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| From the Euphrates to the Mediterranean, from Zenobia to the Crusaders,
there is not an inch of land in Syria that history and men have left untouched. A veritable
open-air museum, with deserts and oases, blue beaches and valleys dotted with olive trees, the
earth itself in this cradle of humanity is steeped in an Oriental perfume. A land of biblical
tribes, its most beautiful legends are born there where the sand has turned to
stone. |
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Saint Simeon built by the Byzantine emperor. |
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Sumerian in the 5th century BC, Canaanite in the, 3rd
century BC, then Amorite, Aramaean, Hellenic, Seleucid, Roman, Byzantine and
Arab, pagan, then Christian and Muslim, Syria is a place where religions and
civilizations have always converged without ever crowding each other. For
proof, one need only look at Damascus, the oldest capital in the world still
inhabited today. Nested like a jewel in its ancient walls, the old city
unfolds its ancestral charms between minarets and church
steeples.
While exuberant and business-minded, this city, whose
beauty won it the nickname "Halo of the moon on earth" and "Beauty mark of
the world" delights in linyering over the ritual of tea-drinking. With smiles
all around, friends and foreigners alike are invited to sit back and join in
the tradition.
And where better to start than in the Souk al Hamidiyeh, a must for every tourist
on his or her way to the Omayyed Mosque. Elegant women with veiled silhouettes rub
shoulders with porters in djellabas and sundry smooth talkers urging you to step
into their boutiques for "the pleasure of the eye" and the dismay of your
wallet!
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Bearing witness to elegance past,
columns of the main avenue of Apamea.
Palmyra: harmony in gold and honey; broken columns trace the
memory of one antiquity's cities.
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One of the most beautiful holy places in all of Islam, the Omayyad
Mosque is also a symbol of religious syncretism. Built in the 7th century, it encompasses an
earlier Aramaean structure, a Roman temple to Jupiter and a Byzantine church. Dedicated to
Allah in 636, this sanctuary is home to many sumptuous Oriental rugs as well as an impressive
reliquary bearing the head of Saint John the Baptist.
Close by, the 18th-century Azem palace looks like it comes straight out of a tale in the Thousand
and One Nights. The inner courtyards, with their multi-colored basalts, limestone and marble walls
bespeak the refinements of the Ottoman empire, which ruled the city for more than four centuries.
The arch on Madhat Pasha street marks the boundary of the former Christian quarter, where all
communities have been living together for centuries in perfect harmony. Wandering haphazardly
through the narrow, winding alleys where craftsmen of every origin, including Armenian, are carving
away on pieces of gold and silver, you might stumble across the moving little chapel dedicated to
Ananias. A contemporary and disciple of Christ, Ananias had a vision sending him to Paul, whom a
heavenly Light had blinded; when Ananias laid his hands on him, Paul was cured and began his life
as apostle to the Gentiles.
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Safita Cham Palace Hotel
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On Friday, the Muslim sabbath day, the city center is
deserted as the Damascenes flock to the banks of the Barada, where families
gather to picnic, puff on their hookah pipes or take a snooze while the children
play at being crocodiles in the rough-flowing river. The smell of smoking kebabs
combines with the syrupy music screaming out of' the transistor radios to lend a
most picturesque color to the whole scene. In Damascus, an evening not to be
missed on any account is dinner at the panoramic, revolving restaurant at the
Cham Palace hotel. |
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Profusion of kilims
and cushions.
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Aleppo
Chahba Cham hotel.
