Damascus

Do

View the city from Mount Qasioun is a must-do activity in Damascus as it offers 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 available on the peak from stalls to fancy restaurants that serve good local cuisine and alcohol. Check the price before you get too comfortable though as it is a well-known scam for taxi drivers to take you to their 'favorite' cafe, where you'll end up paying a fortune for a cup of tea. Visit a restaurant in old Damascus. There are many restaurants in the old quarter each with their own unique character, but perhaps the most famous (and touristy) is "Beit Jabri", although "Al-Khawali" is considered by many to be the best dining experience in the old city. Another restaurant in the old city, Narcissus Palace, located close to Maktab Anbar, would offer an enlightening experience. Every night, a singer and band play old Arabic music and create an amazing atmosphere in the restaurant. A good idea, when considering these restaurants, is to go for breakfast, and then go sightseeing. The breakfast is very cheap. Relax at a Hooka cafe "Narjelah" Hooka cafes are popular in Damascus and are easy to find. When visiting the old city, you'll get a more cultural or traditional experi…

Buy

As of Jan 2026, credit and debit cards are being re-introduced in Syria. Cash remains the most reliable form of payment. Travelers should bring enough cash with them to last the duration of their trip, to then exchange once in Syria. US dollars are the most easily convertible foreign currency, but euros and some other currencies can be exchanged.

Damascus offers some of the best shopping in the Middle East. Prices are cheap, and since very few stores depend on tourists for their income, most will leave you alone to browse until you are ready to buy. Small stores are found throughout the old city, although the Souq al-Hamidiyya, located along the Roman straight street, offers the highest density of shops. The souq is a fantastic experience, but be prepared for the crowds.

Drink

The coffee houses of Old Damascus were something to experience. Hours could dissolve over a cup of shay (tea) or ahwa (coffee) among the smoke of a nargileh (water pipe) . An-Naufara (which means 'The Fountain') was a wonderful place to do this, just east of the Umayyad Mosque. There was even a Hakawati (a traditional story teller) present at 19:00 most nights.

If you were craving a European coffee, you could have headed for Abu Rommeneh street and looked for the Bennetton clothing store. There were a number of fancy cafés in the area, including the Middle Eastern chain Inhouse Coffee, which is similar to Starbucks in its prices and atmosphere. Free Wi-Fi was offered at each location throughout the city.

Apart from that, Damascus has a lively nightlife scene, with numerous bars and nightclubs offering drinks and dancing. While prostitution is commonplace in many venues, there are decent places worth visiting, particularly around the Bab Sharqi area, such as La Serai and La Vida Loca.

Many establishments have closed because of the war; as of mid-2016 there have been reports of businesses gradually returning to the Old City or Old Quarter of Damascus.

Old Town establishments which have reopened include:

Sleep

left|thumb|300px|Merjeh Square

Souq-Al-Saroujah is where you find the cluster of backpacker hotels. Martyr's Square or "Merjeh" in Arabic is the other place worth considering if you're on a tight budget, though many of the places double as brothels. However, at least the hotels below can be recommended. Women alone should avoid hotels at Merjeh Square, because it's the red light district of Damascus.

Most hotels in Damascus claiming to be 5 stars are actually closer to what Western travellers know as 2 stars. The Syrian government runs its own accreditation agency that gives highly suspect inflated ratings to hotels owned by Syrian chains and those that have paid "baksheesh" (bribes) to the authorities. Due to the American sanctions of Syria, credit cards linked to US banks will not be accepted (this is pretty much every credit card in the world).

Stay safe

See the Syria article for information on the security situation.

In rural and modern areas of Damascus, people have been known to be perfectly healthy, but to imitate beggars in order to get money. Often, they will attempt to con you by giving more money and have many tricks to do so. Exercise caution.

Also, for your safety, do not take advice or recommendations, especially about accommodation, doctors and dentists, from taxi drivers.

Damascus itself has not been an active war zone for several years now. Nonetheless, the political by-products of the war continue to negatively impact travellers.

Travelling with a guide at all times is strongly recommended, if only to make such interactions less stressful.

Connect

Most hotels can arrange international phone calls, but prices are very expensive. Most internet cafes are set up for VOIP, and offer a much cheaper alternative, although the price does reflect the quality of the connection.

Internet access is widely available, although the Syrian government censors traffic, which can cause some interesting quirks in connectivity.