Palmyra-Damascus
We took the Karnak bus leaving at 3 pm.
Going to or coming from the airport
There's a shuttle bus leaving every 30 minutes to and from the center of town, but service stops at midnight. I could never figure out why planes leaving for Europe mostly leave in the middle of the night. Someone has a suggestion?
Otherwise you have to take a taxi which will cost about 15 US$. A more recent report said he had paid 20 US$ !! (6/99).
Accommodation
Al Hayeb Hotel charges 40 US$ for a big, clean and quiet room with AC, TV and minibar (9/99).
El Haramein Hotel at Bahsa Street is popular among backpackers. You need to make reservations at tel 2319489. It's basic but clean, and staff is very friendly. A double room without bathroom will cost you 325 S£ (9/97). Showers are extra at 35 S£. You can sleep on the roof for 100 S£.
Closeby is the
El Sadi Hotel, but this is very dirty and to be avoided
We stayed at the
Barada Hotel for 20 US$ excluding breakfast. The room was OK, but the bathroom was a bit less. They sometimes had hot water. Ask for a room at the back, those on the front are quite noisy.
Grand Ghaze Hotel at Furat Street (tel. 2214581) was recommended as being clean and quiet at 375 S£ for a double with mandi.
Alsaada Hotel has more charm though with rooms around a courtyard with tables and chairs. It's quiet but still close to the sights, and cost is 325 S£ for double room with mandi.
Sultan Hotel at Moussalah Al-Baroudi Street (tel 2225768) is centrally located at 500 m from the museum and the old town.
It's quite expensive at 30 US$, but it has good comfortable rooms including bathroom and breakfast. Staff is friendly, clients are only foreign tourists. The streetside rooms are noisy. this one can be full, so make reservations (9/99). Another traveller reported it's a good place to meet other travellers in the lobby, and they can make reservations for buses etc... (10/2000).
Hotel Alaa Tower II is much too expensive at 100 US$ for a 4-persons room with AC. Staff hardly speaks any english, the breakfast buffet was good though (8/98).
The
Hotel Syrian Grand is OK at 250 S£ for a double, no singles available. The location is good at 100 m of the Souq and the ommayaden mosque (8/98).
The
Orient Palace urgently needs a renovation. They charge 38 US$ for a big but dirty room including breakfast. Not recommended (9/99).
The
As Salaam hotel charges a bit less then 30 US$ for a double, but it's not so cosy as the Sultan fi., and they're not so good in bus reservations etc. since they get less tourists (10/2000).
Restaurant
We had breakfast in one of the restaurants at the Martyr's Square (Altak restaurant). They have so many Russian clients that they have a Russian menu.
We also ate at the Pita and fruit stalls at the square, but I did have diarrhea after 2 days.
We also tried the ice cream with nuts at the Souq, but it's a bit special.
Umayyad Palace Restaurant, a bit difficult to find between the mosque and the Azem palace. You can have a buffet for 700 S£ with dancing etc.. They also have a lunch buffet at 300 S£ (9/99).
The last evening we had a splurge at the revolving rooftop restaurant of the
Cham Palace hotel for 300 S£ p.p. for appetizer, main course and mineral water. They open at 8 pm. Definitely recommended. It takes 2 hours for the restaurant to go round.
The
Al-Kalmal restaurant has a rooftop terrace. They charge 450 S£ for a double 2 course meal. However, it's not really cosy and Richard Clayderman is their favourite musician (9/99).
Recommended is the
Workers Club, an open air restaurant in the neighbourhood of the Souq Saroujah. The have a cosy courtyard with a fountain. They also serve beer (10/2000).
What to do
Damascus
The Souq and the mosque are quite nice. Take your camera with telelens and have some pictures from the people coming to the mosque. The shops around the Martyrs square where they sell birds are also worth a visit.
The mosque charges 50 S£ entrance fee (10/2000).
The museum is definitely worth a visit. A desert grave from Palmyra and a synagogue from Doura Europos have been marvellously rebuilt. Entrance 300 S£. Closed on Tuesdays. &n
bsp;
Other mosquesOutside the center is the Sayvida Zeinab. You can get there by taking 2 minibuses or else a taxi (150 S£ return trip, including 90 minutes waiting time).
500 meter after the Umayad mosque is the Sayvida Ruqayya. Both of these mosques also serve as tombs.
