Activities and tours

Many international students come to Syria to learn Arabic due to the quality and relative low cost of the courses available. The main centre of language teaching is Damascus, although there are some language schools in Aleppo as well. There's a variety of courses on offer for students of all levels and many locals also offer private tuition.

Palmyra is the base for camel and 4WD safaris out into the desert though, despite the ample potential, this has yet to be properly developed as an activity. However, if you are interested in making a trip into the desert, many small tour operators (who mostly work out of the hotels rather than have their own shops) in Palmyra can arrange this for you. A typical trip usually involves an overnight stay at a Bedouin encampment but most tour operators can organize longer or shorter itineraries.

The ultimate bathing experience, a hammam, or Turkish bath, is a communal bathing house that is very much part of the culture in Syria. Hammams are about more than getting clean, though you will definitely do that. Going to a hammam is a social occasion that can extend for hours as neighbours and friends gather in the marble confines of the bathhouse to gossip, exchange news and relax together.

Hammams are segregated in Syria, either being purely male or female or with separate times set aside for women and men. The typical hammam experience consists of a sauna, wash, exfoliation and then a massage, although you can pay for each service separately. Most hammams use the locally made olive oil soap for washing, but it is perfectly acceptable to bring your own shampoo and soap along if you prefer.

Damascus has the best selection of hammams, some of which are housed in beautifully restored buildings that have been running for 400 years.

There are many small local companies in both Damascus and Aleppo that can make up a Syrian itinerary for you and provide drivers and guides.