and very helpful. Beit Jedo and Beit Jabri are restaurants in old town which are houses changes into restaurant (like the Riyads in Morrocco). Shawarma stalls are plentiful but not all good, so make sure you ask around to find the bes ones (they are different than lebanese ones though (no vegetables. just some pickles garlic sauce and the meat.) For great ones and falafel go to the Midan ditrict. And don't leave before you have tasted the sweets! You also might want to try going to a Hammam (you might want to wait till you get to Aleppo though... see farther).



Aleppo



I don't know Aleppo that well. But you should go to the museum, the Hotel Baron (where Agatha Christie lived for 11 years, and Lawrence of Arabia among others stayed there), the Citadel, the Souk, and the Hamam. The Citadel is worth visiting. After doing that go to the Hamam that is towards the front of the citadel. It is one of the oldest in Syria and very beatiful. The souk is covered (largest covered souk in middle east, I think) and is seperated into specialities (soap, spices, gold, silk, etc.) Get some soap and pistachios before leaving (according to some, Aleppo pistachios are better than Iranian ones.) The Kabab Halabi is the best kabab you will have in Syria so definately have some.



Hama



Hama is well known for its water wheels (naouras). It is well worth going to. You can ride a camel there as well. Your guide can tell you more.



Ma'aloula



Near Damascus, this village is one of the last remaining places on earth where they speak jesus' language (aramaic) There are 2 monasteries carved into the rock face worth visiting.



The sites of Ugarit and Bosra are also must sees.



I hope this helps and if I think of anything more I will post it. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.



take care,



Romain[/quote]
adelinda, Jun 30, 2008 @ 13:38