Syria / Jordan

10 Days – 09 Nights

 

Arrival at APT Damascus, meet & assist by Sherazade Tours and Transfer to your hotel in Damascus

Overnight in Damascus

 

Damascus has a wealth of historical sites dating back to many different periods of the city's history. Since the city has been built up with every passing occupation, it has become almost impossible to excavate all the ruins of Damascus that lie up to 8 feet (2.4 m) below the modern level. The Citadel of Damascus is located in the northwest corner of the Old City. The Street Called Straight (referred to in the conversion of St. Paul in Acts 9:11), also known as the Via Recta, was the decumanus (East-West main street) of Roman Damascus, and extended for over 1,500 metres (4,900 ft). Today, it consists of the street of Bab Sharqi and the Souk Medhat Pasha, a covered market. The Bab Sharqi street is filled with small shops and leads to the old Christian quarter of Bab Tuma (St. Thomas's Gate). Medhat Pasha Souq is also a main market in Damascus and was named after Medhat Pasha, the Ottoman governor of Syria who renovated the Souk. At the end of the Bab Sharqi street, one reaches the House of Ananias, an underground chapel that was the cellar of Ananias's house. The Umayyad Mosque, also known as the Grand Mosque of Damascus, is one of the largest mosques in the world and also one of the oldest sites of continuous prayer since the rise of Islam. A shrine in the mosque is said to contain the body of St. John the Baptist. The mausoleum where Saladin was buried is located in the gardens just outside the mosque.

 

Overnight in Damascus

An oasis in the Syrian desert, north-east of Damascus, Palmyra contains the monumental ruins of a great city that was one of the most important cultural centres of the ancient world. From the 1st to the 2nd century, the art and architecture of Palmyra, standing at the crossroads of several civilizations, married Greco-Roman techniques with local traditions and Persian influences. First mentioned in the archives of Mari in the 2nd millennium BC, Palmyra was an established caravan oasis when it came under Roman control in the mid-first century AD as part of the Roman province of Syria. Palmyra exerted a decisive influence on the evolution of neoclassical architecture and modern urbanization. The city offers the consummate example of an ancient urbanized complex, for the most part protected, with its large public monuments such as the Agora, the Theatre and the temples. Alongside these, the inhabited quarters are preserved, and there are immense cemeteries outside the fortified enceinte. Palmyran art, for which the great museums of the world now vie, unites the forms of Greco-Roman art with indigenous elements and Iranian influences in a strongly original style. As the crossroads of several civilizations, it is here that unique creations came into existence, notably in the domain of funerary sculpture.

Overnight in Palmyra

Hama's most famous attractions are its 17 norias, dating back to the Byzantine times. Fed by the Orontes river, they are up to 20 meters (66 ft) in diameter. The largest norias are the al-Mamunye (1453) and the al-Muhammediye (14th century). Originally they were used to route water into aqueducts, which led into the town and the neighboring agricultural areas.

Being one of the oldest cities in the world and a major centre on the ancient Silk Road, Aleppo has a number of impressive and attractive structures, in addition to the natural beauty of the region. The most splendid landmarks of the city around the citadel are the suqs, the old baths (hammams), the khans with numerous religious and cultural centres. On the other hand, the city has a large number of different modern facilities which attract tourists from all over the world, such as many luxurious hotels, casinos, bars and restaurants with their famous Aleppine foods and kebabs (grills). Many old Arabic and Armenian houses in the old city and Jdeydeh quarter are redesigned nowadays, to be used as oriental hotels, piano bars, pubs and restaurants.

 

Overnight in Aleppo

The Krak De Chevliers is located east of Tartus, Syria, in the Homs Gap, atop a 650-metre-high hill. It sat along the only route from Antioch to Beirut and the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of many fortresses that were part of a defensive network along the border of the old Crusader states. The fortress controlled the road to the Mediterranean, and from this base, the Hospitallers could exert some influence over Lake Homs to the east to control the fishing industry and watch for Muslim armies gathering in Syria. The original castle was built in 1031 for the emir of Aleppo.[ During the First Crusade in 1099 it was captured by Raymond IV of Toulouse, but then abandoned when the Crusaders continued their march towards Jerusalem. It was reoccupied again by Tancred, Prince of Galilee in 1110. The early castle was very different to the extant remains. It originally consisted of a single enclosure, coterminous with the inner ward (fortified enclosure) of the present castle. In 1142 it was given by Raymond II, count of Tripoli, to the Knights Hospitaller. It remained in their possession until it fell in 1271.  Krak des Chevaliers was the headquarters of the Knights Hospitaller during the Crusades. It was expanded between 1150 and 1250 and eventually housed a garrison of 2,000.

Maaloula  is a town in Syria until recently dominated by speakers of Western Neo-Aramaic. It is the only place where a dialect of the Western branch of the Aramaic language is still spoken. Scholars have determined that the Aramaic of Jesus belonged to this particular branch as well, however, as many media coverage has erroneously stated, it isn't the exact dialect Jesus of Nazareth spoke during the first century. There are two important monasteries in Ma`loula: Greek Catholic Mar Sarkis and Greek Orthodox Mar Thecla. Mar Sarkis is one of the oldest surviving monasteries in Syria. It was built on the site of a pagan temple, and has elements which go back to the fifth to sixth century Byzantine period.  Mar Sarkis is the Arabic name for Saint Sergius, a Roman soldier who was executed for his Christian beliefs. This monastery still maintains its solemn historical character.

