Damascus is the capital and largest city of Syria. It’s also one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities on earth. The old city has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.
Despite the ravages of the Syrian Civil War, Damascus has much to offer visitors and much of the old center has remained relatively intact.
Don’t know where to start? Here are the 11 best things to do in Damascus!
Table of Contents
1. Umayyad Mosque
If you can only visit one place in Damascus, this is it.
The Umayyad Mosque started life as a pagan temple for a local god, before becoming a Roman temple dedicated to the god Jupiter, a church, and finally, in the 8th century, a mosque.
According to some, the Umayyad Mosque is the fourth holiest site in Islam. Both Muslims and Christians come to venerate the Prophet Yahya, also known as St. John the Baptist, whose famously severed head is believed to be buried here.
Another highlight of the mosque are the extensive gold mosaics. Once covering some 4,000 square metres (43,000 sq ft), they were the most extensive mosaics in the world. Some originals survive and are as glitteringly admirable today as they were when they were first constructed.
While you’re there, don’t miss the tomb of Saladin, the medieval sultan who fought (indirectly) against Richard the Lionheart during the Third Crusade, which is located in the northwest corner of the mosque.
2. National Museum of Damascus
The National Museum of Damscus is a museum worthy of a city that is one of the oldest continually inhabited places in the world. The museum, whose focus is the history of Syria, contains artifacts spanning a whopping 11 millennia.
The entrance of the museum is a serene, green oasis in the middle of the bustling city. A variety of artifacts are scattered around the garden before you’re greeted by the reconstructed façade of an Umayyad palace at the entryway.
Inside are a host of treasures which miraculously (and thanks in part to the museum’s director) survived civil war and the chaos that took place after the fall of the country’s long-running dictatorship, when other priceless relics were lost. Highlights include the murals of the synagogue at Dura-Europos and a full Palmyrene tomb.
3. Ananias Church
Saul of Tarsus used to persecute Christians until one day on the road to Damascus, he was blinded by a light, thrown from his horse, and heard the voice of Jesus. He made it to the city and was taken in by Ananias, who housed him, taught him about Christianity, and baptized him. Thus Saul became Paul, one of the most pivotal leaders in the history of Christianity.
The small (now underground) chapel is said to be Ananias’ house, where Paul lived for three years and where he converted to Christianity. Pope John Paul II visited the chapel as part of his pilgrimage to sites associated with the saint.
4. Al-Azm Palace
Wealthy Damascenes built beautiful houses during the Ottoman period (1516 – 1918). The finest example is Al-Azm Palace, which was built for the Ottoman governor of Damascus in 1749.
The building, made from basalt, limestone, marble, and sandstone, features ablaq, a technique using alternating light- and dark-colored stone. It was divided into three sections – one each for the family, guests, and servants.
The palace was in the possession of the Al-Azm family, except for a brief period when it was used by the French Institute, until it was sold to the Syrian government in 1951. It now houses the Museum of Arts and Popular Tradition.
5. Al-Hamidiyeh Souq
You can’t go to Damascus without visiting a souq, a traditional marketplace lined with small stalls. Al-Hamidiyeh Souq is the largest and possibly most popular souq in Damascus. If you need to do some shopping, this is the place to go.
A visit to the souq is a veritable assault on the senses. The smell of exotic spices fills the air, countless pieces of merchandise from food to traditional handicrafts to modern everyday necessities catch the eye, and the buzz of merchants and shoppers haggling and conversing is inescapable.
The modern souq took form in the 19th century under the auspices of Rashid Nasha Pasha, the Ottoman governor of the city. At one end stands the ruins of the ancient Roman Temple of Jupiter. The souq itself is covered by a 10m (33ft) metal arch.
6. Sayyidah Ruqayya Mosque
This stunning mosque is the burial site of the Ruqayya bint al-Ḥusayn, the daughter of Husayn ibn Ali, the third imam in Twelver Shia, and a great-granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed. Just four years old when she died, Ruqayya’s legacy is entwined with the Battle of Karbala, where her father was killed. She is considered a martyr.
The mosque is a major pilgrimage site, particularly for Shiia Muslims. Originally just a mausoleum, the mosque was built in 1985 in Iranian style and features elaborate tilework including gold and mirrors.
7. Traditional Handicrafts
Syria is home to a host of beautiful traditional crafts. There’s glassblowing (designated as a UNESCO Intangible cultural heritage), brocade-making, metalwork, mosaic art, ajami (wood decoration), woodcarving, and several more.
One of my favorite things to do in Damascus is to visit the various workshops in the city and observe the skilled artists who are keeping these traditions alive. Many are happy for you to come in and watch – and you have the opportunity to buy from them as well.
Want to read more about my experiences visiting some of Damascus’ craftsmen? Check this article out!
8. Citadel
Located in the northwest corner of the city, the Citadel of Damascus is a medieval fortification. It was one of the most significant parts of Damascus’ defense system. Interestingly, the citadel was not built on advantageous ground; it is situated on the same level as the rest of the city, with only the Barada River, which it was built to control, providing the only natural barrier.
The site may have been a Roman camp, but the citadel’s first definite reference comes in 1076 when it was fortified by Atsiz bin Uvak. Its most important renovations and improvements were undertaken by Al-Adil, Saladin’s brother and successor, in the 13th century. It changed hands among various invaders over the centuries; it was used in a military capacity as late as 1986.
9. Jewish Quarter
The Jewish Quarter of Damascus was once home to many of the city’s Jewish residents. Most Syrian Jews have left the country; now only a handful of elderly adherents are thought to remain.
While the Jewish population may be gone, their houses are still standing, albeit mostly abandoned and in a dilapidated state. Inscriptions in Hebrew and Stars of David can be seen while walking through the neighborhood. If you’re lucky, you can enter houses that once belonged to wealthy families and admire the large courtyards and graceful stonework of these former homes.
The quarter’s three synagogues are also still in existence, though only one, the Elfrange Synagogue, continues to hold services.
10. Khan As’ad Pasha
A contender for the title “most beautiful building in Damascus” (and one of my personal favorites), the Khan As’ad Pasha was commissioned by (and named after) As’ad Pasha al-Azm – the same guy who was responsible for the Al-Azm Palace. If you spot similarities between the two buildings, you’d be right; both are among the finest example of ablaq, the building technique of alternating light and dark stones.
Unlike the palace, however, the Khan As’ad Pasha was originally a caravanserai, a place for caravans to unload their goods and traders to rest up. It was later turned into a hotel; famous guests included writer Agatha Christie and Arab Revolt leader Lawrence of Arabia.
Today, it’s an oasis in a bustling city, where you can sit by a fountain and relax or explore the second floor where you just might get inspired to write your own mystery novel.
11. Al-Nofara Café
Welcome to Al-Nofara Café, the oldest café in Syria! No one seems to know exactly how old the café – I’ve heard anywhere between 200 and 500 years – but one thing’s for sure: you’re not likely to find anywhere more traditional for a relaxing cup of Arabic coffee or tea or a smoke of shisha than here.
Within the café, wood-paneled walls are filled with images of legendary heroes and pictures of the café’s storied past – “storied” being the operative word here; Al-Nofara Café is among the last places in Damascus where you can witness the traditional art of storytelling. Every evening, the storyteller, or Hakawati, sits in his chair, dons his hat, wields his sword, and reads aloud from an antique book. Tales are often set in the distant, pre-Arabic past and tell of love and war – timeless topics that resonate with listeners ancient and modern.
Want to check out more UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Syria? Check out my article here.
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