5-Day Syria Trip » Damascus + Aleppo + Krak des Chevaliers

Begin the journey with a 7:00 am pickup in Beirut, heading toward the Syrian border with an expected crossing around 9:00 am. After border procedures, continue to Damascus and check in at the hotel by 11:00 am. The afternoon begins with visits to some of the capital’s most significant cultural sites.

Start at the National Museum of Damascus, displaying artifacts from ancient sites such as Mari, Ugarit, and Palmyra. Then visit the Takiyya Suleimaniah, an Ottoman religious and commercial complex built in the 16th century. Continue to the elegant Khan Assad Basha Caravanserai in the heart of the old city. Visit the Al Azem Palace, once the Ottoman governor’s residence, and walk through Al-Hamidiyeh Souq, ending the day at the Umayyad Mosque — constructed in 715 CE on the site of a Roman temple and Byzantine church.

This introduction to Damascus places Islamic, Ottoman, and Roman legacies side by side.

Travel Distance & Time: Approx. 120 km – 3 hours (including border procedures)

Historical Context:

• Umayyad Mosque: Built by Caliph Al-Walid I, integrating Roman and Christian foundations.
• Khan Assad Basha: Built in 1751 as a resting place for merchants along caravan routes.

Curiosities & Local Facts:

• Takiyya Suleimaniah was one of the first Ottoman architectural complexes in Damascus.
• The National Museum holds the original alphabet tablets from Ugarit.

5 Key Highlights:

• Arrival and border crossing into Syria
• National Museum of Damascus visit
• Ottoman caravanserai and palace tour
• Grand Umayyad Mosque visit
• Souq walk through Al-Hamidiyeh

Important for you:
Roman-Islamic fusion, Ottoman Damascus landmarks, Syrian archaeology collection

Depart Damascus early toward Maaloula, a mountain village where Aramaic is still spoken. Visit the Church of Saints Sergios and Bacchos, built into the rock in the 4th century, and hike through the narrow Eastern Gorge tied to the legend of Saint Thecla. Conclude with a visit to the Convent of Saint Thecla, one of the oldest Christian pilgrimage sites in Syria.

Continue to Homs to see the Church of Um Al-Zenar, believed to house a relic of the Virgin Mary’s belt, then proceed toward Idlib for a brief coffee stop and short walk in the central district. From there, head to Aleppo and check in to the hotel by evening.

This day shows how Christianity, both ancient and living, is woven into Syria’s social and geographical fabric.

Travel Distance & Time: Approx. 390 km – 6.5 hours drive

Historical Context:

• Maaloula churches: Built between the 4th and 6th centuries CE.
• Um Al-Zenar Church: Dates to early Christian centuries; rebuilt after recent damage.

Curiosities & Local Facts:

• Aramaic is still used in liturgical services in Maaloula.
• The gorge in Maaloula was said to have opened miraculously to allow Thecla’s escape.

5 Key Highlights:

• Aramaic-speaking community visit
• Cave church of Saints Sergios and Bacchos
• Eastern Gorge hike in Maaloula
• Relic site at Um Al-Zenar in Homs
• Arrival in Aleppo via Idlib stop

Important for you:
Aramaic Christianity, mountain pilgrimage sites, Syrian Christian heritage

After breakfast, take a short drive west from Aleppo to visit the Church of Qalb Lozeh, a 5th-century Byzantine basilica noted for its twin-tower façade and architectural influence on Romanesque churches in Europe. Return to Aleppo for a comprehensive visit to its historical center.

Walk through the Khan Silk Souq and explore the Old City streets, then visit the Armenian Forty Martyrs Cathedral. Continue to the massive Aleppo Citadel, occupying a hill used since the 3rd millennium BCE and later developed by Ayyubid and Mamluk rulers. End the day at a traditional soap factory, where Aleppo’s laurel soap is still handmade and dried naturally.

This visit helps reveal how Aleppo’s multi-layered urban past remains visible in both craft and construction.

Travel Distance & Time: Approx. 90 km – 2 hours drive

Historical Context:

• Qalb Lozeh Church: Built around 460 CE, in Syria’s “Dead Cities” region.
• Aleppo Citadel: Expanded heavily between the 12th and 14th centuries.

Curiosities & Local Facts:

• The Soap Factory uses a recipe unchanged since the 8th century.
• The Silk Khan was a key part of Aleppo’s role in the Silk Road trade network.

5 Key Highlights:

• Visit to pre-Islamic Byzantine church
• Walk through Silk Souq of Aleppo
• Armenian Forty Martyrs Cathedral
• Ayyubid citadel complex visit
• Traditional laurel soap production

Important for you:
Dead Cities Christianity, Silk Road commerce, Aleppo artisan traditions

Depart Aleppo and head south to Hama. Here, walk along the Orontes River to see the iconic norias — wooden waterwheels used for irrigation, with some dating back to the 13th century. Visit the Great Mosque (Al Jamea Alkabir) and Saint George Cathedral.

Continue west to Krak des Chevaliers, a Crusader fortress regarded as the most complete in the Levant. Explore its watchtowers, chapel, halls, and inner courtyards. Then head toward Damascus via the Qalamoun Mountains, stopping at Saidnaya Monastery, a 6th-century site founded by Byzantine Emperor Justinian. Arrive in Damascus by evening.

This day combines medieval engineering, Crusader power, and active pilgrimage tradition.

Travel Distance & Time: Approx. 370 km – 6.5 hours drive

Historical Context:

• Krak des Chevaliers: Held by the Hospitallers from 1142 to 1271; taken by Mamluks.
• Saidnaya Monastery: Still active, with ancient icons and altars used in pilgrimage.

Curiosities & Local Facts:

• The largest Hama norias reach up to 21 meters in diameter.
• Krak was designed with concentric defensive walls and had its own water system.

5 Key Highlights:

• Norias of Hama and riverside walk
• Crusader stronghold of Krak des Chevaliers
• Visit to Gothic-style chapel inside the fortress
• Monastic visit in Saidnaya
• Return to Damascus

Important for you:
Crusader fortress engineering, Hama water systems, Byzantine pilgrimage site

After breakfast, depart Damascus at 8:00 am for the drive to the Syrian–Lebanese border. Reach the crossing by 9:00 am for exit procedures, then continue into Lebanon and arrive in Beirut by approximately 12:00 pm.

This final stretch wraps up your overland journey through Syria’s most emblematic religious and historical sites.

Travel Distance & Time: Approx. 120 km – 3 hours (including border procedures)

5 Key Highlights:

• Early departure from Damascus
• Final border crossing out of Syria
• Scenic Anti-Lebanon mountain route
• Arrival in Beirut
• End of journey

Important for you:
Border transit logistics, Beirut arrival planning, tour conclusion