برچسب: Syria

This travel guide to Syria was originally written after my first visit in 2018.

Since then, it’s been constantly updated based on my multiple visits, while running over 20 ATC expeditions into the country.

Now, with all the changes brought by the brand-new Government, we have updated this Syria travel blog after our last visit in 2025.

Find here everything you need to know for traveling to Syria, including tips regarding visas, safety, transportation and more!

Why visit Syria with Against the Compass?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR_nVLt1yh8

🇸🇾 What is it like to travel to Syria today

Since the war in Syria started in March 2011, the country has gone through many different stages that have affected tourism there in different ways.

Traveling to Syria from 2011 to 2018

From 2011 until early 2018, Syria was a proper war zone that was off limits to foreign tourists.

Traveling to Syria from 2019 to 2025

Only at the end of 2018 did certain areas across West Syria finally gain stability, when the regime of Bashar al-Assad decided to open the country to international tourism.

At the beginning, foreign tourists were something rare, the local authorities always being very suspicious but, little by little, tourism started to come back, reaching its peak in 2023.

Independent travel in Syria, however, wasn’t really allowed by then.

In October 2023, the spillover from the war in Gaza and neighboring Lebanon slowed down tourism to its minimum.

Traveling to Syria with the new Government (2025 onwards)

In December 2024, Hayat Tahrir al Sham (HTS) overthrew the regime of Bashar al-Assad and took over the country, initiating a new era for Syria.

This group is pretty much the local branch of Al Qaeda in Syria. During the war, they were called Al Nusra, the people who took over Aleppo, Maaloula, and Krak de Chevaliers.

Today, they switched their name to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, but they are essentially the same dudes.

However, HTS is saying that they have become more moderate, claiming that they will respect the great diversity of Syria.

Until yesterday, Syria was a pretty secular and relaxed state, but I am finding it very hard to believe that they will allow that level of secularism, which was so characteristic of Syria.

They won’t be as extreme as the Taliban in Afghanistan, but new Sharia rules will certainly apply, so Syria is likely to change.

📰 New vs old Government. What’s changed from a Syrian travel perspective

From a travel perspective, Syria is very different from what it used to be until 2024.

Here’s a small summary of all the differences.

The people at checkpoints now have long beards. Unlike the previous shaved-off army guys, the new soldiers are all jihadists who used to fight for Al Nusra, all of them having long beards.

The country’s new flag is waving everywhere. Syria has a new flag, which has already been recognized by the United Nations.

Bashar al-Assad’s portraits are all gone. The image of former dictator Bashar al-Assad used to be omnipresent, but his portraits and photos are now all gone and considered relics.

Everyone talks about how awful Bashar al-Assad was to the country. The one thing that surprised me the most was realizing the hatred that most Syrians had for Assad, everyone is talking about it.

Independent travel is now allowed. Let’s see how long this will last, but proper independent backpacking in Syria is now completely possible.

Newly opened areas. Many places that used to be off-limits, such as Idlib or north of Aleppo in Afrin, are now open for anyone, with no restrictions.

New Sharia rules. Nobody is sure about this yet, but what I can say is that some liquor shops and bars that were fully functional are now closed, but not because HTS forced them to do so, but because Syrians are afraid of their reaction.

🗺️ Sign up for a tour in Syria

Do you want to travel to Syria with a group of like-minded travelers?

Against the Compass has several scheduled group expeditions in 2025-2026:

Check this documentary on our Syria tours!

Please note that this video was filmed and posted in 2023, when Syria was still under Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR_nVLt1yh8

🪪 How to get a tourist visa for Syria

Up to December 2025: arranging a security clearance through a valid tour operator was required for visiting Syria.

With the new Government in January 2026: a visa is available on arrival, no pre-arrangements are needed.

Is the visa on arrival available at all entry points?

You can collect your visa on arrival if entering Syria from Lebanon, Jordan, and also via Damascus International Airport (DAM).

How long is it valid for?

This new visa allows you to travel in Syria for 30 days.