Both of them have good wall paintings and they are free of charge.
HammamThe Hammam Nur-ad-Din is very beautiful and much more authentic then the touristic hammams in Aleppo. A full course costs 300 S£. They also have a barber, a shave costs 50 S£ (10/2000).
MaalulaThe busstation for Maalula is quite a long way from the centre, take a taxi.
The minibus to Maalula takes 1 hour, make sure he drops you at the St. Thecla monastery (60 S£, 8/98).
It's quite strange to be in a catholic monastery in an Islamic country. You can visit the monastery and a cave, and afterwards you can walk through the gorge to the other monastery from where you have great views.
SeydnayaThere are no minibuses from Maalula to Seydnaya, so you either go back to Damascus, or you hitch or take a taxi. A taxi will cost 200 to 300 S£. Make sure they drop you at the monastery itself, because the walk up there is quite heavy.
The inside of the monastery is nothing special.
Deir Marmoosa MonasteryThis is a place where I didn't go myself, but I got an enthusiastic report about it. It is North-East of Nabk, which is 70 km north of Damascus. The monastery is spectacularly set at the opening of a canyon that drops precipitously to the desert floor.
Father Paulo is of Italian origin and speaks English quite good. You can spend the night there for a small donation, though accomodation and food are basic (7/98).
BosraBosra is a nice daytrip from Damascus. There are now buses going directly to Bosra leaving from Baramque Square. The trip takes 1h45min. Along the road and in the theatre, large poster will remind you who is ruling the country in case you had forgotten.
The theatre is marvellously well preserved. The old city behind the theatre is definitely worth a visit. entrance fee is now a steep 400 S£ (less for students) (9/99).
We had lunch at the nearby Cham Palace for 300 S£ p.p.
If you want to spend the night in Bosra, you have 2 options:
- Either you stay in the theatre itself for 5 US$. you sleep on the roof around a courtyard, there are 5 beds. Disadvantage is that the guards lock you up in the theatre till the next morning.
- Either you stay in the 5-star Cham Palace. "We accept VISA, thank you sir".
Otherwise there are hotels in De'ra. The
Hotel Al-Sharma is not really recommended. They are far away from the busstation, the rooms are not really good and have squat toilets. They try to charge 800 S£, 500 after bargaining (8/98).
Roman theatre in Bosra
Going to Lebanon (info 10/2000)
Going to Lebanon is fairly straightforward nowadays. Going to Baalbek is a nice 1-daytrip.
Visa: you van easily get a free transit visa at the border.
Transport: There are service taxis going from Damascus to Baalbek. you can either wait till it's full, and then you will pay 300 S£ for a single trip. Otherwise you can also charter it for yourself for about 40 US$. The taxi will wait then till you've visited the site and bring you back.The site itself is marvellous and worth the trip. Entrance is 450 S£ (10/2000).
Make sure you have a multiple entry visa for Syria !!.
Going to Golan heights
It's not that much hassle anymore to get there.
First get a pass in a kiosk outside the ministry of Interior Affairs. It's next to the Kuwaiti embassy and not far from the British and US embassies. The whole thing shouldn't take more then 10 minutes. You just have to tell them what day you want to go.
Then go to the big minibusstation downtown and ask for a bus to Quneitra.
It's about an hour ride to a village close to Quneitra.
Then you will be met by a non-uniformed policeman who will escort you to Quneitra. They are very enthusiastic but don't speak too much English.
Article Comments:
| 06/21/2006 |
| sara (1) |
|
hi
it mean that you did not been to syria from long time iwas in bosra and it was the only pleace to sleep cham hotel and resturant 1001 and one nights and it was good place the guy of the resturant his name obeida and he siad that you can sleep for free but you buy food and drinks and you can read about his resturant in the most of the guide book
sara
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| 04/05/2006 |
| rania (1) |
|
hi i need to know how to do a vist visa from syria to america to my one of my brother or sister how thank you e-mail me back plz thank you i need any phon # to call and i dont know who to call for vist visa from syria to america thank you
|
| 03/27/2006 |
| ashley (1) |
|
Hi,I here you are going to syria.The best website is Expedia.com
|
| 03/09/2006 |
| miriam (1) |
|
Hello,
In a month we are going to travel to Syria.We will arrive very late at night and we want to know if you have a website for a hotel to make reservation.
Thank you
|
