Aleppo-Hama
We took a Karnak bus to Hama, but there are several other options.
Accomodation
We had made reservations at the
Cairo Hotel, but they had already told us they would be full. So they proposed us the Noria Hotel owned by the previous owner of the Cairo. The Cairo gets mixed reports now, some people love it, other people say service is not what it used to be. Price is 100 S£ for a mattress on the roof and 700 S£ for a double room with bathroom and breakfast (10/2000). The last reports I got was again very positive (8/98 and 10/2000).
The
Noria was really the best hotel we had, and a very good middle class hotel. We paid 18 US$ for a single room with kingsize bed (double room is 28 US$). The staff is extremely friendly. Service at breakfast can be very slow, take this into account if you need to catch a bus. Price has gone up now to 1500 S£, but you can sometimes bargain till 700 S£ (9/97).
Several people also recommend the
Riad Hotel at Kowaitli Street. It costs 350 S£ for a double room with shower (7/97), 25 US$ for a room for 4 persons including breakfast (8/98). They accept credit card but at a much higher cost. The rooms on the streetside can be noisy, staff is very friendly.
Restaurants
We went to eat at the
Al Boustan Restaurant close to "The 4 Noria's". This is a middle class restaurant where you pay about 200 S£ for a good meal in the nice surroundings of the Noria's. If you're lucky, you can see young boys climbing in the Noria's and then jumping off.
The "
Four Noria's" restaurant is equally good.
Family Club restaurant at Al-Medine also got good comments. They have a fixed menu with mezze and main course for 225 Sµ, beer is 75 S£.Good service and open air roof terrace (10/2000).
The
Engeneers Club is also very good and slightly cheaper, but a bit out of the way and a bit less cosy.
What to do
We really loved the atmosphere of Hama, that's why we decided to stay 3 days and do our sightseeing to Crac des Chevaliers from there.
The Noria's are of course an attraction on their own. They are illuminated at night and they are often in action. However, at fall t
he rivers can be dry, so the Norias loose a lot of their charm.
There's also a small museum in the Azempalace, but we didn't see that.
Nurim mosque, you can't visit it but its beautiful when seen from the other side of the Orontes (see photo underneath).
You could stroll through the souq, but that's not so special.
Trip to Aphamia We went to Aphamia by minibus. It's best to take a (cheap) taxi to the busstation which is about 2 km outside of Hama. We had to change minibuses once. They dropped us off at the Museum of Aphamia which is quite nice with some great frescoes. We got in for 100 S£. You can also do this as an organized trip with the Cairo hotel. They will take in the Qalaat Shayzar, a fortress on the way.
Then you have to go up the mountain for about 1 km to the actual site. You have to pay again to get in (300 S£). The site is actually a road of 2 km boarded with columns.
We hitched back to Hama with a trader.
Trips around Hama
Both the Cairo and the Riad hotel now organise trips either by car or by minibus to Crac des Chevaliers (1/2 day), but there's also an interesting day trip including:
- a village with beehive houses
- Qasr ibn Warden, a ruined desert castle (150 S£)
- the deserted city of Serjilla (150 S£) and Al-Bara (free!!). These cities have pretty well preserved Roman houses.
- Price for this trip is 1000 S£ for the car (10/2000).
Noria at the mosque
Go on to "Crac des Chevaliers"
