Visit Aleppo

Visit Damascus, one of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities and the capital of Syria. Explore the Umayyad Mosque (a historic Islamic site with a shrine said to contain the head of John the Baptist), wander through the Al-Hamidiyah Souq (a bustling covered market with Ottoman-era architecture), and see the ancient Citadel of Damascus (a medieval fortress with layers of history from Roman to Mamluk periods).

Recall ancient souqs, Roman theaters, and resilient culture of Syria

Learn Modern Standard Arabic and its unique script

See Syria's ancient desert city ruins

A fortified hill inhabited for 5,000 years, its medieval stone ramp and gate towering over the old city.

The great Crusader castle, UNESCO-listed.

Black-basalt Roman theatre town.

A vaulted iron-roofed bazaar running to the Umayyad Mosque, its ceiling pierced by French bullet holes.