Syria had long been on my bucket list. Damascus, Krak des Chevaliers, Palmyra – the country is a history lover’s paradise.

But the Syrian Civil War, which broke out in 2011, made travel to the country impossible.

Tourism reopened in 2017, but when the Assad dynasty, which had ruled Syria since the 1970s, fell from power in December 2024, the security situation looked uncertain. But it was also a unique time to visit the country as it emerged from war and dictatorship, so off I went.

Here’s how to visit Syria in 2026!

Basics

Capital and largest city: Damascus

Language: Arabic

It’s a good idea to try and learn at least “hello” or “thank you” in the language of the country you’re travelling to – most local appreciate that visitors took time to learn the language, however little. Here are the words I ended up learning for my trip:

Marhaba – Hello

As-salamu alaykum – Literally meaning “Peace be upon you,” this is a religious greeting for Muslims

Shukran – Thank you

La – No (useful when telling hawkers you don’t want something)

Religious breakdown: 79% Sunni Islam, 10% Alawite, 4% Shiia, 4% Christian, 3% Druze

Currency: Syrian pound (more on that below)

Plug type: C/E

Voltage: 220 V / 50 Hz

Cultural highlights

Syria is home to six UNESCO World Heritage Sites and a plethora of other interesting places to visit. Among the highlights are:

Damascus: Damascus is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. Just walking the streets and souks of the old town is in itself a cultural and historical immersion, but the city is also home to the Ummayyad Mosque, Ananais Church, and other important religious and historic sites.

Krak des Chevaliers: Described by Lawrence of Arabia as “perhaps the best-preserved and most wholly admirable castle in the world” and I can’t disagree. It’s a popular destination for both Syrian and foreign visitors.

Palmyra: I must have been about 11 years old when I first read about Queen Zenobia and her valiant but eventually vain stance against the mighty Roman Empire. The center of her empire was Palmyra, today a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Thought heavily damaged by ISIS in 2015, it’s still impressive enough to see why it was nicknamed the “pearl of the desert.”

Visas

Citizens of most nationalities can get a visa on arrival.

*Important Note: You may be denied entry into Syria if you have an Israeli passport or Israeli entry stamp (even if you have Egyptian or Jordanian stamps from land borders with Israel). Same goes for Iranian passport holders.

As of July 6, 2025, all nationalities requiring a visa will need to pay new entry fees, whether you are entering by land or air. For nationals of English-speaking countries such as the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, the fees are:

Nationality	Single entry visa (valid for 1 month)	Double entry visa (valid for 3 months)	Multi entry visa (valid for 6 months)	Transit (valid for 15 days)
USA	$200	$300	$400	$100
UK	$150	$225	$300	$75
Canada	$100	$150	$200	$50
Australia	$150	$225	$300	$75
New Zealand	$150	$225	$300	$75

Nationals of other countries, such as the EU, Japan, and China, may have different rates.

The fee is payable in US dollars, so be sure to bring enough cash to cover the required amount.

You’ll be given a form to fill out when you enter that includes basic biographic information such as country of citizenship, place of residence, what your job is, etc. If you’re travelling with a tour operator, your guide might have filled out much of this paperwork on your behalf.

Money

The official currency of Syria is the Syrian pound.

As of the time of this writing (2026), Syria is a cash economy. As in, you can’t use credit cards due to sanctions and you can’t use ATMs for the same reason.

While sanctions have been lifted, it may take some time for global financial institutions to function fully in the country.

Be sure to bring enough cash to cover your entire stay in Syria. If you’re staying in Lebanon, you may want to bring enough cash for your stay in Lebanon too, although credit cards do work in Lebanon.

You can pay in Syrian pounds or US dollars. US dollars are easily exchanged within Syria itself. In fact, the money exchange places were some of the newest, fanciest places I saw in the country.

*Note on tipping: Tipping is common in Syria. Expect to tip about 10%.

Internet Access

SIM cards and eSIMs are available in Syria.

There’s also WiFi available throughout the country, but it’s not consistent or completely widespread.

Personally, I stayed connected only through the hotel WiFi. This worked without issue in Damascus, but was slow elsewhere.

I know other people who bought SIM cards and once in a while the internet would go down, so don’t expect to be connected 100% of the time.

Safety

This is the question on everyone’s mind.

The US, UK, Canada, and other countries advise against all travel to Syria due to the risk of civil unrest, terrorism, armed conflict, unjust detention, kidnapping, etc.