What nationalities are eligible for a Syrian visa?

All nationalities can obtain a visa on arrival for Syria, and that includes US citizens.

How much does the visa for Syria cost?

It depends on your nationality and/or port of entry.

1) Visa costs, if entering by land from Lebanon or Jordan

As of today, the visa is free, it doesn’t have any cost but this might change in the near future.

2) Visa costs, if entering via Damascus International Airport (DAM)

You will have to pay for your visa, pretty expensive, in my opinion.

The cost of the visa for Syria is as follows:

• EU passports, including Switzerland and Norway: $125
• Canada: $150
• UK, Australia, New Zealand: $250
• USA: $300
• Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, India: $75
• Argentina: $250
• Jordan, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritania: Free. 
• Armenia, Georgia, India, Indonesia,  Libya, North Korea, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand: $75
• Azerbaijan, Brazil, Peru, Montenegro, China, Morocco, Angola, Pakistan, Chad, Sri Lanka, Cyprus, Cambodia, Cuba, Mongolia, Ecuador, Sudan, Algeria, Yemen: $40
• Oman, Egypt, Philippines, Uganda, Kuwait, Qatar, Turkey, Saudi: $150
• UAE, Iraq: $250

🛫 How to get to Syria

How to travel to Syria by land

1 – How to travel from Beirut (Lebanon) to Damascus

Traveling to Damascus from Beirut is the easiest way to travel to Syria.

Beirut is only 115km from Damascus and the journey takes 3 to 4 hours, including the customs process.

If you book a full tour for Syria, your transfer from Beirut to Damascus will certainly be included.

Otherwise, independent travelers should know that shared taxis to Damascus depart from Charles Hélou bus station, running all day long. In my case, I got to the station at 3 pm and waited for no more than 15 or 20 minutes.

The cost per person shouldn’t be more than 20-25 USD. A private taxi will cost you 100-125 USD.

Read: A travel guide to Beirut

2 – How to travel from Tripoli to Tartus

You can also travel to Syria from the border north of Tripoli.

Shared taxis to Tartus cost around 15 USD and they leave until 8pm from this station.

It is only a 65km journey, so it should be fairly quick.

3 – How to travel from Amman (Jordan) to Syria

The border between Jordan and Syria is open, but the journey from Amman is way longer, plus the border crossing can take a long time, sometimes the whole day.

If you book a full tour for Syria, your transfer from Amman to Damascus should also be included.

Otherwise, there’s a bus company named Al Kamal that runs a daily bus service from Amman to Damascus, departing at 2 pm.

Buses depart from an international bus terminal located in southern Amman. Tickets can be purchased there, or you may also book them at their central office, located here.

A bus ticket costs 25 JOD.

4 – How to travel from Turkey to Syria

Today, the border between Syria and Turkey is closed to foreigners.

How to travel to Syria by air

With the new change of Government in January 2025, many airlines are resuming their flights into Damascus International Airport, including Turkish Airlines, Royal Jordanian and Qatar Airways.

However, I am not sure if flying directly into Damascus is more convenient than coming from Beirut, for the following reasons:

• Flights into Damascus are expensive, plus you will also have to pay for your visa (at land borders, the visa is free).
• The transfer from Beirut to Damascus takes 3 to 4 hours, which could actually be faster than your flight connection.

By the way, in addition to the airlines mentioned above, you can also fly to Damascus with Cham Wings, Syrian Air, and Iraqi Airways. The problem, however, is that you can’t book your flight tickets online, but only at their respective office, in cash.

Read: Lebanon – A 2-week itinerary

⚠️ Is it safe to travel to Syria?

Is Syria safe?

Along with how to get a visa for Syria, safety is the other big question mark for anyone traveling to Syria.

Look, the war is practically over in West Syria, and cities like Aleppo and Damascus are relatively safe.

You see children roaming around, the old city of Damascus is packed, and everything seems just fine.

