Latakia

Overview

Latakia is Syria's chief port and a coastal resort backed by the green Alawite Mountains. Phoenician Ramitha became Hellenistic Laodicea ad Mare in the 4th century BCE.

History

Founded by Seleucus I Nicator around 300 BCE. Roman tetrapylon and colonnaded street remains stand in the modern city. Ancient Ugarit — birthplace of the world's first alphabet — lies 11 km north.

Highlights

• 01Latakia Corniche & seafront
• 02Roman Tetrapylon
• 03Ugarit (Tell Shamra)
• 04National Museum of Latakia
• 05Mount Casius (Jabal al-Aqra)

Major Attractions

• 01

  Latakia Corniche

  Long palm-lined seafront promenade thronged in the evenings with families, cafés, and ice-cream vendors.

• 02

  Roman Tetrapylon

  A four-arched 2nd-century gateway, the surviving fragment of the colonnaded street of Roman Laodicea.

• 03

  Ugarit (Tell Shamra)

  11 km north — Late Bronze Age maritime kingdom whose scribes devised the world's earliest known alphabet.

• 04

  Qala'at Saladin

  A spectacular Crusader-Ayyubid castle on a forested ridge inland, separated from the mountain by a 28 m rock-cut moat (UNESCO).

• 05

  Slunfeh Mountain Resort

  Cool pine-clad hill station in the Alawite Mountains, popular in summer for cooler air and walks.

• 06

  Ras al-Basit Beach

  Black-sand bay tucked between mountains and sea, the cleanest swimming on the Syrian coast.

• 07

  National Museum of Latakia

  Set in an Ottoman caravanserai, holding finds from Ugarit, Amrit, and the coastal Phoenician sites.

Traveller Tips

• ›Beaches north of Latakia (Ras al-Basit, Ras Ibn Hani) are cleaner than the city beach.
• ›Combine Latakia with Saladin's Castle, Ugarit, and the mountain village of Slunfeh on a 2–3 day coastal loop.
• ›Seafood is best ordered grilled, sold by weight from the day's catch.

What to Eat

• Samakeh Harra

  Whole fish baked under a fiery paste of chilli, coriander, walnuts, and lemon — Latakia's signature dish.

• Sayadieh

  Spiced rice cooked in fish stock and topped with caramelised onions and flaked fish.

• Coastal Mezze

  Small plates of muhammara, fish kibbeh, fried sardines, octopus, and sea urchin in season.

Other local flavours: Samakeh harra · Sayadieh · Fresh seafood mezze

Where to Stay

• Le Méridien Lattakia

  Five-star resort

  Beachfront international resort south of the city with private beach, pools, and tennis.

• Côte d'Azur de Cham Resort

  Resort

  Large family resort on Ibn Hani peninsula with private beach and apartments.

• Riviera Hotel

  Mid-range

  Central seafront hotel within walking distance of the corniche and old town.