Bazaars, mosques, and sacred and legendary corners come together on this guided tour of Damascus, one of the oldest cities in the world. A true journey back in time.
Tour Details
At the scheduled time, we’ll meet at Al Hijaz railway station, where we’ll begin with an introduction to this guided tour of Damascus, one of the world’s oldest continuously inhabited cities.
We’ll head into the Old City until we reach the great Al-Hamidiyah Souq. We’ll admire its metal roof stretching over 600 meters (2,000 feet), where light filters down onto hundreds of stalls. The scent of cotton, sweets, and fabrics will surround us as we talk about its partial reconstruction after a fire at the end of the 19th century.
Next, we’ll make our way to the Mausoleum of Saladin, the great Kurdish leader who recaptured Jerusalem in the 12th century. Very close by stands the Umayyad Mosque, an architectural gem built on the remains of an ancient Roman temple and a Byzantine church. Its marble courtyards and golden mosaics reveal centuries of religious coexistence.
We’ll then stop to admire the exterior of the Azem Palace, a sublime example of traditional Damascene residential architecture. We’ll talk about its courtyards, fountains, and walls decorated with intricately patterned stone. After that, we’ll immerse ourselves in the spice souq, where the colors and aromas of cardamom, saffron, and sumac awaken the senses.
We’ll continue on to the iconic Straight Street of Damascus, the city’s most famous Roman road, which will lead us to the Chapel of Saint Ananias. Here, we’ll learn about this refuge linked to the conversion of Saul.
Finally, we’ll end this 4-hour tour at the Window of Saint Paul, where, according to tradition, the apostle escaped from the city.
