From the cradle of civilisations to today's guests

Built in the early 8th century on the site of the church of St John the Baptist, the Umayyad Mosque blends Byzantine and early Islamic architecture. Its gold mosaics depict the gardens of Damascus, and its three minarets — including the Minaret of the Bride and the Minaret of Jesus — make it a spiritual and architectural symbol of the city.

Souq al-Hamidiyah stretches half a kilometre inside the old walls of Damascus and opens onto the plaza of the Umayyad Mosque. Sunlight streams through its metal roof to scatter golden pinholes on the stone, while its alleys host silk sellers, spice merchants, and the city's famed hand-pounded booza ice cream.

Palmyra flourished in the first centuries CE as a caravan hub between Rome and Persia, and it was from here that Queen Zenobia challenged the empire. The site preserves its Great Colonnade, the Temple of Bel, a Roman theatre, and tower tombs overlooking a palm oasis.

Rising on an artificial mound that has overlooked Aleppo for millennia, the citadel carries layers left by Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantines, Ayyubids, and Mamluks. Its fortified bridge gate, ancient amphitheatre, and Ayyubid mosque are among its most striking features.

Founded in the 11th century and expanded by the Hospitaller knights, Krak des Chevaliers became one of the greatest medieval castles. It preserves two concentric walls, a vaulted Hall of the Knights, a rock-cut moat, and sweeping views over the green plains of the Ghab valley.

Latakia's Mediterranean shore mixes turquoise water with white cliffs, framed by the green coastal mountains. The area includes the golden sands of Ras al-Bassit and the ancient city of Ugarit — home of the world's earliest known alphabet.

Once the capital of the Roman province of Arabia, Bosra is famed for its black-basalt Roman theatre with seating for about fifteen thousand. The city also preserves its Roman colonnaded streets, a Byzantine cathedral, and the early Islamic Al-Omari Mosque.

Maaloula clings to the Qalamun mountains at 1,500 m and hosts the ancient monasteries of Mar Sarkis and Mar Taqla. It remains one of the few places in the world where Western Aramaic — the language of Jesus — is still spoken.