Enjoy this tour of Syria, starting by seeing the splendours of old and new sections of Damascus, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Damascus has a wealth of historical sites dating back to many different periods of the city's history which will be explained by your expert English speaking guide. Travel to Palmyra in the middle of the Syrian Desert. Without doubt the most beautiful and magnificent of the Syrian historic sites, Palmyra, which was on the silk road, is an Arab commercial metropolis which has now turned pink with age. Among the Northern plains you will find the city of Aleppo (Halab), situated in a bowl in the landscape. Site visits include: Crac des Chevaliers (Crusader Castle of the Knights), the Grand Mosque, Valley of the Tombs, St Simeon, the St Paul Window, the waterwheels of Hama, the Collonade of Apamea, Sarjilla – the Dead City, Homs, Ezra’a and The Roman Amphitheater of Bosra. Enjoy private airport transfers and private guided tours throughout your stay.

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 is comprised of a maze of narrow alleys, punctuated by enigmatic doors that lead into pleasing, verdant courtyards and blank-faced houses.

Transfer in a private vehicle from the airport to your Damascas hotel. The transfer includes airport meet and assist.

This luxury 17th century 8 bedroom boutique hotel is built around a central courtyard with citrus trees and a fountain. The hotel is located in the Christian quarter of Damascus' old city, and is within a few minutes of the rambling souks and the many other ancient cultural monument of this magical city.

Overnight at Beit Al Mamlouka.

The charm of Damascus lies in the wonderful sharp contrast between the historical and new areas. The modern area houses long, wide streets, luxurious buildings, modern hotels, elegant small apartments and the best library in the Middle East. In the historical part of the city, there are narrow lanes, caravansaries, baths, souks, old palaces, libraries, mosques and churches. All this make a visit to Damascus more than rewarding. Enjoy a visit to the national museum, and the Omayad Mosque, and take a stroll in the old Bazaars and Souks. Lunch is included with this tour.

Overnight at Beit Al Mamlouka.

Enjoy a full day private, guided excursion to get acquainted with the southern region of Syria. Bosra is known as the “Bombay of the middle east”. A unique black basaltic city is home to one of the finest surviving Roman theatres. This settlement was strategically built in the middle of the fertile Houran plain, which later became what is known as “the granary of the Roman Empire”. The presence of the Roman, Byzantine and Islamic cultures have overtime created a truly diverse city structure. The town of Ezra'a is situated 85 km south of Damascus. This town is known for its two churches dating back to the 6th century, which are considered as the oldest continuously used churches in Syria. Ezra'a was quite an important city during the Roman period, which later became a center of Christian importance. In 1182, it was sacked by James Baldwin IV of Jerusalem who mistakenly thought that they wanted to join him. The influence of Christianity is still quite dense here, with the town’s two original churches still used daily. The Church of St George, which was built on the site of an ancient pagan temple, is a Greek Orthodox Church dating back to 512 AD. Similarly, the Church of St Elias, dating back to 542 AD is a Greek Catholic Church, which has overtime become a victim of heavy damage throughout the decades, has recently undergone restoration in order to return it to its former glory.

Overnight at Beit Al Mamlouka.

Palmyra (the Roman name) is known as Tadmor to the Syrians. Both mean the same thing - date palm. The name comes from the lush oasis adjacent to the city which is home to some million date palms. It is the only oasis in Syria and perhaps the only truly tourist town.

Undoubtedly one of the finest examples of a Crusader fortress virtually still intact in a magnificent location close to the Mediterranean, Crac des Chevaliers is known as “The most preserved crusader citadel in the world”. It was held for 162 years by the Crusaders and later given to the Mamlouk. Its towers, stables, water-cistern, meeting-hall and chapel still give an ever lasting impression and were described by T.E Lawrence as such: "it is the most wholly admirable castle in the world". Enjoy a day excursion to this fascinating site with a private vehicle and driver, complete with a detailed visit of the castle. This tour continues on with a visit to the city of Homs for a quick tour of the city's remaining Citadel, Mosques and Churches. Lunch is included with tour, along with an overnight in Palmyra Hotel.

Lying in the heart of the Syrian Desert, is Syria’s star tourist attraction and one of the world’s most splendid historical sites in Palmyra, Tadamora Palace Hotel & Spa is offering luxuries services to its guest. Completing the enjoyment of Palmyra’s intriguing history, along with the profusion of colonnades, temple remains and funerary towers, in a mesmerizing desert oasis setting, renders visitors speechless, Tadamora Palace serve you with the best traditional and international food in the area in its various restaurants, and relaxing under the sun in its pool and terrace restaurants. The location of Tadamora Palace Hotel & Spa is easily accessible. Having various kinds of treatment in one of the most famous spas in the world Six Senses Spa will make Tadamora Palace your destination of choice for those seeking the perfect retreat to relax and be pampered whilst enjoying the therapeutic benefits of Six Senses Spa in Tadamora Palace Palmyra.

Overnight at Tadamora Palace Hotel & Spa.

