Day 01: Damascus
Arrive Damascus meet and assist at the airport and transfer to hotel.
Dinner & overnight at the hotel.

Day 02: Damascus
After breakfast at the hotel proceed to a full day sightseeing of Damascus: National Museum, Azem Palace, Umayyad Mosque, the Chapel of St. Ananias, St. Paul’s Window, and Straight Street mentioned in the Bible, and ending with a stroll in the covered Old City bazaar (Hamidieh). At the late afternoon panoramic view of Damascus city from Qassioun mountain. Return Back to the hotel.
Dinner & Overnight in the hotel.

Day 03: Damascus – Palmyra
After breakfast drive to the village of Saydnaya visit the Holy Lady Church. Continue to Ma’aloula visit the famous Byzantine Monastery. Continue to Palmyra. Check in at the hotel and short visit of Palmyra visiting the Arabic Castle to watch the sunset.
Dinner & Overnight in the hotel.

Day 04: Palmyra – Deir Ezzor
After breakfast proceed to a full day visit of Palmyra including: Palmyra Museum, Bell Temple, Arch of Triumph, The Via Recta, Agora, Underground & Tower tombs leave Palmyra to Deir Ezzor. visit Duora Europos), a fortified city from the Hellenistic period, built at the end of the 4th century AD. Continue to visit Mari, one of the most ancient cities of the world & discovered in 1933 by Andre Parrot. Back to Deir Ezzor.
Dinner & Overnight at hotel.

Day 05: Deir Ezzor – Aleppo
After Breakfast departure for the city of Aleppo, visiting on the way Raqa, Jabar citadel. Then continue to visit Rasafa, one of the most interesting sights of history & lies on the left bank of the Euphrates. Arrival to Alepp.
Dinner & Overnight in the hotel.

Day 06: Aleppo
After breakfast proceed to a full-day sightseeing of Aleppo including: the National Museum, Aleppo Citadel, Umayyad Mosque, Caravanserais, Old city Bazaars, then drive to Damascus.
Dinner & Overnight in the hotel.

Day 07: Depart Damascus
After breakfast Departure transfer to the Airport to catch the flight for Onward Journey.

Day 01 : Arrival – Damascus – Bosra
Arrival  Damascus  meet and assist at the Airport and Transfer  hotel in Bosra and enjoy dinner.

Overnight at the hotel

Day 02 : Bosra – Palmyra
After breakfast, you will be escorted through the monuments of Bosra. The most famous is the theater which is the best among its type in the world. The theatre was built in the 2nd century AD and could seat up to 15,000 people. Unlike other Roman theatres, this one is free-standing. Also see the Lantern gate built in the 3rd century in honour of the Third Cyrenaica Legion. You will also see the Nabatean gate which is the eastern exit to the town and was marked by an archway which is said to date from the first century, the Nabatean period. Outside of the Nabatean gate on the left are the ruins of the Sts. Sergius, Bacchus and Leontus Cathedral, built in 512 AD. It was the first domed building to be built on a square ground plan.

The Wind Gate which is a double-storied archway and marks the western entrance to the city. Visit the Al-Omari mosque which began as a pagan temple and is the only mosque surviving from the early Islamic period to preserve its original facades. After seeing Bosra, head to Chahba, which was built as a replica of Rome itself. Visit Qanawat, another ancient Roman City that is of greatest interest to the visitor and amongst the remains is a cluster of columns that were part of a 2nd century temple dedicated to the sun god Helios. In the afternoon/early evening, depart to Palmyra through the famous Syrian semi-desert.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Palmyra

Day 03: Palmyra – Hama – Ebla – Aleppo
After breakfast, embark on a morning visit to the spectacular ruins of Palmyra. Sites included are the archaeological museum, the tombs, the temple of Ba’al considered “the most important religious building of the first century AD in the Middle East and the Bel Temple which is an ancient stone ruin and dates back to 32 AD, The Monumental Arch of Triumph and The Colonnaded Street which is 1100 metres in length and forms the monumental axis of the city, which together with secondary colonnaded cross streets links the major public monuments including the Temple of Ba’al, Diocletian’s Camp, the Agora, Theatre, other temples and urban quarters.).