I still remember the first time I traveled to Syria in 2018. I was in Damascus for Christmas and, for the first time since the beginning of the war, the streets of the Old City of Damascus (and Aleppo as well) were filled with Christmas lights and celebration.

The atmosphere was full of joy, happiness, and both Muslims and Christians were celebrating such an event with very big enthusiasm (there is a huge Christian community in Damascus).

Since then, things have only been better.

For a better understanding, read my analysis: Is Syria safe to visit?

Is Syria safer after the fall of Assad’s regime?

I really don’t know whether the country is now safer than with Bashar al-Assad, but what I can tell you is that bazaars, old cities, and cafés are equally packed.

When it comes to safety, I didn’t see any big difference versus how it was before, from a tourism perspective, at least.

From a local perspective, however, Syria has become unsafe for certain minorities, such as the Alawites and the Druze, both suffering persecution from the Islamist armed factions linked to the current Government.

Read: Is it safe to travel to Iraq

📍 Which parts of  Syria are safe to travel?

Read my 100% safe travel itinerary for Syria.

The most stable areas to visit in Syria

By stable, I mean that they have been relatively safe since the end of the war in 2018.

These places – all of them part of our Syria Tours – include:

Damascus, Maaloula, Bosra, Homs, Aleppo, Krak de Chevaliers and Palmyra.

Still, keep in mind that this is a post-war zone, which means that it is highly unstable and things could change overnight.

Lesser stable areas to visit in Syria with the new regime

Today, I’d personally avoid traveling along the Syrian coast, including Latakia and Tartus, but especially Latakia, since that’s the heartland of the Alawites, the most hardcore supporters of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

There have been reports of massacres against Alawites in Latakia in 2025, mainly perpetrated by fighters aligned with the Syrian Government. It’s not safe to go now.

New areas you can visit with the New Government

Idlib

Idlib might be the most relevant newly opened area you can visit in Syria.

Until 2024, Idlib was the only region controlled by HTS, from where they expanded to the rest of the country.

Idlib was and still is backed by Turkey. They use the Turkish Lira and only Turkish phone reception works here.

It’s also a super conservative region, even more than Raqqa. Most local women wear a niqab, and female tourists are obliged to wear a hijab.

Raqqa and beyond

Today, Raqqa is controlled by the Kurdish forces, who annexed the region to their new so-called state of Rojava.

Raqqa and all of Rojava used to be open if entering Syria illegally (sort of) from Iraqi Kurdistan, but with the new Government, you can now enter from West Syria, as long as you have the necessary permits for entering Rojava.

We visited Raqqa in 2025 through the main road coming from Hama.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👧 The people – The Syrians

Language spoken in Syria

Levantine Arabic is the official language.

You should know that many English-speaking people left the country but you will always find someone who does.

In any case, try to learn some Arabic before traveling to Syria.

Religion in Syria

Around 65% of the population are Sunni Muslims but, like in Lebanon, in Syria, there are many different religions, including a large Christian population. Bashar Al-Assad is Alawite, a Shia branch.

🙅‍♂️ Responsible tourism and ethics in Syria

How do Syrians feel about tourism?

According to the UN, around 500,000 Syrians have been killed, nearly 5,000,000 escaped from the country and several million more who are still in the country need humanitarian assistance.

We are talking about one of the worst humanitarian crises in the 21st century.

Many people are skeptical about traveling to Syria, claiming or thinking that it’s a direct way of supporting Assad’s regime, hence it is disrespectful to all the people who have been affected somehow.

My opinion is that, before making any judgment, we should ask the actual Syrians living in Syria what they think about it.

If you ever go to Syria, I doubt you will ever talk to a single Syrian who isn’t happy to see a foreign tourist.

In 2018, when the war was still recent, Syrians who spoke English approached me, asking a lot of questions and showing their gratitude for visiting their country.

Hello, how are you?

Well, alive, thank God! – A random Syrian told me

That was a couple of years ago. Today, tourists in Syria are more common to see and for them, it’s an inflection point that their country is, very slowly, going back to normality.

