Bernard Gagnon


For many years, this ancient country was the Middle East’s great “what if?” — home to some of the planet’s oldest cities and most extraordinary archaeological treasures, yet effectively sealed off from mainstream tourism by civil war, sanctions, and security fears. But in 2026 travelers are beginning to return, cautiously and curiously, to a country still emerging from one of the 21st century’s defining conflicts. I hope to join them soon, because I was born in Damascus and haven´t been able to go back for nine years.

These days my country has a population of around 24 million people packed into an area somewhat smaller than Great Britain (or in the USA, about the size of North Dakota plus South Dakota). And civilization here stretches back astonishingly far. Ancient cities such as Ebla, Mari, and Ugarit flourished thousands of years before the Roman Empire existed, helping shape early trade, writing, and urban culture in the Fertile Crescent; Ugarit, on the Mediterranean coast, produced one of the world’s earliest known alphabets around 1400 BCE. Syria later became a crossroads of empires — Assyrian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Crusader, Mongol, and Ottoman — leaving behind layers of temples, souqs, mosques, churches, castles, and caravanserais that few countries can rival. Damascus itself claims to be the world’s oldest continuously inhabited capital, appearing in written records by roughly the 15th century BCE.

Modern Syria’s story, however, is impossible to separate from the Assad family dictatorship, which ruled for more than five decades since one time air force officer Hafez al-Assad took power in 1971 (after 23 years of French administration and several subsequent decades of unstable régimes) and his son Bashir al-Assad took over upon his father´s death in 2000. Protests led to a brutal civil war from 2011 to 2024, further complicated by the seizure of up to half of the country outside Damascus by the brutal ultra-funamentalist Islamic terrorist group Daesh (also known as ISIS, ISIL, and Islamic State) from 2014 to around 2019. In December 2024 the régime finally collapsed dramatically after rebel forces swept into Damascus and Bashar al-Assad fled to Russia. The current transitional government under rebel leader, now interim president Ahmed al-Sharaa has promised reconstruction, political reform, and a reopening to the world. A year and a half later, the atmosphere is still one of cautious optimism mixed with uncertainty: many Syrians speak openly and freely in ways that would once have been unthinkable, yet economic hardship, political tensions, and sporadic violence remain realities.

Despite all that, tourism is clearly reviving. Syrian officials say more than 3.5 million visitors entered in 2025, including expatriate Syrians, with foreign and Arab tourist arrivals up sharply over 2024. By comparison, before the civil war which began in 2011 there were nearly 11 million visitors annually (in 2010); toward the end of the decade the industry had collapsed almost completely.

Even so, Syria´s tourism is still not “normal.” Most visitors still travel on organized tours, and a number Western governments continue to advise against all travel because of terrorism risks, kidnapping concerns, and the fragile security environment. Damascus, however, now feels surprisingly lively and functional in many districts, with cafés full late into the evening and traffic jams once again clogging its streets. Travelers who go generally report feeling welcome and encountering little hostility.

Keep in mind, too, that English is unevenly spoken. Younger Syrians in Damascus, Aleppo, and tourism-related businesses often speak at least basic English, but outside major cities, Arabic dominates almost entirely. In addition, French survives among some older educated Syrians, a legacy of the French Mandate era. And travelers who know even a handful of Arabic phrases tend to receive enthusiastic reactions.

And Syrians are largely eager to talk. After years of isolation, many are curious about foreigners and deeply appreciative that visitors are returning. Hospitality remains central to Syrian society: invitations to tea, coffee, or even full meals are common, especially outside Damascus.

And then there is the food. Syrian cuisine may be the country’s greatest ambassador: richly spiced yet rarely fiery, deeply Levantine yet distinctly Syrian. Expect velvety hummus, smoky baba ghanoush, kibbeh, grilled lamb, pistachio-filled desserts, and some of the Middle East’s finest sweets. Aleppo in particular was once famous across the Arab world for its sophisticated cuisine, blending Ottoman, Armenian, and Arab influences.

So all that said, these are the top spots to visit in Syria...

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