Al-Qusayr

Overview

Al-Qusayr lies 35 km southwest of Homs in a belt of irrigated farmland near the Orontes and the Lebanese frontier, historically a market centre for the surrounding villages and orchards of the Homs Gap.

History

The town sits astride the Homs Gap, the only easy corridor between the Syrian interior and the Mediterranean, a route used since the Bronze Age and guarded in the Middle Ages by Krak des Chevaliers to the west. Al-Qusayr was destroyed in heavy fighting in 2013 and has been rebuilding since; reconstruction remains partial.

Highlights

• 01Homs Gap farmland
• 02Orontes irrigation canals
• 03Lake Qattinah nearby
• 04Route to Krak des Chevaliers

Major Attractions

• 01

  The Homs Gap

  The broad natural corridor between the Anti-Lebanon and coastal ranges — the strategic passage that shaped Syrian history and the region's caravan and Crusader routes.

• 02

  Lake Qattinah (Lake Homs)

  An ancient dammed reservoir northeast of town, its embankment attributed to the Roman period and still irrigating the plain.

• 03

  Agricultural plain

  Wheat, potato and orchard land watered from the Orontes — the town's economic base.

Traveller Tips

• ›The town was heavily damaged and remains partially rebuilt — check the current situation before visiting.
• ›It sits close to the Lebanese border; carry identification and expect checkpoints.
• ›Krak des Chevaliers is around 40 minutes west and is the region's main draw.

What to Eat

• Orontes produce

  Potatoes, cucumbers and tomatoes from the irrigated plain supply Homs markets.

• Village dairy

  Fresh labneh, jibneh and shanklish from the surrounding farms.

Other local flavours: Orontes vegetables · Dairy · Kibbeh · Homs-style mezze

Where to Stay

• Homs

  Base city

  Forty minutes northeast with the province's hotels.

• Wadi al-Nasara

  Alternative base

  The Valley of the Christians west of town offers guesthouses near Krak des Chevaliers.