Safita

Overview

Safita spreads over three hills in the wooded highlands between Tartus and Krak des Chevaliers, crowned by the gleaming keep the Crusaders called Chastel Blanc — the White Castle. Cooler and greener than the coast, it is one of Syria's most pleasant summer hill towns.

History

A Templar stronghold from the mid-12th century, Chastel Blanc guarded the corridor between Tortosa (Tartus) and Krak des Chevaliers, relaying signals by fire between the two. Earthquakes and Nur al-Din's campaigns levelled everything but the keep, whose ground floor still serves as the Church of Saint Michael — an unbroken place of worship for over 800 years.

Highlights

• 01Chastel Blanc (the White Tower)
• 02Church of Saint Michael inside the keep
• 03Old stone quarters
• 04Hilltop panoramas to the sea
• 05Wooded valleys and orchards

Major Attractions

• 01

  Chastel Blanc (Burj Safita)

  A 28-metre Templar donjon of pale limestone, the best-preserved Crusader keep of its type. The vaulted ground floor is still the parish church; a stair leads to a roof terrace with views to Tartus and, on clear days, to Krak des Chevaliers.

• 02

  Old town lanes

  Stone houses with red-tiled roofs wrap the castle hill — an easy hour's wander with cafés at the top.

• 03

  Sunset terraces

  Cafés on the northern ridge look over forested valleys towards the Mediterranean — the classic Safita evening.

• 04

  Hosn Suleiman

  A colossal Roman-era Phoenician sanctuary of megalithic blocks in the mountains east of town, one of the Levant's most under-visited ancient sites.

Traveller Tips

• ›Climb the keep late in the day — the roof is the town's viewpoint and the stair is unlit.
• ›Safita is the natural cool-air base for visiting Krak des Chevaliers (45 minutes) and Marqab.
• ›Hosn Suleiman needs a car; the mountain road takes about an hour each way.

What to Eat

• Kishk

  Fermented bulgur-and-yoghurt powder cooked into a warming winter soup across the coastal mountains.

• Coastal mezze

  Tables here lean to muhammara, labneh with mountain olive oil, and grilled halloumi-style jibneh.

• Mountain honey

  Oak- and thyme-flower honey from the surrounding hills, sold in roadside stalls.

Other local flavours: Coastal mezze · Olive oil · Kishk · Mountain honey

Where to Stay

• Safita hill hotels

  Mid-range

  A handful of family-run hotels on the ridges cater to summer visitors escaping coastal humidity.

• Tartus

  Alternative base

  Forty minutes down to the coast for a wider hotel choice and sea views.