I once read that 99% of the time, you won’t suffer a major incident when traveling to a “Do Not Travel” country. However, if something does go wrong, it goes wrong catastrophically and your government (especially if they don’t have diplomatic relations with the country you’re travelling in) won’t be able to help.

During my trip to Syria, I didn’t experience any safety incidents. Our guides made sure we only visited places that they themselves felt comfortable with, so I felt safe throughout the entire trip.

That being said, this trip is definitely for a more experienced traveler and one with a higher risk tolerance. Men with machine guns are a common sight. There are regular checkpoints on roads. Some facilities are not up to the standard of more developed countries. And unless you know Arabic, are familiar with local customs, or know someone who can show you around, getting around on your own may be difficult.

How to dress

Syria is a conservative country compared to the West, or even neighboring Lebanon. Here are some guidelines to help you blend in:

Men

Most men wore trousers and shirts that covered the shoulders.

Shorts are fine, but I didn’t see any local men wearing them; it was just tourists.

Clothes for mosque

When entering a mosque, men do need to cover their legs, but some major mosques, like the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus or the Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque in Homs, will provide covering.

Women

Women should cover shoulders, knees, cleavage, and mid-drifts.

Form-fitting clothing didn’t seem to be an issue, although most women wear more loose-fitting clothing.

In Christian areas, tank tops were not a problem.

Clothes for mosque

The body should be completely covered by loose-fitting clothes. You can wear loose-fitting pants but be sure to have a kimono or other garment that covers past your behind.

Head coverings are also required. Some mosques are stricter and require that women show only the “moon of the face” (i.e., hair, ears, and neck must be covered, leaving only the face exposed).

If you aren’t wearing acceptable clothing, some major mosques, like the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus or the Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque in Homs, will provide covering.

Other tips

Go with a guide

While I tend to prefer travelling solo, for this trip I decided to join a tour. The reasons were plenty:

1. A local guide can go a long way to help understand current events on the ground and get you out of sticky situations, especially in a place where your country may not have an embassy.
2. I’d read that travelling around the country via public transportation was possible but difficult, so I wanted a guide to help arrange this for me. (Once I got to Syria, I learned that using public transportation can add time at security checkpoints since the guards check everyone more thoroughly, so having a guide with private transportation can actually make the process smoother and quicker, in addition to you not having to worry about figuring out public transportation!)
3. While I’m familiar with some cultural customs of the Middle East, I’m by no means an expert and wanted a guide for some extra assistance in case I needed it.
4. I’d never visited the country before and I don’t speak the language. While these normally aren’t a barrier for me to travel solo, because of the additional reasons above I decided to join a tour.

It was important to me to use a local tour company instead of a foreign one, as I wanted as much of my money supporting ordinary Syrians as they emerge from over a decade of war. I opted to go with Syrian Guides, who were phenomenal. If you’re looking for a local tour company in Syria, I highly recommend them. They offer both group and private tours. I also found their pricing to be highly competitive, especially compared to western-based tour companies.

Insurance

Travelling in a conflict zone is unpredictable, to say the least.

You’ll want to protect yourself by purchasing traveler’s insurance. Note that most insurance carriers will not cover high-risk areas. One of the few I found that did was IATI, which is who I went with. Thankfully I haven’t yet needed to file a claim with them, so I can’t speak to how efficient they are if you need to do so, but at least they do have coverage for this part of the world.

Impressions

People: Syrians are very warm, extremely welcoming and friendly. After nearly a decade and a half of war, they’re curious and eager to see tourists, especially Western tourists, who are viewed as a symbol that the country is finally returning to normal.

Food: The food in Syria is absolutely amazing. Even when I came down with travelers’ stomach problems, I would continue to eat (despite knowing I’d pay for it later) because the food was so delicious.

Options for vegetarians and vegans are available.

Historical sites: Syria’s historic sites are wildly impressive, even those that suffered extensive damage like Palmyra. Having been mostly untouched by tourists for years, they bear the hallmarks of “undiscovered” places – semi-wild, with little if any by way of facilities and safety measures. But for now that, and the lack of crowds, makes them all the more appealing.

Final thoughts:

A trip to Syria is not for everyone and you should do your research before going to see if it is right for you.

But for me, and for those willing to take the risk, Syria is a traveler’s dream – a country with rich historic sites, dazzling culture, and warm, welcoming people.