Arab desert fortresses, Roman cities, Crusader castles, Bedouin tents, Ancient Greek or Mesopotamian sites, huge vibrant souks (markets), magnificent mosques and forgotten pockets of Christianity: Syria has it all.
Every town seems to make some kind of claim of being the bridge between East and West or the cradle of civilisation, with famous names like Damascus, the Eufrate river, Palmyra or Crac de Chevaliers competing for attention.
Yet Syria is not overcrowded with tourists and is partly due to an entirely false assumption that it is part of the Middle East conflict zone. Seasoned Arab country travellers will be amazed at the real hospitality and at the absence of tourist hassling known to happen in more touristy areas.
The Lonely Planet - Syria and Lebanon guide makes a great companion with all its practical travel information and plenty of background detail. It livens up sites and museums by mentioning points to look out for without being too scholarly. The Freytag & Berndt Syria map has a colourful user-friendly layout and sufficient scale.
Author: Gerhard Buttner
Date: 1 June 2002