Your Last BordersTHINGS TO DO IN DAMASCUS SYRIA
Damascus is Syria’s largest and capital city. Dating back to 10,000 BC, it’s one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. A place that feels timeless, has remained mostly unchanged during the recent civil war, and features so many different cultures. There’s lots of great things to do in Damascus Syria. No wonder this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site city and one of the most liberal in all of the Middle East.
Standing only 100km from Beirut in Lebanon, Damascus is home to over 2 million inhabitants and some of the most beautiful places to visit in Syria. The must see Damascus attractions are mostly spread across the city’s jewish, christian, and Shia quarters. Yet, there’s also some Dsamascus tourist attractions in it’s modern neighbourhoods.
As you can see on my Instagram Syria stories highlight, Damascus surprised me for the best. The city feels completely safe, offers a vibrant nightlife, and is home to the friendliest people and tastiest cuisine. I strongly recommend taking a trip to Syria and enjoying the following things to do in Damascus Syria.
Touristic things to do in Damascus Syria
1. Visit Umayyad Mosque
Umayyad Mosque, the Great Mosque of Damascus, is one of those religious sites every history lover dreams to visit. This is the world’s oldest continuously functional place of worship. The fourth holiest site in Islam and the burial site of John’s the Baptist. Consequently, it’s a major landmark of Damascus and one of the most famous places in Syria.
The place was once a 1st-century Hellenic temple dedicated to Jupiter, the king of gods in Roman mythology. It then became a christian church honouring St John the Baptist and at around 710 AD was converted into a mosque.
Standing at the heart of the ancient city of Damascus, Umayyad Mosque is open to visitors all day long. There’s abayas available at the gate since covering up is required. Walking around it’s wonderful courtyard surrounded by arches, the minaret, and the bright praying areas is one of the best things to do in Damascus Syria.
Make sure to also visit the nearby Al-Adiliyah Madrasa. This is a stunning Ottoman-style mausoleum from the 17th century. You can see more of both on my Instagram page.
2. Walk along Via Recta
One of the unmissable places to visit in Damascus is Via Recta. Meaning straight street, this is an ancient Roman street running across the old city of damascus from East to West. It actually dates back to the city’s Greek times, yet as it was widened and collonaded by the Romans it has kept its roman name. As such, it’s home to endless sights from all of the city’s historical rulers.
Enter Via Recta through the Bab Sharqi gate, which means Gate of the Sun as it’s the eastern end of the street. There used to be seven gates surrounding the old citadel of Damascus, yet this is the only one remaining. And it keeps its triple passageway, allowing wheeled traffic in its central one and pedestrians on both sides.
Across via Recta you’ll find beautiful covered porticos hosting local shops. These mostly sell textiles, spices, and copper. There’s also a Roman monumental arch, some old churches and mosques, and remnants of the city’s Jewish quarter. This street is one of Syria’s historical landmarks so make sure to explore it when in Damascus.
3. Shop at Al-Hamidiyah Souq
Al-Hamidiyah is the largest souk in Damascus, and one of the most vibrant markets in the Middle East. The souk stands within the city walls and by the remnants of Damascus citadel and is mostly a covered market.
The souk features endless stalls selling all sorts of goods. Including textiles, silk, carpets, clothing, perfumes, spices, swords, knives, copper, wood carvings, tea, fruits, vegetables, meat, and street food. When possible, do buy from these local stalls as it’s a great way to help out locals and facilitate the always tough recovery from a decade of civil war and lack of tourists.
Wandering around the souk, blending with locals, chatting with vendors, smelling the spices, drinking the tea, sampling the falafel, eating the kebabs, and purchasing those hand-made souvenirs is one of the best things to do in Damascus Syria. A usual one among Arabic countries, yet somehow different as here one can feel how people scramble to keep going despite difficulties.
You can see more of the market, and the pictures of Syria’s president all across it, on my Instagram page.
4. Relax at the Azem Palace
Azem Palace is a stunning 18th century palace in Damascus. It was built in 1749 as the private residence of As’ad Pasha al-Azm, governor of Damascus. During the French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, it housed the French Institute. Nowadays, it’s the city’s Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions
Its wonderful patios and fountains and old decorated chambers make Azem Palace one of the best places to visit in Damascus. Visitors will get to enjoy all of them across the Haramlik and Salamlik areas. The former are the private rooms of the family, while the latter refers to the common areas and courtyards also open to guests.
During our visit we met with a few female students celebrating their college graduation with a photoshoot by the fountains, which made the visit even more special. Our chats are one of my most vivid memories from my trip to Syria.
