It is no wonder that Syria is the cradle of civilizations, which flourished throughout history. Monuments, archaeological sites, impregnable castles, citadels and dead cities narrate the glorious history of ancient nations. It is a wonderful panorama of natural colors and images: seacoast, mountains, forests, rolling hills, fertile valleys, plains and steppes. The basaltic and the limestone ruins tell about a marvelous architectural art. The Corinthian columns, the Khans spread all over the Silk Road, the castles still towering from the Medieval ages, the mosques and palaces are the witnesses of a great rich history.

Syria has always been a centre where East and West meet with their varied civilizations. The tourist can feel that mixture through its art and the open minded, warm welcoming and ever smiling Syrians. See its deserts and its valleys, its citadels and bazaars, its antiquities and castles. This is Syria!

In Syria, history is present every step of your way.
Damascus, the capital, is considered the oldest city in the world. The alphabet found carved on a mud tablet in Ugarit is the first alphabet known in history.
In Syria you will find, the oldest buildings, the oldest language and the oldest religions. Syria was a bridge between the East and the West and a meeting place for many nations.

For thousands of years, the area between the Euphrates and the Mediterranean was a theatre for historical change. It was both a battlefield and a front where old superpowers gathered. It is here that Egypt, Babylonia, and the old eastern empires met. Discover by yourself the remains of the civilizations of Mari and Ugarit, the cities of Zenobia as well as those of Greece, Rome, Assyria, Sumeria and Phoenicia. Enjoy the sight of great fortresses, the wonderful Islamic mosques and magnificent castles of the Middle Ages.

In Ma'aloula, the Syrian village which springs from the rocks and which witnessed the birth of Christianity, the Bible stories live again. Time seems to stand in this historic village. The language of its people is Aramaic, the language of Jesus which is conveyed orally from parents to children, being a spoken and not a written language. This pure and rich culture in a historic place inspires the visitor to discovery and wonderment.

Syria presents to you a history that extends for thousands of years. To know Syria is to have knowledge of legendary world. Palmyra, for example, is like a pearl in the heart of the desert; rising from the sands, is one of the most graceful and splendid ancient sites in the East, for its glory and greatness are still evident and fully 2000 years after its construction by the Arab Queen Zenobia. It remains one of the most famous capitals of the ancient world.
Throughout Syria there are witnesses to the various ages of history from the ancient Roman amphitheater of Bosra in the South to Aramaic district and citadel of Aleppo with its venerable traditions in the North. In Aleppo you will find, extending for miles, the oldest markets in the world. In the North, also, are Hama with its gigantic Water Wheels, the citadel of St. Simeon with its golden ruins reflecting the evening light and the long-dead towns of Qalb Lozeh, Al Bara and Tell Mardikh of Ebla.

All these historical gems lie in a relatively small area. Not very far from the beach, Crack des Chevaliers thrusts its dignified mass towards the sky; a striking example of 12th century building, it continues to preserve its medieval splendor. Likewise Homs with its tomb of Khaled Ibn Al Walid, the splendid mosaics of Afamia and the great burial places dating from the earliest Christians. Syria, attracts the tourist. Just open your eyes …
You are surrounded by the past.
These ancient pearls of the Syrian Desert shine forever.