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1. No more travel advisory
The U.S. State Department issues travel advisories that many, including myself, feel are too conservative (the issue is discussed by JoAnna Haugen in depth in Should You Listen To Travel Warnings About Honduras?).
So if they’re willing to lift the advisory on Syria, that goes far to assuaging any safety concerns I may have had.
The NYT article linked above states that Syria is “crucial to peace in the region.” Time to get out the passport, meet the people, and promote world peace.
Photo: seier+seier+seier
2. The Dead Cities
In northern Syria, not too far north of the little pocket where the last communities of Aramaic speakers live, lie Syria’s mysterious Dead Cities, “780 abandoned settlements dating back to between the fifth and eighth centuries.”
There are also remnants of an Iron Age temple from around 1200 BC.
Several of the Dead Cities have been dug by archaeologists and are laid out for visitors with useful signs and information; others lie within modern villages: strange stone towers sprouting from gardens, fragments of carved lintels lying under the pistachio trees.
There’s so much history in Syria — Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, the Silk Road, the Crusades. But this region — probably the entire country — is seriously under-touristed. Seeing these lesser-known ruins would certainly be on my itinerary.
3. Aleppo’s rise
The Dead Cities are an easy drive south of Aleppo, one of the oldest cities in the world and a great place to see the synthesis of all the cultures mentioned above. Plus the souks, hammams, and other attractions familiar to Middle East travelers.
Photo: seier+seier+seier
As The New York Times reports, the city’s tourism industry is growing. They quote Karam Artin, a 20-year-old interior design student:
In a few years, this city will be swarming with tourists, and, hopefully, even more American visitors.
Now is the time to go.
4. Reading Matador Network content
As a Matador editor, it’s my pleasure to read (or, on a bad day, at the very least skim) every article published across the Network. I could plan an entire trip based on this content.
Matador Abroad has my back with Useful Arabic Phrases For Travelers. I’d of course check in with dwb, our destination expert for Syria.
And Matador’s other regional experts could help me out if I decided to scope 6 Under-the-Radar Destinations In The Middle East.
Where are you dying to travel to RIGHT NOW, and which online content inspired you to go? Share your stoke in the comments.
Community Connection
If you’ve traveled to Syria and blogged the experience, I’d love to read your work. Leave a link in the comments. Or better yet, post a Matador blog about it.
Hal Amen
Hal Amen is managing editor at Matador. His personal travel blog is WayWorded.
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Yeah, Syria was right up top of my list too… unfortunately the Syrians didn’t like the look of me (too much pro-Palestinian activity, ironically). They denied me a visa and kept my passport for EIGHT (count ‘em) months. If you’re not going with an organised tour group, don’t make plans until you have that visa stamp in your passport…
That’s terrible! Did they take it at the border, or were you applying at an embassy?
I second what Nick and Lara say! I’ve been twice (2001 and 2009) and can attest that the country is changing fast.
Anyone with any interest in the Middle East is sorely missing out if they’re avoiding Syria. It is also very affordable if you’re on a budget.
The country has some of the finest Roman ruins outside of Italy as well (Palmyra, Apamea, to name just two).
I have been to syria 4 times now (1999, 2002, 2005 & 2009) Syria is deifinitely the place to go! It has the best Markets (if you know how to bargain), the best food and Icecream! and for those who love their history as Francoise wrote ” The country has some of the finest Roman ruins”. If it’s your first time in the country a tour guide would be a good option.
Hello
We welcome you to your arrival to Syria
Damascus, Syrian Arab Republic, and I appreciate your attitude of my beautiful
If I wanted to come to Syria next time I hope to have had the honor take you to archaeological sites in Aleppo, Homs and Hamaha and other
Bddoumi lit Syrian Arab Republic
abdulmoein
Syria is definitely a cool place to visit….I actually moved here 6 months ago from Boston. I’m blogging about the experience at http://www.whysosyria.com. If anyone has specific question about visiting the country feel free to shoot me an email.
Syria is most definitely off the beaten path so it’s a lot more challenging as a toursits than Mexico (for example). Still the country is super safe, relatively cheap, and one of the least westernized countries I’ve been to.
Worth a visit!!!
[...] travelers observe their new destination surroundings, often the story of their documentation is purely one that highlights the beauty they immediately [...]
go to syria at your own peril… you will end up on a video sitting in front of mask men, getting ready to BEHEAD you…i am staying in america.