Stand at the western mouth of Souq al-Hamidiyya, where the columns of a Roman temple frame a street of tiny shops, and the smell of cumin and other spices follows you the whole way down. At the far end, the great Umayyad Mosque opens up, its three minarets rising over a building that has been a temple, a church and a mosque in turn.
Damascus suits travellers who want deep history in a walkable old city: covered markets, places of worship, bathhouses and long meals rather than a checklist of attractions. This guide covers the sights and experiences the sources describe, with a one-day plan and answers to the practical questions that come up most.
Top things to do in Damascus
1. Souq al-Hamidiyya
A broad covered street packed with tiny shops, entered through columns from a Roman temple built on the site of an even older temple. The passages are dedicated to everything from leather and copper goods to inlaid boxes and silk scarves, and the air carries cumin and other distinctive spices.
Walk the full length of it, because it links two of the old city's main sights: the Umayyad Mosque stands at one end and a fort-like section of the extant city wall, the Citadel, at the other. Go slowly and treat the shopping as part of the walk rather than a separate stop.
2. Umayyad Mosque
This building with three minarets is an architectural wonder, and its history is layered into the fabric: an Assyrian temple, then a Roman temple to Jupiter, a church when Rome converted to Christianity, then a mosque and a church together, and finally a mosque. Some Christian drawings can still be clearly seen on the walls inside, and the grave of John the Baptist, prophet Yahya to Muslims, lies inside the main lounge.
Women are asked to cover their hair, arms and legs; abayas are provided with the entrance ticket. It is one of the most sacred sites of Islam and welcomes foreign tourists, who are allowed to walk around the prayer area. It sits at the end of Souq al-Hamidiyya, so combine the two.
3. View the city from Mount Qasioun
Seeing the city from Mount Qasioun is a must-do activity, offering a panoramic view. The peak is accessible at any time, although the view is perhaps most spectacular 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.
There is a wide range of food and refreshment on the peak, from stalls to restaurants serving good local cuisine and alcohol. Check the price before you get too comfortable, as it is a well-known scam for taxi drivers to take you to their favourite cafe, where you end up paying a fortune for a cup of tea.
4. Al-Hamidiyya's other end: the Citadel of Damascus
At the other end of Souq al-Hamidiyya stands a fort-like section of the extant city wall that is the Citadel, a medieval fortified palace and citadel, now partly ruined. It is the natural end point of a walk through the souq.
Pair it with the statue and mausoleum of Salah al-Din nearby, and keep your expectations of the ruins modest.
5. Statue of Saladin
A great statue of Saladin on horseback stands right next to the citadel, unveiled in 1993 to mark the 800th anniversary of his death. Walk all the way around it: underneath the horse's slightly lifted tail are two dejected Frankish knights, identified by inscriptions as Guy de Lusignan, King of Jerusalem, and Reynald de Chatillon, lord of Kerak.
Both were captured during Salah al-Din's victory at Hattin; Guy was imprisoned in Damascus and eventually released, while Reynald was executed. It is a short stop, best made on the same walk as the Citadel and the mausoleum.
6. Mausoleum of Saladin
The resting place and grave of the medieval Muslim Ayyubid Sultan Saladin, built in 1196, adjacent to the Umayyad Mosque. It is a quiet, compact site that pairs naturally with the mosque and with the statue near the citadel.
Since it sits beside the Umayyad Mosque, visit it directly after the mosque rather than making a separate trip.
7. Temple of Jupiter
A Roman temple built in the 1st century BCE. Its surviving columns form the entrance to Souq al-Hamidiyya, so you pass through Roman masonry on your way into the market.
Look up as you enter the souq rather than treating the columns as a separate stop.
8. Azm Palace
Built in 1749, it includes a museum describing the life of royal families. It is one of the old city's named sights and sits within easy walking distance of the covered market.
Combine it with a hammam: Nur-al-Din Bath lies between the Azem Palace and Straight Street.
9. Khan As'ad Pasha
The largest caravanserai in the Old City of Damascus, built in 1758. A caravanserai is a courtyard building where trading caravans once lodged, and this is the grandest of the old city's examples.
It fits neatly into a walk through the old city's covered passages alongside Khan al-Harir.
10. Khan al-Harir
A second named khan, or caravanserai, in the old city. Visit it as part of the same wander as Khan As'ad Pasha rather than as a destination on its own.
11. Saint Ananias House
Said to be the home of Ananias of Damascus, who baptized Saul, who came to be Paul the Apostle. Excavations have revealed a 5th- or 6th-century underground church.
It is one of several Christian sites in the old city, so group it with the cathedral churches rather than crossing the city for it alone.
12. Cathedral of Saint George
A Syriac Orthodox cathedral, one of the old city's named churches. It is best visited as part of a circuit of the old city's Christian places of worship.
