Syria
A Tour of the Cradle of Civilization

April 16 - 25, 2010

$2055
per person, double occupancy, land only

April 16: Welcome to Syria! Upon our arrival at the Damascus International Airport, we will be met and assisted, then transferred to the Cham Palace Hotel for overnight.

April 17: After breakfast enjoy a full day tour of Damascus. Our tour will start at the National Museum in Damascus. The entry of the museum is a restored gate from a desert fortress, and houses a vast collection of artifacts from the many civilizations that have inhabited the region, with many dating back thousands and thousands of years. After visiting the museum, continue on to visit the Tekkiye Sulimaniya Mosque and the Omayyad Mosque, known for its unique artwork and also that the original structure was first a pagan temple, a Roman temple, then a Byzantine church, and now the great mosque. This will be followed by a visit to the tomb of Salahdine, the Azem Palace, and the Hananya Church where St. Paul made his escape through window to avoid being captured and persecuted. End your sightseeing with a drive up Kassioun Mountain for a view of the city of Damascus and the surrounding countryside. Return to the Cham Palace Hotel for dinner and overnight. (B/D)

April 18: Today we will head to the south of Damascus to visit the sight of Bosra. Bosra is a well-preserved black basalt city with the largest Roman amphitheater, and one of the best preserved, in the world. The amphitheater could hold 15,000 people, and could be emptied of all those people in five minutes. The amphitheater is still in use today as it hosts an annual music and dance festival. Bosra became one of the leading Nabatean (the builders of Petra in Jordan) cities before becoming the capital of the Roman province of Arabia in 106 AD. Return to Damascus for dinner and overnight at the Cham Palace Hotel. (B/D)

April 19: After breakfast we depart for Palmyra, stopping to visit the villages of Sydnaya and Ma'aloula on the way. Sydnaya is a village spread out over a hilltop about 30 km from Damascus and is surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, notable as a place of religious pilgrimage than for any outstanding remains. It has a famous monastery found in 547 AD, probably built during the reign of Emperor Justinian. This monastery which was a famous place of pilgrimage during Crusader times, was ordered by the Emperor himself, once out hunting, Justinian allegedly witnessed a vision; a lady who in turn commanded him to erect the church in its location today. The Emperor built the monastery and dedicated it to the Blessed Virgin, hence the name of the village itself; Seyda Naya which means "Our Lady" in Syriac. The mountain village of Ma'aloula, which means "the entrance", probably referring to the gorge in between the mountains, is the only place in the world that still speaks Aramaic, the language of Jesus Christ. There are two important monasteries in Ma'aloula: Mar Sarkis and Mar Taqla. Mar Sarkis Monastery was built in the 4th century on remains of a pagan temple, and was named after St. Sarkis. Mar Taqla Monastery holds the remains of St. Taqla, daughter of a Seleucid prince, and pupil of St. Paul. Continue on to Palmyra for dinner and overnight at the Zenobia Cham Palace Hotel. (B/D)

April 20: This morning we will have breakfast then enjoy a full day exploring the ruins of Palmyra. This pearl in the middle of the desert is one of the most graceful and splendid ancient sites in the east. It lies on the main caravan route between Persia and the Mediterranean and was home to the Nabatean Queen Zenobia before it was conquered by the Romans. Its glory and greatness are still evident after 2,000 years. We will see the Palmyra Castle, the Museum, Roman Theater, the Queen's Bath, the tombs of Palmyra and the Temple of Bel. Dinner and overnight at the Zenobia Cham Palace. (B/D)

April 21: After breakfast we will depart for Aleppo, stopping to visit Apamea, a major Seleucid city and military garrison, with magnificent Roman and Byzantine ruins. Taken over by Seleucos Nicator, it became one of the three main cities of the Seleucid Empire. With Antioch on the Orontes and Seleucia on the Tigris this Empire spread from the Mediterranean to the Indus valley. Later on Pompey attached it to the Roman Empire. This era and the following Byzantine era is to what Apamea owes its current beauty. Continue to Aleppo for dinner and overnight at the Jdayde Hotel. (B/D)

April 22: Today we will have a full day of sightseeing in Aleppo. Aleppo was established over 10,000 years ago and vies with Damascus for the title of the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world. Aleppo is famous for its souks housed in miles of labyrinthine passageways at the foot of the Citadel. These are some of the oldest markets in the world! Visit the Citadel, in the heart of the city surrounded by an impressive moat. Also visit the Great Mosque and the Aleppo Museum, wrapping up your tour with a visit to the Khans, or merchant houses of Aleppo. The architecture and history of these buildings will recall the days of the caravanserais that passed through Aleppo on their way to the west from Persia and Asia, loaded with spices, materials, and other goods to trade. Dinner and overnight in Aleppo at the Jdayde Hotel. (B/D)

April 23: After breakfast we will head out to the countryside to see the Basilica of St. Simeon, where St. Simeon the Stylite, a Christian ascetic, settled in 412AD. He lived for nearly 40 years on the top of a column, surrounded by pilgrims. The site is the remains of the Byzantine basilica and other related structures. Return to Aleppo for dinner and overnight. (B/D)

April 24: This morning we will head back to Damascus with stops at Ebla and the famous crusader fortress of Krak Des Chevalier. Ebla is known for the vast Royal Library - a collection of clay tablets that outlined almost all aspects of life in the Kingdom of Ebla, which is one of the oldest in Syria. The library gave us the first bilingual dictionary and an extensive look at the dealings of the kingdom - trade agreements, diplomacy, laws, accounting and much more. Our next stop will be in the hills on the coast of Syria at the Krak Des Chevaliers. The Krack Des Chevaliers was built in 1031 as an Arab fortress, then the Crusaders held it from 1110 until 1271 when a four year siege by the Mamlukes ended the Crusaders' occupation. Roam the ramparts, see the Great Hall, kitchen, stables, barracks and more. Continue on to Damascus for dinner and overnight at the Cham Palace Hotel. (B/D)

April 25: After breakfast transfer to the Damascus airport for departure. (B)

Included:

• Accommodations in hotels listed (or similar) based on double occupancy
• Transfers in a modern air conditioned bus
• Meals as listed in itinerary
• Group visa for Syria
• Baggage handling
• Group transfers on arrival and departure
• Entrance fees and sightseeing with English speaking guides throughout

Not Included:

• International Air (call for group rate)
• Departure tax from Syria of $35 per person (to be paid in Syrian Lira = 1500 SYP)
• Items of a personal nature such as phone/fax, laundry, mini-bar, etc.
• Beverages at any meals or snacks en route
• Tips for guides and drivers - we recommend about $3-$4 for the drivers and $7 for the guides, per person, per day
• Additional tours not on the itinerary
• Trip insurance
• Single Supplement: $500

Hotels:

Damascus
Cham Palace Hotel

Palmyra
Zenobia Cham Palace

Aleppo
Jdayde Hotel