5. Admire Khan Asad Pasha Caravanserai
Caravanserais are old accommodation facilities designed to host traders and their animals and caravans while traveling for business. I’ve seen beautiful caravanserais in Morocco and Kyrgyzstan, yet none like the one in Syria.
Khan Asad Pasha is the largest caravanserai in Damascus. It dates back to 1751 and extends over 2,500m2. The place includes nine small domes as in the Shia tradition and a larger central dome reminiscent of the traditional Persian architecture. The courtyard is covered, which protected hosts from the heat and cold during the year.
Painted with distinctive white and black stripes, Khan Asad Pasha is one of the most famous places in Damascus. And the perfect spot to meet some locals, as the younger generations tend to meet in the area.
6. Discover the House of Saint Ananias
House of Saint Ananias is one of those hidden tourist attractions in Syria, as it’s actually a beautiful underground chapel noticeable from outside. You’ll find it at the end of Via Recta. This ancient underground chapel dates back to the Early Christian period and is one of the oldest in the world. Therefore, it’s one of the best places to visit in Damasus on its own.
The place was the home of Ananias of Damascus, who baptized Paul the Apostole according to the Bible. And is now a chapel made of stone, featuring some wooden benches and old paintings. The smell and vibe of the place are really unique, and it’s free to visit, so make sure to step in when exploring Damascus.
Unusual things to do in Damascus Syria
7. Discovery’lerimin Sayyidah Zaynab Shrine
Sayyidah Zaynab Shrine is a very special mosque in the southern suburbs of Damascus, far from the old city and the usual tourist spots in Damascus. The mosque is an important pilgrimage site for Shia muslims, as it’s the resting place of Zaynab daughter of Ali and Fatimah and granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad.
The mosque is really beautiful, decorated in blue and featuring a large golden dome. And it’s always busy with Iranian pilgrims marching in its courtyard wearing black ropes and chanting emotional prayers both in Farsi and Arabic. Such a beautiful and emotional place to visit in Damascus.
8. Learn about the Hejaz Railway Station
The Ottoman Empire pretended to link Istanbul and Mecca by train. So the political and religious hubs of the empire could be linked, improving the economic and political integration of their provinces. This railway network was to be built without debt and have several kilometers under sea level, so it was a demanding project.
Although the outbreak of WWI paused the works for good, part of the railway network was already functioning by then and Damascus’ Hejaz was one of its main stations. From here one could one travel to Haifa by the Mediterranean Sea and to Medina, in Saudi Arabia and only 400km from Mecca.
Therefore, visiting Hejaz Railway Station and picturing how the place might have looked back in the Ottoman days is one of the best things to do in Damascus Syria.
9. Try Bakdash
Damascus, Syria, and the Middle East as a whole are famous for its cuisine. From starters to main dishes and desserts, sampling local dishes is a must-do in Syria. Yet, Damascus has one more treat to add to the list: Bakdash ice-cream.
Their Booza is the oldest and most famous ice-cream in the region, running for almost 130 years now. It’s made of milk, cream, sugar, mastic, and sahlab, so it has a very elastic texture. Join locals and tourists in Damascus and sample some. Freshly made and topped with pistachio it’s absolutely delicious and a must-try in Damascus.
In the unlikely event you don’t like it, the place also serves modern ice-cream and several drinks. So do make your way to their store, people watch, take some pictures, and relax taking in the vibe.
10. Party
Damascus is Syria’s capital city and as such a modern and vibrant place featuring all sorts of facilities. Indeed, nightlife in Damascus is as vibrant as it gets.
Across its christian quarters, the city features plenty of wine bars. Syria wine is sweet and warm, and pairs perfectly with local dishes.
Alternatively, the Shia quarter is home to awesome shisha bars serving pastries, tea, and coffee all night long. There’s also several nighclubs in the city. We ended up on a Hawaiian-style cocktail bar and a karaoke place and loved both, you can see more of them on my Instagram.
Thus, as unexpected as it may seem, Damascus is a safe, fun, and vibrant city at night. So partying is one of the ultimate best things to do in Damascus Syria.
Recap on the best things to do in Damascus Syria
Damascus is an ancient city all travellers dream of exploring. Good news are Damascus is now safe to visit. And so are most of the beautiful places to visit in Syria as the country finally leaves behind the civil war. Thus, if you decide to travel to Syria, this post on the best things to do in Damascus Syria will help tailor your ideal Damascus itinerary.
The old city of Damascus is home to wonderful mosques, souks, palaces, and historical remnants. Along with friendly locals, delicious dishes, and a vibrant nightlife. There’s endless Damascus attractions to explore, so please leave a comment below with any questions on them.
And check out my Instagram and/or Tiktok pages for additional information and insights on my travels. Have a wonderful trip to Damascus and enjoy Syria.
