The Umayyad Mosque, Damascus
One of the great mosques of the world, built in 705 AD on the site of a Roman temple and a Byzantine cathedral. The interior courtyard — vast, white, and serene — has been a place of prayer for thirteen hundred years. John the Baptist is said to be buried here; the head of Husayn ibn Ali is also venerated within. Damascus's old city surrounds it on all sides.
Aleppo's old city and citadel
Aleppo was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site before the war, and its medieval citadel — a fortified hill rising above the old city — is one of the most impressive in the Arab world. The surrounding souks, stretching for kilometres underground, were partially destroyed by fighting but restoration work is underway. The old Christian quarter of Jdeide survived relatively intact.
Palmyra
The Roman-era city in the Syrian desert is still breathtaking despite the damage ISIS inflicted between 2015 and 2017. The colonnaded street, the Temple of Bel (damaged), the Valley of Tombs, and the Arab castle on the hill above the ruins — the setting alone, ringed by desert, makes this unforgettable. The museum remains closed while restoration continues, but the ruins are accessible. Palmyra.
Krak des Chevaliers
The finest Crusader castle in the world, according to T.E. Lawrence. It sits on a spur in the mountains between Homs and the coast, almost perfectly preserved, commanding views over the valley below. It survived the war with limited damage and is open to visitors.
The Dead Cities
In the limestone hills west of Aleppo, dozens of abandoned Byzantine towns lie scattered across the landscape. Serjeilla, al-Bara, and Qalb Loze are the best preserved — streets, houses, churches, and olive presses standing largely as they were when the inhabitants left, sometime in the 7th or 8th century. The region is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Hama's norias
The ancient wooden waterwheels of Hama, some nearly 20 metres in diameter, have been lifting water from the Orontes River for centuries. They creak and groan as they turn, and the sound carries through the town. The city itself is pleasant — more relaxed than Damascus, less battered than Aleppo.