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While reveling in the refined atmosphere and
sampling the best Oriental specialties of the capital, one can in
a single glance take in the flickering electrical garlands of
Damascus, the jewel at the desert's gate, the place known as the
"lily among all flowers." |
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| Bosra: the charm of a dark city. Located in the fertile Nukra plain at the
country's southern limits. Bosra is one of those magical places that was long ago plunged into
the oblivion of history, only to reemerge for the eye's pleasure thanks to the generosity of
several enlightened patrons. An old trading city dating back more than 2000 years, this Nabataean
town was made capital of the Arabian province when the Romans annexed the region in the early
years of the modern era. Later, it became one of the key cities of Islam representing tolerance,
for it is said that this is where the young Mohammed met the monk Bouheira, who foretold his
vocation as the Prophet. Among the vestiges of the ancient city, the most stunning are those of'
the Roman theater. Considered as the very symbol of Bosra, the theater has been admirably
preserved thanks to the construction of the Ayyubid citadel, built by Saladin in the 12th
century. It is among the biggest and most beautiful amphitheaters in the world, and in its black
basalt walls the entire history of the city can be retraced. The sobriety of its lines and
harmony of its proportions enhance the natural brilliance of the black stone facade ennobled with
touches of' white limestone. As a consummate refinement, during the hot season the theater used
to be covered with a silk canopy, which was sprayed with perfumed water in order to refresh the
fifteen thousand spectators in the audience. A veritable museum-city, Bosra is still inhabited
today, its population gathered around the vestiges of the old city, perpetuating the
centuries-old tradition of one of the most captivating sites in the country. The city's only
hotel is located near the theater. Practical and luxurious, a night in the Bosra Cham Palace
provides a welcome relief from fatigue before the next day of touring. With its little terraces
opening on to the swimming pool and the antique theater, it is the perfect complement to the
grandeur of Bosra. Heading north, one comes to the rich valley of the Orontes. Nicknamed the
Rebel1ious River, its banks have been lined with waterwheels since the dawn of time, drawing
water in buckets to irrigate the orchards and supply the towns. In the picturesque city of Hama,
they like to say that if the squeaking of the "norias" stopped for a night, the entire town would
suffer from insomnia. The only hotel in the region" the Apamea Cham Palace, is ideally situated
to allow you to explore all the local splendors while sejourning in the exquisite comfort of an
international-class Oriental palace. |
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As in all countries of sand, wherever water is to be found,
you can be sure that men have followed. Continuing along the Orontes to the
north, one comes to Qalaat al-Mudiq and the site of Apamea, sister-city to
Palmyra.
This stopover site along the caravan route was founded by one of Alexander's
lieutenants, who named it in homage to his Persian wife, Apamea.
In the time of the Seleucids, it was second largest city in Syria after
Antioch. |
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Apamea: with a decor like 1001 nights. |
It was surrounded by a fortified wa11 8.5 kilometers long
and had roughly a million inhabitants, including 120,000 nobles.
From its bygone days of glory, the city has preserved the smooth and cabled columns
lining the interminable "cardo," the monumental avenue 1,850 meters long and 37,5
meters wide running across the center of the city, while the ruins of the governor's
house still evoke the visit of Cleopatra and Mark Antony. The site is full of mosaics,
some of which can be, seen at the neighboring museum. One cannot stroll through Apamea
without stumbling across untold numbers of pilasters, basins and friezes. To walk here
is to walk on whole stratums of civilizations past, perfumed with the humus of the
centuries and the magic of stones spattered in gold and honey. Here, just as in
Palmyra, "the desert wife, "the eye is irresistibly drawn in search of the invisible
silk route, and one turns to the silent gaze of the statues hoping to discover in the
end the secret of the legendary beauty of queen Zenobia. Sometimes we tend to forget
that places of worship are as much gifts of God as they are monuments to human
achievement. What better reason, then to make a visit to the basilica of Saint
Simeon.
It was here on this mystery-filled hillside, where only the cypress trees interrupt the
solitude of one's thoughts, that the Byzantinc emperor Zenon had a basilica built in
the 5th century in honor of Simeon Stylites. Nothing but a shred of stone is now left
of the enormous pillar on which the ascetic monk lived for 42 years, and the deserted
sanctuary is inhabited by the wind alone, still echoing with the singsong of fervent
prayer. For centuries, pilgrims from around the world couldn't resist the pagan gesture
of carrying off with them a tiny fragment of the column as a reminder of this site, so
vibrant with an invisible faith. Pilgrims from Europe and elsewhere continue to come
here to visit the sanctuary and pay homage to the monk's memory. |
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Next stop, Aleppo, where the noonday sun beats down on the
cracked walls of the imposing citadel, hunched up on its centuries old
foundations. To find a bit of fresh air, the best place to head is the souk, like
so many caverns of Ali Baba, the souks of Aleppo extend for more than ten
kilometers and are by far the most fascinating in the entire Middle East. Souks
for woo1, gold, Turkish slippers, Kaffiyehs... A fragrance of cardamom and musk
fills the air, as the senses are dazzled by this farandole of colors, movements
and sounds. The souk can be a pleasure for sight and touch, or it can be the
pleasure of bargaining or just enjoying a hit of conversation over a Turkish
coffee.
The secular magic of the Orient and its bazaars will always |
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"The Desert Wife". |
fascinate us. Second-largest Syrian city, Aleppo has always
rivaled Damascus.
