Days 1-2
Spend the day visiting the National Museum, the
Handicraft Market, St. Anania's Church and the Chapel of St. Paul.
Explore the Omayyad Mosque before bargaining at the old souks
and khans of Damascus.
Day 3
Drive to Shahba, the birthplace of Philip, to view ruins of
a Roman theater, baths and temples and visit the local museum.
Continue to Bosra, the Roman capital famous for its mosques,
palaces, high columns and a magnificent amphitheater.
Day 4
Drive to Palmyra, a vital caravan city on the old
Silk Road and referred to as "the Bride of the Desert." Visit the
Baal-Shamin Temple, the Arch of Triumph, the Roman
amphitheater and baths, the "Street of Straight" in Christian
Damascus and the Congress Council.
Day 5
Cross the desert to Rasafa, an emerald oasis on the caravan
route. Drive to the 12th-century Jaabar Citadel on the Euphrates.
Day 6
Once an ancient trading center, Aleppo remains one of
the oldest inhabited cities. Explore the many treasures from past
and present, including the Citadel, the National Museum and the
colorful bazaars lining the narrow city streets.
Day 7
Visit Salah El-Din's castle, located on the top of the
mountain just east of Lattakia and then drive to Ugarit, the capital
of the Canaanites' kingdom in the second millennium BC.
Day 8
Drive to Apamea, visited by Cleopatra and Septimus
Severus, and a center for philosophy during the Christian era.
After lunch, take a walking tour of Hama, known for its successive
civilizations of the Fertile Crescent.
Day 9
Considered to be one of the most important preserved
medieval military castles in the world, Crac des Chevaliers was
named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2006. Here you have
the opportunity to view the few remaining examples of Crusader
art before driving to the Christian village of Maaloula, whose
inhabitants still speak Aramaic, the language of Jesus.
Day 10
Board your onward flight.
Day 11