Bloudan

Overview

Bloudan sits on the eastern slope of the Anti-Lebanon range, 45 km northwest of Damascus and high enough that its summers stay in the mid-twenties while the capital bakes. Long the summer resort of Damascene families, its terraced hotels and orchards look west across the Zabadani plain.

History

A quiet farming village until the late Ottoman period, Bloudan became a hill station in the 1920s and 1930s and hosted the 1937 Bloudan Conference, a landmark pan-Arab political gathering. Its grand mid-century hotels and villas date from that resort era.

Highlights

• 01Panoramic Zabadani valley viewpoint
• 02Apple and cherry orchards
• 03Summer resort promenade
• 04Winter snow slopes
• 05Bloudan grotto

Major Attractions

• 01

  The Corniche viewpoint

  The main ridge road strings together cafés and terraces overlooking the Zabadani plain and the Lebanese border ranges — the reason most Damascenes come.

• 02

  Orchards of Bloudan

  Apple, cherry and walnut terraces climb the slopes; roadside stands sell the harvest from June through October.

• 03

  Bloudan Grotto

  A small limestone cave above the village, an easy walk with valley views on the return.

• 04

  Zabadani

  The neighbouring spa town, ten minutes downhill, forms one continuous excursion with Bloudan.

Traveller Tips

• ›Weekend traffic from Damascus is heavy in July and August — travel midweek if you can.
• ›Nights drop sharply after sunset even in August; pack a jacket.
• ›The road passes close to the Lebanese border — carry your passport and expect checkpoints.

What to Eat

• Bloudan apples

  Crisp high-altitude apples that supply Damascus markets — the local emblem.

• Terrace mezze

  Long slow lunches of mountain labneh, pickles, kibbeh and arak with a view over the valley.

• Grilled trout

  Farmed in the cold springs of the Barada headwaters and grilled at the roadside restaurants.

Other local flavours: Mountain apples · Cherries · Fresh trout · Terrace mezze

Where to Stay

• Bloudan resort hotels

  Mid-range to upscale

  Several hillside hotels reopen for the summer season with pools and valley-facing balconies.

• Summer apartments

  Self-catering

  Short-term family apartments are the standard local option and cheapest in June and September.