Orontes Valley

Heading north from Damascus, the central plains of the Orontes Valley are sandwiched between the coastal mountains to the west and the desert to the east. It was here that a string of powerful city-states grew up; some flourishing to this day while others rose and fell with the fortunes of different civilizations, leaving only vestiges of their history behind for archaeologists to mull over.

Travellers tend to gravitate towards easy-going Hama, with its groaning waterwheels. Long a favourite stop on Syria's tourist circuit, the town's mix of excellent facilities, clued-up hotel staff and central location make it a perfect launching pad for forays into the region. Ask a Syrian what their favourite city is though, and the answer is likely to be Homs. Usually bypassed by travellers because of its ugly industrial outskirts, at its heart Homs has a friendly, vibrant souq that is still well off the beaten trail.

Out of the cities, after travelling through fields loaded with wheat, cotton and sugar beet, you'll encounter the ruins that are testament to this region's vital importance throughout history: Apamea with its gloriously long colonnaded street, lonely Qasr Ibn Warden, on the edge of the desert, and the Ismaili castle of Masyaf, once an Assassin's stronghold.