Overnight in Damascus

Of the city Bosra, which once counted 80,000 inhabitants, there remains today only a village settled among the ruins. The second century Roman theater, constructed probably under Trajan, is the only monument of this type with its upper gallery in the form of a covered portico which has been integrally preserved. It was fortified between 481 and 1231 AD. Further, Nabatean and Roman monuments, Christian churches, mosques and Madrasahs are present within the half ruined enceinte of the city. The structure of this monument a central plan with eastern apses flanked by 2 sacristies exerted a decisive influence on the evolution of Christian architectural forms, and, to a certain extent, on Islamic style as well. Al-Omari Mosque of Bosra is one of the oldest surviving mosques in Islamic history.

Jerash is known for the ruins of the Greco-Roman city of Gerasa, also referred to as Antioch on the Golden River. It is sometimes misleadingly referred to as the "Pompeii of the Middle East or Asia", referring to its size, extent of excavation and level of preservation (though Jerash was never buried by a volcano). Jerash is considered one of the most important and best preserved Roman cities in the Near East. It was a city of the Decapolis. Recent excavations show that Jerash was already inhabited during the Bronze Age (3200 BC - 1200 BC). After the Roman conquest in 63 BC, Jerash and the land surrounding it were annexed by the Roman province of Syria, and later joined the Decapolis cities. In AD 90, Jerash was absorbed into the Roman province of Arabia, which included the city of Philadelphia (modern day Amman). The Romans ensured security and peace in this area, which enabled its people to devote their efforts and time to economic development and encouraged civic building activity. In the second half of the first century AD, the city of Jerash achieved great prosperity. In AD 106, the Emperor Trajan constructed roads throughout the provinces and more trade came to Jerash. The Emperor Hadrian visited Jerash in AD 129-130. The triumphal arch (or Arch of Hadrian) was built to celebrate his visit. A remarkable Latin inscription records a religious dedication set up by members of the imperial mounted bodyguard "wintering" there.

 

Overnight in Amman

Situated 10 kilometers west of Madaba, overlooking the Jordan Valley is Mount Nebo, one of the alleged sites of the tomb of Moses. The summit of this lonely windswept site command spectacular views over the Dead Sea to the West Bank and Jerusalem and, you can see the springs where Moses smote the ground to bring forth water.

 

The most spectacular site, is the Dead Sea, which at 400 meters below sea level is the lowest body of water on earth. Surrounded by arid hills, as devoid of life as the sea itself, the Dead Sea glistens under a burning sun with barely a ripple disturbing its surface. The rocks that meet its lapping edges become covered with a snow-like thick gleaming deposit of white salt. It is this extremely high concentration of salt that gives the Dead Sea waters their renowned therapeutic qualities and their buoyancy. Because the salt content is eight times that of most world's oceans, you can float in the Dead Sea without even trying. Swimming in the Dead Sea is a truly unique experience not to be missed.

Kerak lies about 150 Km south of Amman.  It is famous of its crusader fortress  in the center of underground galleries, rooms and secret passageways and its thick defensive walls pierced by narrow arrow slits where crusader archers held out bravely but in vain for over 100 years.
It was the crusaders who made Kerak famous. The fortress was built in 1142  by Payen Le Boutellier, the lord of Montreal. He made Kerak the new capital of the province because it was situated on the king's highway, Where it could control all traffic from north and south.

 

Overnight in Petra

Hidden behind an almost impenetrable barrier of rugged mountains, the rock-carved city of Petra is full of mysterious charm. The approach through the cool gloom of the Siq, a long narrow gorge whose steeply rising sides all but obliterate the sun, provides a dramatic contrast with the magic to come. Suddenly the gorge opens into a natural square dominated by Petra's most famous monument, the Khasneh, whose intricately carved facade glows in the dazzling sun. More facades beckon the visitor on until the ancient city gradually unfolds, one monument leading to the next for kilometer after kilometer. The sheer size of the city and the quality of beautifully carved facades is staggering and leads one to reflect on the creativity and industry of the Nabateans who made Petra their capital more than 2,000 years ago.
Petra is an enchanting place that captivates and excites the senses. Its overwhelming size, rich textures and stunning surroundings create an ambiance almost impossible to describe.

 

Overnight in Petra

Some 70 kilometers northeast of Aqaba lies Wadi Rum, a vast silent place that is both romantic and extremely beautiful. Massive mountains rise vertically out of the pink desert sand, which separate one dark mass from another. The faces of these sheer rock cliffs have been eroded by the wind into faces of men, animals and monsters. Everywhere in this strange and empty place are indications of man's presence since the earliest known times. Scattered around are flint hand axes, while on the rocks at the feet of the mountains the names of ancient travellers are scratched. In the center of the valley an elaborately carved temple bears witness that Wadi Rum was once a holy place for Nabateans.
Today the major distraction in route to Aqaba is the fabled Wadi Rum. As you near Wadi Rum, look to the left or to the north, and you will see the Seven Pillars of Wisdom. These natural columns are Huge and vary in height. The true size of the mountains at Wadi Rum is only realized when a human or animal form gives the vastness of perspective. Life does not seem to have changed in Rum for a long time. The pace is slow and tourist activities tend to centre on the rest house. No more than a cluster of Bedouin tents and basic houses make up Rum.

 

Overnight in Amman

 

After breakfast transfer to APT Amman, where Sherazade Tours will arrange all departure formalities again

Please contact us for questions and rates, in order to send you the best possible offer

book now