13. Bab Sharqi
The Eastern Gate, and the only gate built during Roman times that still stands. The ancient city had seven gates, of which four remain to be seen, and most of the walls surrounding the old town have disappeared.
See it together with the other surviving gates: Bab al-Saghir, Bab Tuma and Bab Kisan.
14. Bab Tuma
Meaning the Gate of Thomas, celebrating Saint Thomas the Apostle, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ. It is also the practical landmark for the old city's north-eastern quarter.
Bakri Bath is on the first street on the right after entering the Old City at Bab Touma, so the gate makes a convenient starting point for a bath.
15. A hammam: Nur-al-Din Bath or Bakri Bath
Bathing in a hammam, a Turkish bath, is a good way both to soak up the atmosphere of Old Damascus and to be rejuvenated after a long day. A visit to either includes towels, soap, scrub, a massage and a tea, and the price is typically composed of bath entry, scrub, sauna, massage and extras such as tea or soap.
Nur-al-Din is for men only; Bakri might be able to accommodate women or mixed groups upon prior arrangement, and for women it runs each day except Friday, 10:00-17:00. Nur-al-Din Bath sits between the Azem Palace and Straight Street.
16. Eat in a restaurant in old Damascus
There are many restaurants in the old quarter, each with its own character. Beit Jabri is perhaps the most famous and touristy, Al-Khawali is considered by many to be the best dining experience in the old city, and Narcissus Palace, close to Maktab Anbar, has a singer and band playing old Arabic music every night.
A good idea is to go for breakfast and then go sightseeing, since the breakfast is very cheap.
17. Relax at a hooka cafe
Hooka cafes are popular in Damascus and easy to find. In the old city you get a more cultural or traditional experience, with a crowd of tea-drinking, backgammon-playing men all smoking hooka; in the modern city most cafes cater to a younger crowd and are a big part of the night life, offering a huge variety of flavoured tobacco from double apple, the most common, to cappuccino. In almost every major restaurant, hookas are available, including the restaurants in the old city.
18. National Museum of Damascus
The city's national museum, on Shukri al-Quwatli St. It is one of the named sights outside the old city and a sensible indoor stop.
19. Hejaz railway station
No longer an active railway station, this historic building remains an important landmark in the city. Since its closure around 2008 there have been temporary exhibitions, but its future remains unclear.
It is a short look rather than a long visit, so fold it into a walk through the modern centre.
20. October War Panorama
Out in the suburbs but accessible by minibus or taxi, and about US$7 to get in. It was built with the help of the North Korean government and the influence shows. There is an exhibit of military hardware outside, English-speaking guides are available, and many big galleries contain murals commemorating the life of former president Hafez al-Assad, along with paintings representing the history of Syria with a mixture of Arab and Syrian nationalism.
Because it is out in the suburbs, allow for the journey there and back rather than slotting it between old city stops.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the columns of the Temple of Jupiter and walk the length of Souq al-Hamidiyya, browsing the leather, copper, inlaid boxes and silk scarves. At the far end, visit the Umayyad Mosque, then step next door to the Mausoleum of Saladin. Have breakfast in an old-city restaurant before you set out, since breakfast is very cheap.
Afternoon: Continue to the Citadel of Damascus at the other end of the souq and the Statue of Saladin beside it, then walk to the Azm Palace and its museum. Finish the afternoon with a hammam at Nur-al-Din Bath, between the Azem Palace and Straight Street.
Evening: Go up to Mount Qasioun for the panoramic view, which is perhaps most spectacular at night when the minarets are bathed in green light. Eat at a restaurant in old Damascus, then relax at a hooka cafe. Check prices on the mountain before you settle in.
Frequently asked questions
What should women wear to visit the Umayyad Mosque?
Women are asked to cover their hair, arms and legs. Abayas, full-body covers, are provided with the entrance ticket. Foreign tourists are welcome and are allowed to walk around the prayer area.
Can women visit a hammam in Damascus?
Nur-al-Din Bath is for men only. Bakri Bath might be able to accommodate women or mixed groups upon prior arrangement, and for women it runs each day except Friday, 10:00-17:00.
When is the best time to view the city from Mount Qasioun?
The peak is accessible at any time, but the view is perhaps most spectacular at night, when the whole city is lit up and the minarets of mosques are bathed in green light. The Umayyad Mosque is particularly impressive when viewed from the mountain.
How do I avoid the taxi scam on Mount Qasioun?
Check the price before you get too comfortable. It is a well-known scam for taxi drivers to take you to their favourite cafe, where you end up paying a fortune for a cup of tea.
Pick your dates, decide whether your day starts in the souq or on the mountain, and start planning your trip to Damascus.