Means of transport recommended in town

Recommendation

Taxis can be recognized by their canary yellow color. Most taxi drivers cannot speak a word of English. So you can be understood, ask someone to write the different destinations of your day in Arabic on a piece of paper. To avoid unpleasant surprises, negotiate the fare when you get in the taxi. In addition, some taxi drivers have a tendency to decide their tip themselves. Do not hesitate to be firm. There are many, frequent urban buses or "services". They are very cheap. Unfortunately, it is always difficult to know what their destination is.

Maps of urban networks

Maporama
Mapblast
UT Library on line

Transportation from Airport to City Centre:

Airport	Distance (Km/miles)	Taxi (Cost/Time)	Bus (Cost/Time)	Train (Cost/Time)	Car rental
Damascus (DAM)	29 km / 18 miles	USD 15 / 30 min	SYP 100 / 40 min		Available

Means of transport recommended in the rest of the country

Recommendation

Journeys inside Syria are usually carried out by bus. They are varied, very cheap, punctual and numerous, and they cover just about all of the country. The only small difficulty is that in bus stations the destinations are usually only given in Arabic.

Rail companies

Syrian Railways

Airlines

You can consult the list of airlines banned within the EU. Look also the rating of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Traveling by yourself

Recommendation

The network is in a very uneven condition and the traffic is jammed. The Highway Code is not respected and accidents are frequent. Since foreign driving licenses are not recognized, it is necessary to get the services of a chauffeur. In the event of an accident, it is advisable to ask for the protection of the police and to leave the place of the accident. The other means of transport inside the country are the collective taxi or individual taxi, buses and minibuses (called "hop hop" because they stop on request).

Road maps

Syria road map

Different forms of tourism

Historical

-In Damascus: old fortified city with the Bab-as-Salama gate and the Touma gate. There is also the Qala' At fortress of Damascus and the Ommayad Mosque.
- Latakia is the main port of Syria. The tourist sector shows remarkable dynamism. The beaches must be seen.16 kilometres from Latakia, there is a famous historic site: Ras-Shamra (headquarters of the monarchy of Ugarit).
- Aleppo is the second biggest city in the country. It is mainly an industrial and commercial area. Do not forget to visit Aleppo's old citadel, the great Jami'a Zakariyyeh mosque as well as Meoline.
-Crac (Castle) of the Knights: a 13 tower fortress.
-Palmyra: Ruins of temples. Well-known tourist site located right in the desert.

Cultural

Damascus swords and daggers; hookahs; gold and silver jewelry; silk; mosaic pictures; pottery; ceramics; metalwork.

Nature

Syria is divided between mountains (in the south and north west), steppes (in the east and north east), valleys (in the center) and plains (along the coast). Even if 48% of the country is desert, with a few lush oases, such as Palmyra and Sakhne, the landscapes have infinite variety: basalt rock in the Hawran and the Jebel Druze, fields of wheat or barley in the fertile crescent, snowy crests in the Jebel Ansarije, the green banks of the Euphrates against a back-ground of sand....

Religious

- The church of Qalbe Loze, located in a small Druze village in the Jebel al-Ala, on the road to Arim in the Belus Massif.
- Qal'at Sem'an (Saint Simeon): a very active ancient pilgrimage center.
- The great Jami'a Zakariyyeh Mosque in Aleppo.
- The Ommayad Mosque in Damascus.

Beach

The Syrian coast runs for more than 175 km. It has countless beaches: Ras Al Bassit, located 40 km north of Latakia (it is one of the most beautiful sites on the Mediterranean coast); Baniyas, located 55 km south of Latakia; Tartous, the second Syrian port on the Mediterranean, located 90 km south of Latakia; Arwad, Syria's only island, visible from Tartous which it faces.

Outdoor activities

Hiking or pony trekking, especially in the Jebel Samaan region, north west of Aleppo.

Shopping

Hand blown glass in Damascus; crafts in the bazaars of Aleppo; musical instruments; tax free electronic goods.

Tourism organizations

Ministry of Tourism in Syria

Health and safety

Health precautions

A certificate of vaccination against yellow fever is required for travelers coming from infected areas. The risk of malaria, exclusively in its benign P. vivax form, is concentrated along the northern border, and in particular in the north east of the country, from May to the end of October. The preventive treatment recommended in the areas of risk is CHL.
To avoid traveler's diarrhea, you are advised to avoid the foods most at risk: dishes prepared and then eaten cold later; seafood, meat and fish which are undercooked or badly cooked, and raw vegetables and fruit you have not peeled yourself. Drinking water must be boiled, filtered or drunk from sealed bottles. Bathing in fresh water exposes you to the risk of urinary bilharziosis (or schistosomosis) although the risk is globally not very high. The risk varies from one watering place to another in a same region. Do not bathe unless you can get reliable advice on the spot. Remember that bilharziosis is particularly prevalent in the valley of the River Euphrates.

International hospitals

General health conditions in Syria are satisfactory. The quality of the doctors, trained abroad, is excellent but the medical infrastructure is under-equipped. Cash payments for services are often expected immediately. Before you leave home, you are strongly advised to take out a health repatriation insurance. The main hospitals in Damascus where English is understood are:
- Chami Hospital (the most modern): tel. 371.89.70/71
- The French Hospital (no links with France): tel. 444.04.60/61
- The Italian Hospital: 332.60.30/31

For further information on sanitary conditions

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada - Advice for travelers

For further information on safety conditions

Foreign Affairs Canada

Time difference and climate

Time and time difference

It is %T:%M %A in Damascus (GMT+2 in winter, GMT+3 in summer)

Summer time period

Summer time from April to October.