Damascus

Overview

Damascus is widely regarded as one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on Earth, with settlement traces reaching back more than 10,000 years. Its walled Old City — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — is a labyrinth of Roman streets, Umayyad mosques, Ottoman courtyards, and Christian quarters.

History

Capital of the Umayyad Caliphate from 661 to 750 CE, Damascus has been ruled by Aramaeans, Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Mamluks, Ottomans, and the modern Syrian state. The Roman 'Street called Straight' still bisects the Old City.

Highlights

• 01Umayyad Mosque
• 02Al-Hamidiyeh Souq
• 03Straight Street (Via Recta)
• 04Azem Palace
• 05Bab Touma & Bab Sharqi
• 06Historic city walls
• 07National Museum of Damascus
• 08Mount Qasioun viewpoint

Major Attractions

• 01

  Umayyad Mosque

  Built 706–715 CE on the site of a Roman temple of Jupiter and a basilica of Saint John the Baptist. Famed for its glittering mosaic façade, three minarets, and the shrine said to hold the head of John the Baptist.

• 02

  Al-Hamidiyeh Souq

  A 600-metre covered Ottoman market roofed in corrugated iron pierced by sunlight from old bullet holes. Lined with spice merchants, brocade shops, and the legendary Bakdash ice-cream parlour.

• 03

  Azem Palace

  An 18th-century Damascene mansion built by governor As'ad Pasha al-Azem. The striated black-and-white stone courtyards, iwans, and inlaid wooden ceilings are now a museum of folk traditions.

• 04

  Straight Street (Via Recta)

  The Roman decumanus that runs east-west across the Old City, mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles. Still the main thoroughfare of the Christian and Jewish quarters.

• 05

  Citadel of Damascus

  A 13th-century Ayyubid fortress at the north-west corner of the Old City, built to anchor the medieval walls against Crusader and Mongol incursions.

• 06

  Mount Qasioun

  The mountain rising north of the city, with terraced cafés offering a panorama over Damascus at sunset and at night.

• 07

  Tekkiye Mosque

  A masterpiece of Ottoman classical architecture designed by the imperial architect Sinan in 1554, with twin minarets and a striped ablaq courtyard.

Traveller Tips

• ›Old City alleys are car-free and easy to walk — wear sturdy shoes for uneven stone paving.
• ›Carry small notes; many souq merchants and taxis cannot break large bills.
• ›Friday mornings are the quietest time in the souq; Saturday is the busiest.
• ›Dress modestly when visiting the Umayyad Mosque (abayas are provided at the women's entrance).
• ›Sunset on Mount Qasioun is spectacular but cold in winter — bring a jacket.

What to Eat

• Fattoush

  Crisp Levantine salad of toasted bread, sumac, purslane, and pomegranate molasses.

• Shish Barak

  Tiny meat dumplings simmered in warm yogurt sauce with garlic and dried mint.

• Muhammara

  Roasted red pepper and walnut dip sharpened with pomegranate molasses and Aleppo pepper.

• Bakdash Ice Cream

  Stretchy mastic-and-rosewater ice cream pounded with wooden mallets and rolled in pistachios.

• Ma'amoul

  Semolina shortbread stuffed with dates, walnuts, or pistachios — a Damascene Eid staple.

Other local flavours: Fattoush · Kibbeh · Shawarma · Muhammara · Ma'amoul

Where to Stay

• Beit Al Mamlouka

  Boutique heritage hotel

  Restored 17th-century courtyard house in the Christian quarter, regarded as the first boutique hotel in the Old City.

• Talisman Hotel

  Boutique heritage hotel

  Ottoman-era mansion near Bab Sharqi with carved-wood ceilings and a small inner pool.

• Dar Al Yasmin

  Guesthouse

  Affordable family-run guesthouse inside a restored Damascene courtyard near the Umayyad Mosque.

• Four Seasons Damascus

  International luxury

  Modern five-star tower outside the Old City offering full Western-style amenities.