How to be a more responsible traveler in Syria

Syria is a post-war zone, where millions of people have lost their houses and relatives, much like Haiti, so please, be a sensitive tourist.

Don’t say war but crisis or situation instead

You will see that many Syrians themselves don’t really use the word war but they prefer to say other less harsh words.

Don’t take selfies with damaged buildings

Seriously, this is one of the most disrespectful things you could ever do and you would actually be an asshole if you did it.

Empathize with the locals

When you are in an area full of destroyed buildings be polite to the people, say hello, shake hands and just be nice with them.

Collaborate with the local economy

In Homs and Aleppo, you are likely to see small businesses open among all the ruins. Do buy things from them.

In Homs, I saw one small bakery shop in the practically destroyed souk; I couldn’t resist buying one kilo of sweets there, which I gave to a young boy that was looking for something among the trash.

Read: A travel guide to Iraqi Kurdistan

🛺 Transportation: how to travel around Syria

You can travel around Syria by local buses and shared taxis.

To be very honest with you, I’ve only done proper backpacking in Syria once, in 2018. In my following visits, I was either with our groups expeditions, or traveling around by car with my Syrian friends.

However, I know for a fact that moving around Syria by public transportation is completely possible, especially when moving between cities.

The main bus station to go anywhere north of Damascus is located here, from where you can go to Aleppo, or Homs. I also took a shared taxi from Aleppo to Homs, and from Homs to Damascus. Easy.

💻 Internet and connectivity in Syria

Wi-Fi in Syria

Wi-Fi works relatively OK in most hotels, at least the ones listed in the accommodation section of this travel guide.

Can I get a SIM Card for Syria?

By the way, note that as of today, eSIMs are not available in Syria.

You can get a Syriatel SIM Card in the official store. There’s one right next to Merjeh Square.

Get a VPN for traveling in Syria

You should always use a VPN when you travel, especially when you connect to public Wi-Fi networks.

Your connection will be much safer. 

Moreover, you will be able to access content that is typically censored in Syria. 

I recommend ExpressVPN – Extremely easy to use, fast and cheap. 

If you want to learn more about VPN, check: Why you need a VPN for traveling.

💰 What you need to know about money before traveling to Syria

In Syria, they use the Syrian Pound (SYP), a currency that has been fluctuating like crazy for the past 10 years.

Before the crisis, $1 equaled 50SYP.

In 2018, during my first visit, $1 equaled 490SYP.

Today, you can exchange $1 in the black market for up to 10,200 SYP.

As a consequence, Syria is suffering from massive inflation and the problem is that most salaries haven’t increased accordingly.

Exchanging money in Syria

You can exchange both Euros (€) and USD ($) but USD can be exchanged at a better rate.

If you bring 100 USD notes, keep in mind that they only accept the new ones with the blue line.

If you have Syrian Pounds left when you leave, you can exchange them for Lebanese Pounds or USD in most exchange offices in Beirut, at the official bank rate, which means that it won’t be so good.

Where can you exchange Syrian Pounds?

The best is to exchange at the exchange offices you find before reaching the border. With our groups, we always exchange in a Lebanese town named Chtoura.

ATMs and credit cards in Syria

Because of the foreign sanctions, in Syria, you can neither pay by credit card nor using ATMs. You must bring all your money in cash.

Update 2024: Due to the current financial crisis, the same rule applies to Lebanon. If you are traveling to Syria from Lebanon, you must bring enough cash for visiting both countries.

How much does it cost to travel to Syria?

These are the prices of the most typical things:

• Lunch in a local restaurant: 50,000 to 80,000SYP
• Food in a nice restaurant with wine: 150,000 to 250,000SYP
• Breakfast (like hummus or ful): 35,000SYP
• National Museum: 25,000SYP
• Aleppo Citadel: 2,5000SYP
• Bus from Damascus to Aleppo: 50,000 to 70,000SYP
• Budget Hotel in Damascus: $35 to $45 for a private room
• Mid-range hotel in Damascus: $60 to $90 for a private room
• Taxis within cities: 40,000 to 60,000SYP
• Local shared taxi Aleppo to Homs: 100,000 to 150,000SYP

Are the Syrian cities really destroyed?

