Damascus

Getting to Damascus

As of March 2026, flights to Damascus are limited, but beginning to increase. Several major carriers are resuming flights with scheduled services now available from regional hubs such as Istanbul, Dubai, Riyadh, Amman, and Doha. National carrier SyrianAir operates a small regional network with flights from Abu Dhabi, Amman, Baghdad, Dubai, Doha and Kuwait City several times per week.

1. 01
   Damascus International Airport

   The airport is relatively well-equipped with most standard services.

2. 02
   Al-Qadam

   Service Taxis are available to Amman and Irbid in Jordan.

Worth seeing

The Souq al-Hamidiyya, a broad street packed with tiny shops, is entered through columns from a Roman temple built on a site that had been occupied by an even older temple. The souqs themselves smell of cumin and other distinctive spices and you can find passages dedicated to everything from leather and copper goods to inlaid boxes and silk scarves.

1. 01
   Temple of Jupiter

   Roman temple, built in the 1st century BCE.

2. 02
   Umayyad Mosque
3. 03
   Azm Palace

   Built in 1749, it includes a museum describing the life of royal families.

4. 04
   Citadel of Damascus

   Medieval fortified palace and citadel, now partly ruined.

5. 05
   Statue of Saladin

   Unveiled in 1993, marking the 800th anniversary of Saladin's death.

6. 06
   Khan As'ad Pasha

   Largest caravanserai in the Old City of Damascus, built in 1758.

Things to do

View the city from Mount Qasioun is a must-do activity in Damascus as it offers a panoramic view. The peak is accessible at any time, although the view is perhaps most spectacular at night when the whole city is lit up and the minarets of mosques are bathed in green light. The Umayyad Mosque in the old town is particularly impressive when viewed from the mountain.

1. 01
   Damascus Opera House

   Bathing in a hammam, i.e., a Turkish bath, is a great way of both soaking up the atmosphere of Old Damascus and to be rejuvenated after a long day.

Where to eat

The famous vegetarian falafel sandwich, chicken shawarma, and manakeesh, bread filled with zatar, spinach, meat, pizza-style tomato and cheese or other fillings are widely available and cheap. Less common but still widely spread are places which sell foul (boiled fava beans with sauce) and hummus. A typical Damascene dish is fatteh, made up of soaked bread, chickpeas and yogurt.

1. 01
   Bakdash
2. 02
   Beit Jabri Restaurant

   A favorite with locals and tourists, and offers the Syrian classics.

Getting around Damascus the local way