4-Day Syria Trip » Damascus + Maaloula + Aleppo

You’ll depart Beirut at 7:00 am and reach the Syrian border around 9:00 am for entry formalities. After crossing, continue to Damascus, arriving at the hotel for check-in by 11:00 am. Your afternoon will be dedicated to a structured introduction to the city’s historical core.

Start with the National Museum of Damascus, featuring artifacts from ancient cities like Mari, Ugarit, and Palmyra. Visit the 16th-century Takiyya Suleimaniah, a former Ottoman dervish complex and crafts market. Walk into the Old City to explore Khan Assad Basha Caravanserai, followed by the 18th-century Al Azem Palace. The day ends at the Umayyad Mosque—one of the oldest Islamic religious sites—and a walk through the adjacent Al-Hamidiyeh Souq.

This day sets the historical framework for understanding Damascus as a continuous capital of religion, trade, and governance.

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

Historical Context:

• Umayyad Mosque: Built in 715 CE under Caliph Al-Walid I on the site of a Roman temple and Christian basilica.
• Khan Assad Basha: Completed in 1751, one of the finest examples of Ottoman commercial architecture in Syria.

Curiosities & Local Facts:

• The Al Azem Palace’s courtyard features a traditional “iwan” layout unique to Syrian homes.
• Takiyya Suleimaniah was both a mosque and a social services complex for travelers.

5 Key Highlights:

• Damascus National Museum overview
• Ottoman Takiyya Suleimaniah visit
• Caravanserai walk-through at Khan Assad Basha
• Interior of the Umayyad Mosque
• Traditional market experience in Al-Hamidiyeh Souq

Important for you:
Islamic-Roman architectural layering, Ottoman civic design, Damascus as a living capital

Depart Damascus and head northeast into the Qalamoun Mountains to reach Maaloula, one of the last Aramaic-speaking Christian communities in the world. Visit the Church of Saints Sergios and Bacchos, carved partially into the cliff, then hike through the Eastern Gorge—a narrow passage associated with Saint Thecla’s miraculous escape. Conclude with a visit to the Saint Thecla Convent.

In the afternoon, drive north across central Syria to Idlib for a short coffee break and local walk before continuing to Aleppo. Arrive in the early evening and check in at your hotel.

This route reveals how ancient languages, early Christianity, and Syria’s mountain terrain intersected culturally and spiritually.

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

Historical Context:

• Maaloula: The churches date from the 4th century and survived both natural and man-made threats.
• Saint Thecla Convent: One of the oldest Christian pilgrimage sites in Syria.

Curiosities & Local Facts:

• The gorge in Maaloula is believed to have split open to protect Thecla, a follower of Saint Paul.
• Aramaic, the language spoken by Jesus, is still preserved in the village liturgy.

5 Key Highlights:

• Visit to Maaloula’s cave church
• Scenic Eastern Gorge hike
• Convent visit with active worship
• Stop in Idlib city center
• Arrival in Aleppo

Important for you:
Aramaic-speaking village, Christian pilgrimage trail, Syrian mountain Christianity

Spend the morning exploring Aleppo’s most important historical landmarks. Begin at the Khan al-Harir (Silk Souq), one of the oldest restored market streets in Syria. Walk into the Old City, then visit the Armenian Forty Martyrs Cathedral, built in 1491 and restored after recent damage.

Continue to the Aleppo Citadel, a fortified site dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE, with major expansions during the Ayyubid and Mamluk periods. End your city tour with a stop at a traditional soap factory to learn about the production of Aleppo’s famed laurel soap. In the afternoon, drive back to Damascus for your final overnight.

This visit shows how Aleppo preserves its ancient craftsmanship, fortifications, and religious diversity.

Travel Distance & Time: Approx. 370 km – 6 hours drive

Historical Context:

• Aleppo Citadel: Expanded by Saladin’s successors to control northern Syria’s trade and defense.
• Soap Factory: Uses laurel oil, olive oil, and soda ash in a recipe passed down since the 8th century.

Curiosities & Local Facts:

• Aleppo’s souqs were once the largest covered markets in the Islamic world.
• The cathedral remains a focal point for Syria’s Armenian community.

5 Key Highlights:

• Khan Silk Souq visit
• Walk through Aleppo Old City
• Aleppo Citadel guided tour
• Visit to Forty Martyrs Cathedral
• Soap-making demonstration

Important for you:
Aleppo trading legacy, medieval citadel engineering, Armenian cultural presence

After breakfast, depart Damascus at 8:00 am for the Syrian–Lebanese border. Reach the border by 9:00 am for exit formalities and continue onward to Beirut, arriving by around 12:00 pm.

This final stretch concludes your overland journey through Syria’s key historic and spiritual sites.

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

5 Key Highlights:

• Early departure from Damascus
• Border formalities and Syrian exit
• Scenic road across Anti-Lebanon range
• Return to Beirut
• End of itinerary

Important for you:
Return border logistics, overland Beirut entry, journey wrap-up