Tour Syria in a Week
DAY
1 - DAMASCUS - This is a private Tour : Choose your own arrival date
Tour Operates Daily - Year Round
Our local rep. greets you at Damascus International Airport and escorts
you to your hotel. You can begin your explorations of this "Arabian
Nights" city just after you arrive.
Upon
arrival at the airport , our local rep. meets you and proceed with you
to your hotel. You can begin your exploration of this "Arabian Nights"
city just after you arrive. Visa is issued at the airport upon arrival,
for a limited number of nationalities, such as EU, USA, Canada, Australia,
NZ, Singapore, Mexico and Japan
, please make sure that you e.mail us a legible scan of your passport
info page at least 45 days prior to arrival into Syria to allow us to
secure your visa.
Visa
information : Important. Syria will not issue visas for any passport
holder that may carry any stamp or visa for Israel.
DAY
2 - DAMASCUS Monday (BL)
Today we explore the Syrian capital, visiting the National Museum, with
treasures dating from the 1400s BC; the bustling Old Bazaar, the Eastern
Gate (Bab ash-Sharqi) in the Roman city walls; the Street Called Straight
(Via Recta); the house of Anania; and the chapel with a window from
which disciples lowered St. Paul so he could escape those who sought
to kill him (Acts 9:24-25). Lunch is included in a charming local restaurant.
Complimentary
Dinner is included at a local home:
We are proud to be the only ones that are able to afford you such window
on the true warm and hospitable Syrian people , come and meet the locals,
you may wish to bring token gifts to exchange with the host family (
T shirt , small souvenirs of your home town):
This
evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right
into the homes of some of the people of Syria l! You'll be invited to
a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties,
you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way
of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your
new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background.
Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that
you have more in common than you ever suspected. As some have inquired
after they returned , feel free to ask about the recipes for the local
dishes you will enjoy tonight , please let us know in advance of you
prefer vegetarian meals.
Of course, you may enjoy a quiet evening with your travel companions,
by letting us know your preferences.
DAY
3 - PALMYRA Tuesday (BLD)
We drive to ancient Palmyra (Tadmor), in a desert oasis on the
trade route between the Mediterranean and Mesopotamia, to visit its
museum, the temples of Bel, Baal Shamin and Nebo, the Roman baths, the
Tetrapylon, Diocletian's camp, and the Valley of the Tombs, before
settling in at our Palmyra hotel. Lunch and dinner are included at the
hotel.
DAY
4 - KRAK DES CHEVALIERS, HAMA - ALEPPO Wednesday (BD)
Get your camera ready, for today we see the famously photogenic Krak
des Chevaliers, the most spectacular 12th-century Crusaders' castle
of all. From this marvel of military architecture we head north to Hama,
one of Syria's prettiest towns, to see its great norias (water wheels),
some up to 65 feet in diameter, scooping water from the fabled Orontes
River. We continue to Aleppo for the night. Dinner
included at the hotel.
DAY
5 - ALEPPO Thursday (BD)
The sights of Aleppo (Halab) include the Grand Mosque, the vast
Ottoman bazaar, the 12th-century Citadel, and a camel caravanserai.
We visit them all, then continue to the church (Qala'at Samaan) built
to honor the Byzantine ascetic St. Simeon Stylites, who lived atop a
column for over 35 years in the 5th century. We return to our comfortable
Aleppo hotel for the night. Dinner
included at the hotel.
DAY
6 - SERGELLA, APAMEA, MAALULA - DAMASCUS Friday (BLD)
We head south to Sergella, one of the 500 Dead Cities, fabled
ghost towns built between the 4th and 7th centuries which were abandoned
mysteriously around the 9th century. Our next stop is Apamea
(Qala'at al-Mudiq), the Hellenistic "city of a thousand columns"
built by Seleucus I Nicator in the 2nd century BC and named in honor
of his wife. We continue to Maalula, where villagers still speak
Aramaic, the language of Jesus, for a visit to the chapel of St. Sergius,
before returning to Damascus for the night. Lunch
is included enroute . Dinner
included at the hotel.
DAY
7 - DEPARTURE Saturday (B)
Our staff escorts you to the airport for your flight home. Add
Istanbul . Add Jordan
Rates
per person in USD $
|
Deluxe |
First Class |
|
Triple |
US$
1820 |
US$
1510 |
|
Double |
US$
1970 |
US$
1640 |
Single |
US$
2780 |
US$
2490 |
Your
tour includes:
- All
transfers on a private e basis, private air-conditioned vehicle,
private chauffeur.
- Hotel
accommodations, including tax and service charges.
-
Meals as indicated with preset menu (cB = continental breakfast,
L = Lunch, D = Dinner).
-
Sightseeing by air-conditioned vehicle with guide , and entrance
fees as indicated
-
Visa fee for Syria . Visa issued upon arrival, American, EU ,Japanese,
Canadian passport, your passport must be valid at least for 6 month
beyond arrival date.