Lunch is in a local restaurant. Also see two important sites en route: Hama, an important agricultural and industrial center famous for its norias, the oldest surviving wheels in the World and the archaeological site of Ebla excavated by Italians and dating back to 2500 BC. In Ebla, see the Aramean fortress and the Gateway. Proceed to Aleppo.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Aleppo

Day 04 : Aleppo – St.Simeon – Aleppo
After breakfast, we go for a morning tour to see the highlights in Aleppo. Main sights comprise of the Citadel of Aleppo which sits on a hill in the center of the city and is visible from almost anywhere. Usage of the Citadel hill dates back at least to the middle of the 3rd millennium BC, the archaeological museum which is a truly stunning museum with artefacts from the Stone Age and the times of the Hittites, Romans and Greeks. Also see the Grand mosque which is the largest and most ornate mosque in the city.

After lunch, take a drive to the country-side of Aleppo to visit St. Simeon monastery. The St.Simeon is an old church that was dedicated to the famous hermit, St Simeon the Stylite. This church was built around the pillar on which Simeon lived and prayed and became a major centre of pilgrimage. After St.Simeon, drive back to your hotel in Aleppo for dinner.
Overnight at the hotel

Day 05 : Aleppo – Lattakia – Safita – Tartous
After breakfast, head west across the coastal mountains to visit the medieval castle of Saladin considered one of the most prestigious castles of the medieval period, especially the most romantic. Its strategic position goes back in history to the Phoenicians who controlled this site in the 1st Millennium BC, and were still holding it when Alexander the Great arrived in 333 BC. Stop for lunch in a nice Mediterranean restaurant in the city of Lattakia.

After that, go on a visit to Ugarit, the 2nd millennium site found by the Phoenicians and one of the oldest Bronze Age cities. Enjoy the delights of the royal palace remains and the temples of Ba’al and Dagon. After Ugarit, head to Tartous, The historic centre of Tartus consists of more recent buildings built on and inside the walls of the Crusader-era Templar fortress, whose moat still separates this old town from the modern city. Visit the Crusaders’ cathedral. The cathedral is now the seat of a museum. Then transfer to a hotel in Tartous village.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel

Day 06 : Safita – Crac De Chevaliers – Maaloula – Damascus
After breakfast, visit the Chastel Blanc in Safita. Also called White Tower, it was built by the Knights Templar during the Crusades upon prior fortifications. Constructed on the middle hill of Safita’s three hills, it offers a commanding view of the surrounding countryside, and was a major part of the network of Crusader fortifications in the area. Then, drive to Crac des Chevaliers located on a 650 m hill and considered the best Crusade medieval military castle in the world.

Enjoy lunch in the castle at the tower of the king’s daughter. Continue onto Maaloula for an afternoon visit and see two important monasteries- Greek Catholic Mar Sarkis and Greek Orthodox Mar Taqla. Mar Sarkis is one of the oldest surviving monasteries in Syria. It was built on the site of a pagan temple, and has elements which go back to the fifth to sixth century Byzantine period. Mar Taqla monastery holds the remains of St. Taqla; daughter of one of Seleucid princes, and pupil of St. Paul. Get to Damascus in the early evening.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel

Day 07 : Damascus
After breakfast, go on an excitement filled day tour of Damascus. Walk in the Street Called Straight of Damascus which is one of the important Roman streets and stretches for over a mile. See the folklore museum which is a typical 17th century Damascene house; see the fine collection of the national museum of Damascus which is most famously known for the reconstruction of the 2nd century Dura-Europos Synagogue. Lunch is in a cozy town restaurant. Then, leave on a breath taking drive to the top of Qasioun mountain which overlooks the city of Damascus and offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding areas. Many Muslims also consider this to be the place where Cain murdered Abel. Then return to your hotel.

Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Damascus

Day 8 : Depart Damascus
After breakfast and little rest departure transfer to Airport to catch your flight for onward Journey.

Day 01: Arrive Damascus, Syria
Arrive Damascus meet and assist and transfer to hotel.

Damascus, the capital of Syria, is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, dating back to 4000 B.C.

Day 02: Damascus, Syria
Your full day of sightseeing starts with the National Museum of Damascus, with its large collection of ancient Syrian and classical antiquities. Next visit the Christian quarter to see the underground St. Anannias Chapel and St. Paul’s Church, both situated behind Bab Keissan, one of the gates in the old wall encircling Damascus. See the infamous “Street Called Straight” where Judas once lived, and the Window of St. Paul, where he was lowered in a basket out of the window to avoid arrest.

