Damascus is the capital of Syria and its largest city, with about 4.5 million people. Established between 10,000 to 8,000BC, Damascus is credited with being the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. The old-walled city, in particular, feels very ancient and largely consists of a maze of narrow alleys, punctuated by enigmatic doors that lead into pleasing, verdant courtyards and blank-faced houses. The old city still has an authentic medieval feel to it, although this is vanishing fast due to the increasing tourist traffic as the city continues to be highlighted as an attraction. Life, however, goes on in the old-walled city, which is still the religious and social centre of the city.
Souq al-Hamidiyya
The Souq al-Hamidiyya, a broad street packed with tiny shops, is entered through columns from a Roman temple built on a site that had been occupied by an even older temple. The souqs themselves smell of cumin and other distinctive spices and you can find passages dedicated to everything from leather and copper goods to inlaid boxes and silk scarves.
Ummayad Mosque
This Mosque is one of the most ancient and magnificent mosques in the world. This magnificent piece of architecture is located in one of the holiest sites in the old city and was built on the site of a Christian basilica dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. Until recently, the mosque housed the shrine and the head of the saint. In 2001, Pope John Paul II went to the mosque to visit the relics of the saint. Other important features of the mosque are: the Ablutions Fountain in the center of the courtyard, Saladin mausoleum, and the head of Husayn the grandson of Muhammad.
Azem Palace
Once the governor residence, Azem Palace is now the home of the National Museum of the Arts and Popular Traditions. Built in 1749, it is located near the Citadel in the old city, and is quite an attraction with its elaborately designed fountains, rooms on display, paintings, and contemporary art. The rooms are particularly interesting as they include an old Haman (bath house).
Arab Epigraphy Museum
This madrassa (Islamic educational institution) was built in the 15th century and is a splendid example of Mamluk-era architecture. Although it contains a small collection of illuminated calligraphic manuscripts and other printed works, the main attraction is the building itself, intricate and grand in its design.
Mausoleum of Salah al-Din
Mausoleum of Salah al-Din, known in the west as Saladin, the chief anti-crusader. There's a great statue of him on horseback right next to the citadel, which will make you gasp. If you walk all the way around it, there are two dejected Frankish knights underneath the horse's slightly lifted tail. These two knights are identified by inscriptions as Guy de Lusignan, King of Jerusalem, and Reynald de Chatillon, lord of Kerak, an important fortress in the Holy Land. Both were captured during Salah al-Din's definitive victory at Hattin; Guy was imprisoned in Damascus and eventually released, but Reynald was executed as punishment for his many atrocities.
Via Recta
Via Recta, which is Latin for Straight Street, was constructed under the supervision of the Romans during the era of the Roman Empire. This 2,000 year old colonnaded road was mentioned in the Bible in the Book of Acts as having been visited by St. Paul. Via Recta is approximately 1,600 meters long, because it spans the length of the old city of Damascus, which is now mostly underground. At the halfway span of the road, a Roman archway can be observed, and along the street is St. Paul's Chapel, where St. Paul was believed to have fled.
Army Museum
The Army Museum has an interesting collection of military weaponry from the Bronze Age to the near present. Exhibits include flint arrowheads and a pile of twisted metal than turns out to be planes shot down during the 1973 war with Israel.
Hejaz Railway
The Hejaz Railway is open to the public every day but Fridays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Outside of the museum you will find a great locomotive display, while inside you will find various artifacts and photographs about the railway. The museum is located on the far side of the tracks at the Cadem Station. You can also partake in a steam locomotive ride if you wish to purchase tickets in advance.
Explore the Old City
The Old City is one of the best neighborhoods to visit if you're interested in exploring the town of Damascus. The Old City does not have newly constructed buildings; instead, it gives you a chance to explore what the city used to be like. If you're going to be exploring the many streets and alleyways of the Old City you must do so on foot; taxis do not come here due to the narrow streets. However, exploring on foot gives you the chance to window shop at all of the beautiful stores in the Old City.
Bathe in a Hammam
i.e., a Turkish bath. The Nur-al-Din Bath (between the Azem Palace and Straight Street) and the Bakri Bath (first street on the right after entering the Old City at Bab Touma) are two baths that are familiar with Western tourists. A visit to either costs about 500 SP, and includes towels, soap, scrub, and a massage. Nur-al-Din is for men only, Bakri might be able to accommodate women or mixed groups upon prior arrangement. Bakri Bath: for women each day except Friday 10 - 5 pm
Hooka cafe
Relax at a Hooka cafe "Narjelah" Hooka cafe's are popular in Damascus and are easy to find. When visiting the old city, you'll get a more cultural or traditional experience. You'll probably find a crowd of tea-drinking, backgammon-playing men all smoking hooka. In the modern city, most cafe's cater to a younger crowd and are a big part of the night life offering a huge variety of flavored tobacco ranging from double apple which is the most common, to cappuccino. In almost every major restaurant, hookas are available, including the restaurants in the old city.
Visit Mount Qassioun
If you visit Mount Qassioun you will want to make sure you make the trip in the evening because of the beautiful view that it has to offer. However, if you do go up at night you want to bargain with your taxi driver before leaving town, because you can easily spend hours up there watching the town light up under the night sky. At the bottom of the mountain there is a monument erected in honor of an unknown soldier, which is something to stop and look at before heading up the mountain.