To allow us to secure your visa for Syria, we must have a legible
scan of your passport info page at least 45 days prior to your arrival
Our
hotels include the following, as available, similar hotels may be substituted:
| |
Deluxe
Hotels |
First
Class Hotels |
| Damascus |
Le
Meridien |
Fardos
Tower/ Carlton |
| Palmyra |
Cham
Palace |
Heliopolis |
| Aleppo |
Cham
Palace |
Amir
Palace |
Visa
information : Important
Syria will not issue visas for any passport holder that may carry any
stamp or visa for Israel. Border crossings may take some time, depending
on several circumstances (traffic, documentation, visa checks , etc.)
Not
Included:
-
Trip interruption and cancellation insurance (please see your own insurance
agent ).
- Personal
expenditures and beverages.
-
Tips to guide and driver (suggested US$ 5 per person per day)
- Airport
taxes.
- International
air fare from /to your home country
Recommendations
and conditions:
Every
effort is made to adhere to the planned itinerary, however, for reasons
beyond our control, it may be necessary to change routings, sequence of
visits, and departure times.
THE
LANGUAGE OF THE JESUS IN THE LAND OF THE BOOK
Syria
is truly the Land of the Book. The ancient alphabets of the Near East
grew into Aramaic and then Hebrew, and finally Arabic and the modern Latin
script that you're reading!
Jesus
spoke to His Disciples in Aramaic. And nowhere else in the Holy Land does
His language live as in Maaloula, where His words may still be heard exactly
as He spoke them. For the believer, or for anyone who values traditions
of faith, it is a deeply moving experience.
Maaloula
is just a short drive from Damascus, and home to Christian community that
thrives after 2000 years.
As
much as any land, Syria is the birthplace of the Christian faith. St.
Paul converted on the road to Damascus, and in the early centuries of
the Church,
six Syrian bishops were elevated to the Holy See as popes. The grand Omayyad
Mosque is built on a sacred site shared by Muslims and Christians for
centuries,
expressing the true brotherhood at the center of both faiths. Two million
Syrians worship as Christians.
The
full panoply of the Christian experience in the Near East has been played
out in Syria. The Krak des Chevaliers is the unique unconquered Crusader
fortress
that stands intact as if ready to host the Knights of the Cross once again––and
is a must stop for the visitor of faith to the holy sites.
Extend
your stay in Syria for one day and visit Maaloula
Sample
Charming Boutique Hotels in Syria :
Talisman Hotel: Damascus
Talisman is more than an hotel: it is more like a home. We will provide
you all the services and luxury of a five stars residence. Two wide opened
courtyards with outdoor swimming
pool. Private and exclusive Turkish Hammam. Read More .
Zenobia hotel: Palmyra
built in 1920 … Agatha Christy was one of the welcomed guests ,
the Zenobia Hotel is ideally located in the middle of Palmyra archeological
site; rooms offers a wonderful view of the traces of past civilizations,
which you can explore at your ease, read more .
Beit Wakil Hotel: Aleppo
A true example of the distinguished 16th century Aleppine architecture,is
a charming palace situated just outside the old city walls.This perfectly
preserved structure which has stubbornly defied the destructive elements
of time,ranks among the most elegant and
beautiful palaces in the region, read more .
What
our guests say about our service :
Trip Reviews : Touring Syria and Jordan:
From: ......... I.... [mailto:d.......oc@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, March 30, 2009 07:03 AM
To: info@travelinstyle.com
Subject: Re: Mr. and Mrs. Il...n- Syria and Jordan Damascus March
Dear Ms. Boga,
We had such a delightful journey. Your personnel, schedule
and hotels were all top notch. Thanks so much. I am very impressed with
your
organization. .
Sincerely,
Dwain and Marilyn I.......
More
Choices :
DAMASCUS
: By Dr. Illman : Syria and Jordan 2009
1.
It was disorienting arriving in the old city at midnight. Nearly all the
shops were closed, streets dark and wandering as we walked to our hotel.
2. Amazing hotel. Our room had fancy light fixtures. The furniture was
covered with inlay mother of pearl. The hotel had two lovely courtyards
with reflecting pools.
3. Everywhere there was smoking.
4. Our guide and driver were terrific – Walid and Fadi.
5. The House of Ananias and the church built around it was a real highlight.
Read Acts 9 to refresh your memory on the scriptural significance.
6. Next door to Ananias we stopped at a shop. The shopkeeper knew someone
from Ellettsville, Indiana. He is Mark Vanest. Mark went to school with
the kids and taught this man English for several years during the time
Mark lived in Damascus.
7. It was cool in Syria with highs in mid-50’s to low 60’s.
8. I was thrilled to walk the Street called Straight.
9. The Souk had shops for everything. I took a lot of video.
10. The Large mosque – Umayyad Mosque was really crowded as it was
Mother’s Day and a holiday from school. Marilyn had to wear a full
robe with a hood. She looked like a Star Wars’ cast member.
11. The call to prayer is 5 times a day. There are so many mosques and
the calls all seem to start a few seconds apart and are sung at slightly
different tempo. We saw the muezzin at Umayyad do his call. |