A temple of gastronomy, Aleppo boasts the best restaurant in the country. Perched on
the heights of the Chahba Cham Palace hotel, the restaurant offers candlelight dining
against the backdrop of an unbeatable view of city and citadel. You can have excellent
Russian caviar and an exceptional shrimp ramekin, ending with a divinely delicious
fresh apricot tart that would melt the resolve of the most steadfast of dieters. And
all of this will cost you less than $20! |
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| Far from the desert, but still close to the sand, the
beaches of Lattakia on the Syrian coast are a family experience. Grandmothers
peek out of their chadors to watch over their grandchildren, splashing gaily in
the warm, blue water, while the women tend to their shopping and the men play
backgammon. This is the Oriental Riviera., and the same
elegance |
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Lattakia: the Syrian Riviera. |
| and savoir faire is to be found when dining on the
terrace of the Côte d'Azur de Cham hotel, where people are sure to dress for the
occasion. Close by, the setting sun lends its golden glow to the Crusaders'
mighty fortress. Begun in 1170 by Tancred, prince of Antioch, the Crac des
Chevaliers is the most famous medieva1 fortress in the world. The massive Qalaoun
tower stands over 650 meters high and commands a view of the peaceful Boukeia
valley. On a clear day, it is just possible to make out the first range of
mountains in Lebanon. To the north, one can see the Safita Tower, which served as
a beacon to the Crusaders' ships. The Safita Cham Palace hotel stands at the foot
of this monument, dominating the surrounding valley, the stage setting for many
of the battles fought during the Crusades. Inside this fortified dream, which the
Crusaders ringed with ramparts to ensure its protection, the shadows of va1iant
knights still slip silently along the gothic arcades as if they had only just
deserted the place. While you are still shivering off this strange sensation, you
can't help but feel reassured by the singular discovery that in this land of
solitude and history, the mortal hourglass is not filled with the sands of this
desert. In Syria, time cannot be measured, it is neither wasted nor won, it
simply glides over the stones like a smile crossing the face of the Middle
East. |
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P R A C T I C A L I N F O |
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A ir
France and all the other international airline companies fly regularly to Damascus from Paris
and the major European capitals Syria is also represented by the largest tour operators, the
following are just a few of the possibilities Rev’Vacances, Clio,
Le Tourisme Français, Kuoni.
Les Amis de l'Orient, Découvrir, Ikhar, Explorateur…
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A C C O M M O D A T I O N |
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The only chain of luxury hotels to cover Syria is the Cham
Palaces chain, directed by its founder and president, Doctor Osmane Aïdi with his
background in engineering,
Dr Aïdi has succeeded in bringing the same spirit and know-how to his Syrian chain as
to the Royal Monceau group in France, which he also presides. In addition to their 5
star luxury comfort and their international service, the hotels in the Cham chain have
the advantage of being remarkably well situated, either at the entrance to the major
sites or in the very heart of the largest stopover towns.
The vast, air-conditioned rooms are extremely comfortable and all have a complete bath,
television, telephone and mini-bar with a profusion of marble, the interior decoration
is refined and the style inspired from the oldest Oriental traditions. All the swimming
pools have a bar to one side offering quick and casual refreshment. As for the evening,
the Cham Palace bars and discothèques only close after the last of the night-lifers has
headed off to Luxury boutiques for shoppers, plus sauna, hammam, beauty salon and
health club make each hotel a city unto itself. Each establishment has its own
specialty: Damascus is famous for its magnificent lobby filled with green, its Chinese
restaurant (considered one of the best in the world) and its panoramic, revolving
restaurant.
Deir Ezzor for its unbeatable view over the Euphrates, its comfort and its excellent
food, Aleppo for its panoramic restaurant, the best in the country; and Palmyra for its
hot springs and its unsurpassable views of the ruins of "the desert wife ". The most
recent hotels in the chain are Bosra and Apamée Cham Palace in Hama, especially good
for its terrace-restaurant which overlooks the waterwheels on the Orontes river and for
its splendid decoration in pink marble columns all Cham Palace hotels, the staff speaks
fluent English and French. |
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S H O P P I N G |
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Whether you're looking for gold or spices, silk or icons, Syria has
something for you. Furniture inlaid with mother-of-pearl, silver, jewelry,
hand-blown glass, rugs, hookahs, damask table linens and candied fruit (a
specialty). For those who love bargain hunting the Damascus antique dealers in
Sakiyyé and Hamra street and the craftsmen around the Takieh es Sulaymanieh
mosque are good quality. Among the best addresses for quality silk brocades and
damask fabrics in the Khahl Daye Bab Charki house at nº28 Hanania street. The
Aleppo souks must not be missed. If you love embroidered dresses, you'll find the
most beautiful ones at Hashem Moushalah in the Al Haraj souk in Aleppo. If you
are afraid of being cheated, remember that the major antique dealers also have
boutiques in the big hotels. Although much more expensive than anywhere else,
they do have the advantage of selling reliable and authentic works. But be
warned, in Syria, bargaining is a must., except for gold jewelry, which has its
price labeled. |
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