Damascus — Destination Guide: Overview

Damascus is a city fashioned over its 5000 year history. It has been a stage for caliphs, invaders and even characters from the Bible: Abraham passed through on his way to Canaan and it was here that Cain slew Able and Paul was baptized. While the greater metropolitan area has swelled to a population of 4.5 million, its old city has changed little since the days of Ottoman rule. A maze of cobbled stone alleys, gardens, palaces and defensive walls, the old city induces a style of life that moves at the pace of another century, and it's easy to while away a couple of hours over tea and a nargila (water pipe). Damascus has always been a center ...

Damascus is a city fashioned over its 5000 year history. It has been a stage for caliphs, invaders and even characters from the Bible: Abraham passed through on his way to Canaan and it was here that Cain slew Able and Paul was baptized. While the greater metropolitan area has swelled to a population of 4.5 million, its old city has changed little since the days of Ottoman rule. A maze of cobbled stone alleys, gardens, palaces and defensive walls, the old city induces a style of life that moves at the pace of another century, and it's easy to while away a couple of hours over tea and a nargila (water pipe). Damascus has always been a center for Arab traders bringing goods from east to west and its long, arched Hamidiyeh Souq still heaves with activity. If your energy is running low, stop for a pistachio covered ice cream, a Damascus specialty. After stocking up on pottery and glass items, Persian carpets and a Bedouin dagger, weave your way into the Umayyad Mosque, one of the largest of its kind anywhere. The mosque contains a shrine said to contain the head of John the Baptist, as well as the tomb of Saladin. Late in the day, head up the Jebel Qassioun for a panoramic view of the city and amazing sunset.

About the Expert

Michael Kohn is the author of Lonely Planet guides to Israel & the Palestinian Territories, South Africa, Tibet, Central Asia, Mongolia, and Sri Lanka.