Highlights of Syria and the Lebanon, by Janet Syder

Fancy something a bit more exotic than a week in Majorca? Follow the advice of GTC customer Janet Syder, and take a trip to Syria and the Lebanon!


Baalbek, Lebanon. The most fantastic Roman ruin in the Middle East (my opinion!). Suggest you stay the night there in Baalbek. Treat yourself and stay at The Palmyra Hotel. Its wonderfully old world and you wouldn't believe who else had stayed in the hotel before you. If you can, stay in the new annex, just 30 meters down the road. The hotel is opposite the ruins and if you are lucky enough that the night you are there the lights are on the ruins (they have power cuts so lights are not always on) its just beautiful. The huge majority of tour groups visit the site as a day trip from Beirut, so the site gets busy from about 10.30am - 2.30pm then its lovely and quiet again and you can virtually have it to yourself until 5-6pm when it closes for the day.

Aleppo Citadel, Syria (below). I love Aleppo, its a wonderful city and the citadel is still so complete and to think its built on a natural hill is amazing. Stay in the Ramses Hotel, its within easy walking distance of the Citadel and over the road from the famous Baron Hotel (where you have to go for a sundowner). Suggest you eat at the Qasr Al Wali the food is unbelievably good, you will be truly wowed. From Aleppo visit the Dead City of Serjilla and St Simeons.

Palmyra, Syria. (3rd photo) Take a torch. Walk up the Arab Castle for sunrise over the site. The walk is not as far as it looks but the view is awesome. Suggest you eat in the Garden type restaurant opposite the Museum (can't remember what its called, but its outdoors). The staff are really, really helpful and can help with bus timetables etc. The food is what you would expect in Syria, fantastic, fresh and addictive. Loads to see in Palmyra, but would suggest all the obvious sites but also the Tomb of the Brothers as its so different from the other funerary temples.

Damascus, Syria. The photo below is of the Street Called Straight in Damascus. Its been a trading street since the Biblical times. Its bussling, you can buy anything and the atmosphere has to be soaked up, take your time. Make sure you have an ice cream from the famous ice cream shop in the covered part of the street (can't remember what its called, but its always stuffed full of people in the evenings, you can't miss it). Stay in the City Hotel, its a great location for the Museum which is an absolute must, it brings all the other sights in Syria to life as it has most of their best finds. Try to go in the afternoon as most tour groups tend to go in the morning. The City Hotel is also a fantastic location for the Tourist Souq. I think the Tourist Souq actually has the best range of jewellery, scarves and handicrafts if you are buying gifts and the prices are excellent too. Its well worth a look even if you arent buying. The silver prices are honest as they weigh everything (to be honest, we never felt like we were being ripped off with prices even in the main souq). Eat in the Jabri House restaurant. Again, fantastic food, the best mezze, fresh, plentiful and really tasty.