After breakfast enjoy local sightseeing in Palmyra. The sights include;

Bel Temple - Bel is identified by the Greeks as Zeus and as Jupiter by the Romans, and is lord and master of the universe. The temple is set on an artificial mound that dates back to the 2nd millennium BC and it is almost sure that this site has always been the site of a shrine.

Colonnade - The colonnaded street, or the decumanus, which is the main axis of the city runs from northwest to southeast for 1.2 Km. Starting from the Temple of Bel which is on the southeast side towards the Arab castle on the northwest side. Nearly at the beginning of the colonnade is the monumental arch, which has been very well preserved and is almost always the vestige with which Palmyra is associated

Valley of the Tombs - This is a large area with several tower and temple tombs and hypogeums. Of the most interesting are the Tower Tombs of Kithoth, Iamliku, Elahbel, Atenatan, and the Hypogeum of Yarhai. There are two other necropolises, the first is to the southwest of Palmyra and includes the Hypogea of the Three Brothers, Atenatan, Hairan and Dionysus. The other necropolis which is situated southeast of Palmyra includes the tombs of Artaban, Breiki, and Bolha.

Overnight at Tadamora Palace Hotel & Spa.

Aleppo is one of the Great Middle Eastern cities, a city where one can still find the grandeur of Arabic life of a bygone era. Once the major commercial center of the Orient, it is still vibrant with traders coming from all over the world to buy, sell, barter and haggle in its traditional covered Souks, the newer shopping districts and center-city offices.

Transfer to Hama, situated between Homs and Aleppo on banks of the Orontes river. Visit the chief attraction of the city: The Great Norias (Waterwheels). Originating in Byzantine times, the oldest surviving wheels date from the 13th century. The norias, which all have given names, were used to raise water from the river into aqueducts. The purpose of the wheels nowadays is purely decorative and of historical interest. Continue on to the city of Apamea, known for its Colonnade (The Cardo Maximus): 45 meters long. Erected in the 2nd century, it was destroyed in the 12th century by two violent earthquakes; yet many columns are still standing. Leaving Apamea, the tour day ends after exploring what is known as the most eerie of the known Dead Cities - Serjilla. Deserted for almost 1,500 years, Serjilla is most recognized for its many semi-complete buildings offering the appearance that villagers have only just left. Lunch included. Overnight in Aleppo.

Nestled in the heart of the ancient city of Aleppo, The Mansouriya Palace Hotel is a delightful surprise of old world charm and sublime luxury and comfort. Built in the late 16th century in the former Christian quarters close to the citadel of Aleppo, this boutique hotel has been renovated to its former glory with painstaking detail and finesse by acclaimed architect Anne Judet and Parisienne interior designer Catherine Chasset Le Chevallier. It is the first five star boutique hotel in Aleppo.

Overnight at Mansouriya Palace Hotel.

Enjoy a day of local sightseeing with your guide. Visit the Citadel, a magnificent enormous fortress, considered to be one of the oldest in the region. The hill the Citadel stands on dates back to the 16th century BC, when the Amorites were in control. The Grand Mosque, formerly known as the Agora, dates back to the Hellenistic period, which later became the garden for the Cathedral of St. Helena, during the Christian era. The Aleppo souk, unlike its Damascus counterpart, is covered by stone archways for about 30km, making it the longest covered souk in the Middle East. This was once the most important area for trading in Syria, a complicated maze of narrow cobbled streets forms this magnificent Bazaar. Situated 60 Km from Aleppo is the well-preserved Church of St. Simeon. This beautiful church was built in honour of St. Simeon the Stylite who lived here for 37 years. This famous church is visited by pilgrims from all around the area. This tour concludes with an overnight in Aleppo.

Overnight at Mansouriya Palace Hotel.

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 is comprised of a maze of narrow alleys, punctuated by enigmatic doors that lead into pleasing, verdant courtyards and blank-faced houses.

Enjoy sightseeing while on the way to Damascus, beginning with a stop at Maalula, a village carved in the natural rock formations. This village is not only the location of two extremely ancient converts, St. Thecle and St Sergius, but has the privilege of being one of a very few regions that still uses a Syriaque dialect which is very particular, old Aramaic, the language of Christ.  From here, the journey continues to the village of Sednaya, some 30km from Damascus. This village was built on a hilltop, and is surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. This location is home to a famous monastery founded in 547, dedicated to the blessed virgin. The name of the village itself, "Seyda Naya" in Syrian translates to "Our Lady". The monastery contains a portrait of the Virgin believed to have been pained by St Luke. This half day tour includes lunch.

The Cham Palace Hotel is located downtown, in the heart of the city and has 400 luxurious guest rooms and suites. There are five restaurants on site, among them the only Chinese and Japanese revolving restaurant in Syria. Facilities also include the lobby bar and luxurious traditional English "Harry's Bar" on the 11th floor, a sidewalk cafe, the "Jet - Set discotheque", featuring live entertainment Banquet facilities for up to 500 guests, bowling, swimming pool, fitness center, gymnasium, sauna, hairdresser and beauty parlor and arcade.

Overnight at Cham Palace.

Transfer in a private vehicle from your Damascas hotel to the airport for your departure flight.

Depart from International Airport. End of itinerary.

Overnight at Depart (Int`l Airport).