St. Ananias Chapel
Even though the chapel has a very interesting history, there isn't very much to see. St. Ananias Chapel, which is located in the Old City, offers you the chance to see the small church that is located in the cellar. You can also visit the room next to the church in the cellar that is filled with plaques that tell the history of St. Ananias Chapel. After visiting here you should stop at the Chapel of St. Paul.
Bimaristan an-Nuri
This building was the first hospital in the world, but now it is an Arabic Science and Medicine Museum. The building also happens to be one of the last ayyubid monuments in the city of Damascus. Inside the museum you will find an ancient tomb, old Arabic surgical instruments and many other things of interest.
Festivals
Damascus Film Festival
This festival is held every year in November, and it gathers movie stars, directors and people from the movie business from around the world and Syria. The film festival also attracts a lot of tourists in the city, and hotels are usually pre-booked for months.
Damascus Theatre Festival
The Damascus Theatre Festival was held for the first time back in 1969 as a biennial festival. Unfortunately, during the Gulf war, this festival was stopped. The performances are all around Damascus and tourists can always walk around from one play to another.
Silk Road Festival
This is probably the most interesting festival, and tourists can follow it through the whole Syria since this festival is held in Damascus, Palmira, Aleppo and Deir Es Zor. This festival takes tourists through the past; people can see the old traditions of the Silk Road. During this festival, people can see theatre plays, various exhibitions, dancing plays, folklore dancing from all over the Middle East, a race of small boats in the Euphrates River, swimming races in the Euphrates River, a Gastronomic Festival and much more. This festival gives tourists the chance to travel all around Syria. It is held at the end of September and it lasts at least 5 days.
International Flower Show
This show is being held every year in July or August in the Teshreen Park. This is Damascus' biggest green place. This show gets a number of people from all over the world with their flowers and plants, and tourists can visit it anytime during the month.
Jazz Lives in Syria
Jazz festivals are held in Damascus and in Aleppo in August. This festival is held for four days and people can see various artists from all around the globe. This is one of the biggest jazz festivals in this part of the world.
Night Life
Oxygen
This high-end bar and restaurant caters to those who wants to spend a night like a VIP. The area is divided in to two sections. One section of Oxygen is allotted for a great fine-dining experience. Guests can enjoy scrumptious dishes and various cuisines. It also offers a great selection of premium wines. The music in this dining section is relaxing and often features piano and violin recitals. After dining, go to the more party-oriented section of the building. Affluent youngsters will surely enjoy the company of each other amidst the funky music and great cocktails. Dress to impress because this place has a strict door policy.
Domino
Domino is one of the most established party spots in Damascus. Food and cocktail prices are affordable and the bar menu has a long list of good food. The place is famous for its hookahs that cater to fancy smokers. Beyond 11:00 p.m., the wide dance floor opens and the music turns to party mode. Celebrated local DJs create the mood and mix the music for a fun-packed clubbing experience. Bring your own flavored loose tobacco for a more personalized hookah use.
Get Around
On foot
A very good idea is to go on foot especially for a sightseeing, and it's the only way to get around in Old Damascus. Walking in the new city however, should be reserved to the nicer areas of Maliki and Abu-Rumaneh, as the new city tends to be pollution clogged. The driving culture in Damascus is not the safest, so beware as a pedestrian, especially in the new city. Cars will not hesitate to come extremely close to pedestrians or other cars in order to pass.
By car
It isn't a very good idea to rent a car in Damascus. There is almost always a traffic jam, especially in summer, and parking tends to be difficult too; although that isn't the the situation in suburbs.
Buses
Micro buses, also known as servees, are one of the main sources of transportation in Damascus. All journeys inside the city costs 10 Syrian Pounds (20 American Cents approximately). You can go from one place to another in Damascus with at most one or two journeys. When on the bus, give any passenger a coin and he will pass it to the driver and return the change, just remember to tell that passenger how many people you are paying for, whether you are in a group, or tell him that you are paying "for one" ("waahid") if you are alone. The route is written (in Arabic only) on the roof sign. Micro buses do not generally have fixed stops except at very busy points, just beckon to the driver and he will stop near you (Al yameen, andak iza samaht).
There are also many city buses that likewise cost 10 SYP. One useful bus is #15, which runs from Al-Marjeh Square (Souq Sarouja\Old Town) to the Western Bus Station, which serves Beirut and Amman.
Taxi
Taxis are plentiful in Damascus, making them a great mode of transportation. The taxis of Star Taxi, a new private company, are more expensive than normal taxis, but they are also more comfortable and safer. You can call their headquarters and they will send the nearest taxi to your door. Taxis with the Damascus Governorate logo on the side and a number on the roof sign are normally equipped with a meter, and it is best to use only these when hailing a taxi on the street. You should normally leave a 10-pound tip as well as the fare on the meter. At night, taxi drivers do not usually use the meter, so you may be best off negotiating the price before you get in. A service taxi to Amman or Beirut cost 700 Syrian pounds and takes around 4 hours and run 24 hours. Do not hesitate to take them; they are new, clean vehicles with air conditioning.
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