Syria and Lebanon - History and Culture
If you can read these lines, this means not only that you are on the website of Penguin Travel, but that you have set off to this journey across Syria and Lebanon long time ago! How?! In a very exceptional way – the Phoenicians inhabited these ancient lands, have made the first alphabet, which gave origin to the Greek and Latin alphabets, and even to the Cyrillic. That’s why, as amazing it may sound to you, your relation to Levant, part of which are both countries, is much closer than determined by the geographical distance!
There is hardly any other place on earth, illustrating in such a clear way the whole human history – from the first Neolithic towns, through Bible times and Antiquity, past early Christianity, Islam and the Crusades, till present. And each people, having passed through these lands, have sawed its fertile seed in this incubator of human culture. Many civilizations, one after another, have left their unique imprints on the face of this territory – the ruins of Palmyra, Bosra and Baalbek, Crack des Chevaliers Fortress and Saladin Fortress, Omayyad Mosque, the footsteps of Paul the Apostle and the witnesses of millennia Maaloula and Byblos are the stones along the long way of humanity.
Tour highlights:
♦ Palmyra - this ancient caravan city is also known as the Bride of the Desert
♦ Krak des Chevaliers - one of the most important historic fortresses and one of the best preserved in the world
♦ Byblos - the most important tourist sight in Lebanon, under UNESCO’s protection.
Trip plan:
Day 1: Departure from your home country
Day 2: Damascus
Arrival at the airport in Damascus, Syria. Early check in at the hotel. After short rest - breakfast. Sightseeing in Damascus. Dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Damascus – Palmyra
Breakfast. Transfer to Palmyra. Sightseeing in Palmyra. Dinner and overnight in Palmyra.
Day 4: Palmyra – Hama – Aleppo
Breakfast. On the way to Aleppo visit of the Hama Water Wheels. Visit of Apamea. Dinner and overnight in Aleppo.
Day 5: Aleppo – St. Simeon – Aleppo
Breakfast. In the morning tour to St. Simeon Monastery. In the afternoon sightseeing in Aleppo. Dinner and overnight in Aleppo.
Day 6: Aleppo – Latakia
Breakfast. In the morning - free time n Aleppo. In the afternoon on the way to Latakia visit of Saladin Fortress. Dinner and overnight in Latakia.
Day 7: Lattakia - Krak des Chevaliers – Damascus
Breakfast. On the way to Damascus visit of Krak des Chevaliers and Maaloula. Dinner and overnight in Damascus.
Day 8: Damascus – Bosra – Damascus
Breakfast. In the morning tour to Bosra. In the afternoon free time for walking and shopping in Damascus. Dinner and overnight in Damascus.
Day 9: Damascus – Baalbek – Beirut
Breakfast. Departure from Damascus to Lebanon. On the way visit of Baalbek and Ksara wine caves. Overnight in Beirut.
Day 10: Beirut – Byblos – Beirut
Breakfast. Panoramic tour of Beirut. Visit of Byblos. Visit of Jeita caves on the way back to Beirut. Overnight in Beirut.
Day 11: Departure
Breakfast and transfer to the airport.
Included in the price: ►10 nights accommodation with breakfast in 3* (Damascus, Palmyra, Latakia) and 4* (Aleppo, Beirut) hotels ►local English speaking guide ►transportation by A/C minibus with driver as per the itinerary ►meet and assist at the airport upon arrival and at the borders by our representative ►entrance fees to the sites mentioned in the itinerary ►dinners at the hotels in Syria ►English speaking tour leader from Penguin Travel.
Not included in the price: ►International flights ►insurances ►visa fees (if applicable) ►lunches ►dinners in Lebanon ►tips ►personal expenses ►departure fees (where applicable)
Price of extra services: ►Single supplement - 275 Eur ►Departure fee when leaving Syria - about 12 USD
Visa: Please be sure that you don't have an Israeli stamp in your passport. Visa can be issued upon arrival. Please, check in advance whether you come from a country that is eligible for that. If not you should provide your visas in advance. For obtaining visa at the border we need a scanned copy of your passport, sent by mail to us in advance. Tourist visa to Lebanon is free of charge for number of countries.
Recommended period for travelling: Spring and autumn are consider the best time for travelling to Syria and Lebanon in order to avoid the summer heat and the harsh winters.
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