You step into the Old City through Bab Touma as evening settles over Damascus, and the smell of jasmine mixes with charcoal smoke drifting from a dozen nargileh cafes. Men in shirt sleeves sit four-deep around small tables, backgammon pieces clacking, glasses of tea catching what's left of the light. A singer's voice reaches you from somewhere deeper in the warren of alleys—old Arabic music, live, urgent. This is where the night in Damascus begins: not with a bang, but with time dissolving. ## Drinking Tea and Tobacco in the Old City The coffee houses of Old Damascus are where the evening unfolds, and they operate on a different clock than anywhere else. You can spend hours over a cup of shay (tea) or ahwa (coffee) among the smoke of a nargileh (water pipe)—locals call it by the Turkish name, nargileh. The Narjelah hookah cafes are easy to find throughout the city, but the real cultural experience happens in the old quarter, where you'll encounter the traditional crowd of tea-drinking, backgammon-playing men. An-Naufara ("The Fountain"), just east of the Umayyad Mosque, was a wonderful place to do this, with a Hakawati—a traditional story teller—present at 19:00 most nights. In the modern city, younger crowds dominate the hookah cafes, which cater to a wide range of flavored tobacco: double apple is the most common, but cappuccino and others appear on every menu. Almost every major restaurant, including those in the old city, has hookahs available. ## Dining with Live Music and History Restaurants in old Damascus each have their own unique character, and eating is tied to the rhythm of the evening. Narcissus Palace, located close to Maktab Anbar, offers a distinctly memorable experience: every night, a singer and band play old Arabic music, creating an atmosphere that makes the meal itself secondary to the moment. Al-Khawali is considered by many to be the best dining experience in the old city, while Beit Jabri is the most famous, though touristy. A practical tip: arrive for breakfast, which is very cheap, then move into sightseeing—the rhythm of the day is gentler that way. Havana Cafe, established in 1945, was for a long time the main meeting place of the cultural elite in Damascus and has since reopened. These restaurants typically serve good local cuisine and alcohol is available. ## Nightlife: Bars and Cafes in the Reopening City Damascus has a lively nightlife scene, with bars and nightclubs offering drinks and dancing, though the landscape has shifted considerably. Many establishments closed during the war; as of mid-2016, businesses were gradually returning to the Old City and Old Quarter. Several have since reopened: La Marionnette Pub operates in the old city, Pub Sharqi on Al Qashla Avenue, and Havana Cafe has returned. The Bab Sharqi area has been noted for decent venues, though the scene continues to evolve. For a different kind of evening, Abu Rommeneh street offers a European coffee experience—look for fancy cafés in the area, including the Middle Eastern chain Inhouse Coffee, which offers free Wi-Fi throughout the city and caters to a more contemporary crowd. ## Mount Qasioun: City Lights and Restaurants with a View A panoramic view of Damascus from Mount Qasioun is accessible at any time, but the spectacle is most striking at night, when the whole city is lit up and the minarets of mosques are bathed in green light. The Umayyad Mosque in the old town is particularly impressive when viewed from the mountain. The peak has a wide range of food and refreshment available, from stalls to fancy restaurants that serve good local cuisine and alcohol. A practical warning: taxi drivers are known to take visitors to their 'favorite' cafe, where prices can be inflated for a cup of tea—check before settling in. ## Turkish Baths for Evening Rejuvenation Bathing in a hammam, a Turkish bath, is a way to soak up the atmosphere of Old Damascus and refresh after a long day. Nur-al-Din Bath (between the Azem Palace and Straight Street) is for men only; Bakri Bath (first street on the right after entering the Old City at Bab Touma) accommodates women each day except Friday from 10:00-17:00, or mixed groups upon prior arrangement. A visit includes towels, soap, scrub, massage, and tea, with pricing composed of entry, scrub, sauna, massage, and extras. The evening in Damascus unfolds slowly, built on conversation and the ritual of tea or coffee shared across hours. Begin in the old city, move from a restaurant with live music to a hookah cafe, then up to Mount Qasioun to see the city lit below you. The nightlife scene is active and gradually reopening; check locally on which venues are currently operating when you arrive, as the city continues its reconstruction.