Damascus
Discover Damascus
Damascus (دمشق Dimaşk) is the capital and largest city of Syria. A city of immense historical importance, Damascus was the capital of the Umayyad Caliphate during the Islamic Golden Age. As a city of immense religious importance, Damascus is home to the Street Called Straight, where the Apostle Paul (Saul) converted to Christianity; the Minaret of ʿĪsā, where Muslims believe ʿĪsā (Jesus) will return to the Earth to herald in the End of Days; and the Umayyad Mosque, where the relics of John the Baptist (Yaḥyā ibn Zakariyā) are kept. Damascus is the City of Jasmine and is a major cultural center in both the Islamic and Arabic worlds, and in safer times has been a major tourist destination. Established between 10,000 to 8,000 BCE, Damascus is credited with being one of, if not the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. The world heritage listed 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 was quickly vanishing due to the increasing tourist traffic as the city continued to be highlighted as an attraction. Life, however, goes on in the old-walled city, which is still the religious and social center of the city.
What to Experience in Damascus
Taste of Damascus...
The famous vegetarian falafel sandwich, chicken shawarma, and manakeesh, bread filled with zatar, spinach, meat, pizza-style tomato and cheese or other fillings are widely available and cheap. Less common but still widely spread are places which sell foul (boiled fava beans with sauce) and hummus. A typical Damascene dish is fatteh, made up of soaked bread, chickpeas and yogurt. Delicious and extremely filling, it is excellent on a cold winter's day. Try it with lamb or sheep's tongue, or plain with the typical garnish of a little pickle and nuts. There is a foul restaurant on Souq Saroujah, the same street as hotel Al-Haramein and one at the bab touma square. Also in this "backpacker district" on Souq Sarouja is Mr Pizza serving good pizzas, sandwiches, burgers and fries. Shawarma is, of course, popular in Damascus. It comes in different varieties, including chicken and beef. Station One (near the Noura Supermarket in Abu Rumaneh) is one of many restaurants that serve shawarma throughout the city. In order to really experience local Syrian cuisine, be sure to visit a section of Damascus called Midan. It lies south of the old city and can easily be reached by walking south from the western entrance to Souq al-Hamadiyya or from Bab Saghir. There is a main street there called Jazmatiya which offers an unlimited amount of shawerma & falafel stands, butcher shops/restaurants and plenty of Syrian pastry shops which are clearly marked by 2.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsAs of March 2026, flights to Damascus are limited, but beginning to increase. Several major carriers are resuming flights with scheduled services now available from regional hubs such as Istanbul and Doha. National carrier SyrianAir operates a small regional network with flights from Abu Dhabi, Amman, Baghdad, Dubai, Doha and Kuwait City several times per week. Only taxi companies are allowed to pickup customers from the airport. Taxi fares may vary depending on your bargaining skills. There are also buses departing to and from Baramkeh bus station in the center of town (airport buses are the only ones which serve this bus station now - all other services have moved to the new out of town Soumaria bus station). There are departures every half an hour, 24 hours a day. At the airport, come out of the terminal and turn right - you will find the bus at the end of the building. There is a small ticket office....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
At rush hours (10:00-16:00), the best way of transport is on foot. Smoking is absolutely forbidden on all public transport. 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. 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 situation in suburbs. Micro buses, also known as servees, are one of the main sources of transportation in Damascus. You can go from one place to another in Damascus with one or at most two journeys.
Where to Stay
Souq-Al-Saroujah is where you find the cluster of backpacker hotels. Martyr's Square or "Merjeh" in Arabic is the other place worth considering if you're on a tight budget, though many of the places double as brothels. However, at least the hotels below can be recommended. Women alone should avoid hotels at Merjeh Square, because it's the red light district of Damascus. Most hotels in Damascus claiming to be 5 stars are actually closer to what Western travellers know as 2 stars. The Syrian government runs its own accreditation agency that gives highly suspect inflated ratings to hotels owned by Syrian chains and those that have paid "baksheesh" (bribes) to the authorities. Due to the American sanctions of Syria, credit cards linked to US banks will not be accepted (this is pretty much every credit card in the world). See the Syria article for information on the security situation.
Money & Budget
As of Jan 2026, credit and debit cards are being re-introduced in Syria. Cash remains the most reliable form of payment. Travelers should bring enough cash with them to last the duration of their trip, to then exchange once in Syria. US dollars are the most easily convertible foreign currency, but euros and some other currencies can be exchanged. Damascus offers some of the best shopping in the Middle East. Prices are cheap, and since very few stores depend on tourists for their income, most will leave you alone to browse until you are ready to buy. Small stores are found throughout the old city, although the Souq al-Hamidiyya, located along the Roman straight street, offers the highest density of shops. The souq is a fantastic experience, but be prepared for the crowds.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
See the Syria article for information on the security situation. In rural and modern areas of Damascus, people have been known to be perfectly healthy, but to imitate beggars in order to get money. Often, they will attempt to con you by giving more money and have many tricks to do so. Exercise caution. Also, for your safety, do not take advice or recommendations, especially about accommodation, doctors and dentists, from taxi drivers. Damascus itself has not been an active war zone for several years now. Nonetheless, the political by-products of the war continue to negatively impact travellers. In particular, checkpoints are everywhere in the city and its environs, staffed by underpaid and notoriously corrupt soldiers and policemen. Especially if you are not Arab, Russian, or Iranian, you can expect to be repeatedly shaken down for bribes (ranging from food and cigarettes to cash).
Glimpses of Damascus
low angle photography of flock of birds flying over the building during daytime
Old Damascus Oldest market in history
bird's eye view photography of city lights
the Umayyad mosque
the Umayyad mosque
The Syrian capital, Damascus, downtown
The Syrian capital, Damascus, downtown
Here meet the ancient khan and trade And history with the scent of spices and laurel soap
Damascus Gate in Jerusalem, Israel.
an overhead view of a building with a circular window
low angle photography of flock of birds flying over the building during daytime
Old Damascus Oldest market in history
bird's eye view photography of city lights