About Syria

Travel & Tourism .

Overview:

Welcome to the Tourism portion of the website. On behalf of the Embassy of Syria in Washington D.C., we are excited of your interest in Syria, and we would like to assist you in planning a trip to our enchanting country. Replete with history that dates back to primeval times, Syria never seizes to mystify visitors with its unique ambiance of antiquity combined with modernism. As a result, a culture rich in diversity has made it one of the most popular travel destinations for historians, adventurers, and leisure seekers worldwide.

Castle remains from the crusades, ancient Roman ruins, and original relics from the Ottoman Empire have become focal travel points within the region, but a trip would not be complete without visits to the Old City in Damascus, the castle of Salah-Al-Din in Aleppo, and Palmyra's temple of Ba’al Shamin.

For a calming experience, vacation resorts in Lattakia offer boat cruises, spa facilities, and internationally renowned cuisine, all along the Mediterranean Sea. Adventure lovers may enjoy hiking through ancient ruins and jet skiing off the shore of Tartous. Yet even for the most basic Syrian experiences, taking a stroll through the Souk-Al-Hamidia in Damascus or having lunch at a café along the streets of Aleppo will give one a taste of this culturally magnificent country that continues to amaze visitors year after year.

Practical Information:

Visa

Entry into Syria requires a valid passport for six months on submission and an issued visa. For detailed information about how to obtain a visa, please click here.

Important Note: Travelers holding passports that contain visas or entry/exit stamps for Israel are likely to be refused entry into Syria.

Currency and Methods of Payment:

The currency of Syria is the Syrian Pound (SYP), which is also referred to as a “lira” in the colloquial dialect. As of Oct 2009, 1 US Dollar equates to approximately 45.3 Syrian Pounds; however, this amount is subject to change on a daily basis.

There are numerous forms of effective and secure forms of payment within Syria. ATM machines may be found all throughout the country, yet they are less common within the small rural towns. Nearly all travel agencies, hotels, and large shopping districts accept major credit cards, but many restaurants and local, self owned stores are unable to do so. Because of this, travelers are advised to carry loose change at all times for convenience.

Within every major town, at least one division of the Commercial Bank of Syria exists and is able to exchange money. Several officially sanctioned private exchange offices are additionally located conveniently in major districts throughout the country.

Syria banknotes

Transportation:

Getting around Syria is simple, quick, and affordable. Public taxis swarm the city twenty four hours a day and may be picked up through the street or called for in advance. Travelers are welcome to rent automobiles through several private companies as well. For long distance travels between cities, a wide net of comfortable air-conditioned buses are available at all hours of the day and Syrian Air offers short flights between Damascus, Aleppo, Kameshli, Dier-Al-Zoor, and Lattakia.  When crossing borders, Syria’s international highways connect to Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq.

Railway links between Turkey and Syria already exist, and the country is in the current process of building more.

Local Time and Business Hours:

Syrian Local Time: Greenwich Mean Time + 2 hours or US Eastern Time + 7 hours

Note: Daylight Savings Time takes place at the end of March and resets at the end of October.

Communications:

Internet and faxing is available all throughout Syria and is publically accessed in many internet cafés and hotels. Both ground  line and cell phone are available in all cities where communication is both dependable and efficient. Directories in Arabic, English, and French are often available and international calls may be made from public and private telephones.

The International Dialing Code for Syria is +963.