This seems to bring a lot of confusion, so let me explain it to you:

Damascus

Only the outskirts of Damascus are destroyed, as there was a bloody battle there. That area is off-limits to tourists.

The Old City and the new part of town remain intact.

Aleppo

A percentage of the Old City is destroyed, as well as some areas from outside the city.

Most of Aleppo isn’t damaged but some very important sites from the Old City, like the Great Mosque, are gone.

Nowadays, however, the city is being rebuilt and people are slowly coming back.

Homs

One of the most affected cities by the war.

Approximately 40% of the city is destroyed and that includes its bazaar, one of the liveliest and most important souqs in all the Middle East.

Palmyra

The Temple of Bell was destroyed by ISIS but Palmyra is a massive archaeological site and many of its wonders can still be seen.

📸 Taking photos when you travel in Syria

You can take photos of everything except for one thing: military stuff.

Yes, it is very obvious but the problem is that there is military stuff everywhere, especially in Damascus.

In Damascus, it happened a few times that I took a picture of some cool building or whatever, from relatively far away, and didn’t realize there was a checkpoint right next to it.

Of course, the soldiers approached me but, after quickly checking my passport and my camera, very kindly, let me continue.

In Damascus Old City, there are checkpoints everywhere, so pay attention before taking any photos.

🏨 Accommodation: where to stay in Syria

Syria is well-sorted with good hotels. Here are my recommendations.

Where to stay in Damascus

Budget Hotel: Green Hotel. Clean, Wi-Fi and just outside the Old City. The guy from the reception spoke English.

Boutique Hotel: Beit al Mamlouka. A small hotel at the heart of the old city.

Luxury: Beit al Wali. One of the best hotels in the city.

Where to stay in Aleppo

Budget: Aleppo Palace. Good, affordable option in Aleppo, with great views of the new part of town. It’s located right next to the I Love Aleppo sign.

Mid-range: Laurus. A little bit further but way better than Aleppo Palace and not much more expensive.

In Aleppo, you can also find a Sheraton.

Where to stay in Homs

Budget, mid-range: Al Waleed. Very nice basic hotel with a very lively café just downstairs.

Where to stay in Al Mishtaya

Al Mishtaya is a Christian village near Krak de Chevaliers.

They have a pretty good brand-new hotel named Vila Rosa Hotel.

Where to stay in Palmyra and Busra

Today, you can’t stay in any of them because there are no hotels.

🍲 The food and alcohol in Syria

In the last few years, I haven’t traveled to many countries that are famous for their food, but Syria is.

Being an olive-oil-rich Mediterranean country, the ingredients used in their cuisine are fresh and similar to the ones we used in Spain, Italy, France, and Greece.

The food is actually pretty much the same as in Lebanon, with their own regional variations, of course.

From the classic hummus to kibbeh (local steak tartar), different sorts of grilled meat or a typical dish of Aleppo consisting of meatballs in cherry sauce, the food in Syria is so varied. 

For me, however, breakfast is the best part, as they always serve different variations of hummus and ful deep in super tasty olive oil and vegetables.

As per alcohol, you should know that Syria has a large Christian population, so alcohol is easily available, especially in the Christian district of the Old City of Damascus, where there is a street filled with bars and many liquor shops.

You can actually buy a $1 beer and drink it in the street!

❗ More information for traveling in Syria

📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.

All guides and articles for traveling in Syria destination

Travel guides to other countries in the Middle East

You will also like our Libya travel guide and Haiti travel guide.

You will also be interested in: Where in the Middle East is safe? and The most beautiful places in the Middle East.

I hope this Syria travel blog will help you to plan your trip. I will try to keep it updated but, if you have more updates, please let us know in the comments section. Thanks 🙂