After lunch, explore the Old City. See the Azem Palace; with a simple exterior that contrasts sharply with the beautiful interior, it is a wonderful example of an 18th century Damascene house. Visit Umayyad Mosque, built in 705 A.D. when Damascus was the capital of the Arab Islamic Empire, and the adjacent Tomb of Salah al-Din (Saladin’s Tomb), built in the 12th century with beautiful marble mosaics inside. Continue to the old covered souqs (markets) of Damascus, with their fragrant scents, spices, and exotic colorful merchandise. At sunset, drive up 1,150 feet to Quaison Mountain, for panoramic views of the city.

Day 03: Damascus To Lattakia, Syria
This morning drive to Crac des Chevaliers, the Castle of the Knights, a stately 12th century Crusader castle, and one of the most famous medieval citadels in the world. After lunch drive to the Mediterranean city of Tartus, a major Christian stronghold during the 4th-century. Visit the Cathedral of Tartus before continuing on to Lattakia, an important historic and modern-day port city.

Day 04 : St. Simeon & Aleppo, Syria
This morning drive to the capital of the Ugarit Kingdom, the ancient city of Ras Shamra. In its prime, 1450 to 1200 B.C., the city produced great royal palaces, temples and shrines, and it is where the first known alphabet was created in 1400 B.C. Next drive up into the limestone hills and visit the 5th century A.D. pilgrimage cathedral dedicated to St. Simeon. He preached here, from the top of a pillar, for 42 years. Four Basilicas are arranged in the shape of a cross, with an octagon at the center where the base of his pillar is still seen. Continue to Aleppo, one of the great Middle Eastern trading centers.

Day 05: Aleppo, Syria
Enjoy a full day of sightseeing in Syria’s second largest city, renowned for its stone architecture. See the Great Mosque, built in the 12th century it represents a pinnacle of Arab Islamic architecture. Visit the Citadel, a site dating back to the 1st millennium B.C. and a marvelous example of Arab military architecture. Next, tour the National Museum, containing exhibits from the Stone Age through modern times.

After lunch, explore the over 7-mile long labyrinthine of old covered souqs. Dating back to the 15th century, they are living museums depicting medieval Arabian life and a wonderful place to shop – find everything from djalabiyas (a long loose Arabic coat) to carpets to rows and rows of gold jewelry.
 
Day 06: Ebla, Apamea, Hama & Palmyra, Syria
Today visit the Kingdom of Ebla, where recent archaeological discoveries reveal the old Syrian civilization that flourished in the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C., including a library containing more than 17,000 clay cuneiform tablets, the earliest written documents in Syria. Noriahs in Hama Drive on to the ruins of Apamea, a city distinguished for its high walls and mile-long thoroughfare. Surrounded by columns with twisted fluting, walk along the avenue Anthony and Cleopatra once strolled. View Apamea’s extraordinary mosaic panels in the Mudiq Citadel; built in the 12th century, with huge towers that overlook the Ghaab plain.

Then continue to the beautiful city of Hama, well known for its enormous 90-foot waterwheels (noriahs), which have scooped water from the Orontes River and poured it into irrigation canals for millenniums. Continue through the middle of the Syrian Desert to arrive at Palmyra.

Day 07: Palmyra, Syria
Today explore Palmyra, the “Queen of the Desert,” and oasis city and link on the ancient Silk Road between the Mediterranean and Euphrates. Visit the archeology museum, the Tudmor Museum, rich in art of various periods from Palmyra and the Syrian Desert. See the Temple of Bel, enclosed with a double row of limestone columns on each side, and the mile long colonnaded street and monumental Arch of Triumph. In the late afternoon drive up to visit the Arab castle citadel of Fakhereddin Al Ma’an, built in the 16th century, for spectacular views of Palmyra at sunset.

Day 08: Baalbek Lebanon & Damascus, Syria
This morning drive across the Syria/Lebanon border, to one of the world’s greatest historical sites, Baalbek. A World Heritage Site, this city’s awe-inspiring city ruins and its temples are among the largest and finest examples of Roman architecture in the world. The Temple of Bacchus is the best-preserved Roman temple in the Middle East and larger than the Parthenon in Athens. Explore this ancient city, appreciating the grand columned temples and their intricately carved stonework. After lunch, return to Syria and Damascus.

Day 09 : Depart Damascus, Syria
Today you are taken to the airport for your flight home or on to your next destination.