Damascus claims, with plenty of justification, to be among the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Its old city, enclosed by Roman and medieval walls, holds the Umayyad Mosque, built in the early eighth century on the site of a Roman temple and a Christian church, with golden mosaics showing an idealised landscape of rivers and palaces, and a shrine said to hold the head of John the Baptist. The Street Called Straight, mentioned in the story of Saint Paul's conversion, still runs east to west through the old city, and the covered Souk al-Hamidiyya, with its iron roof pierced by bullet holes from the 1920s, leads to the mosque.
The old city is a maze of lanes, courtyard houses, khans, hammams and churches, where Muslims and Christians have lived side by side for centuries. The Azem Palace, an eighteenth century Ottoman residence, and the tomb of Saladin, beside the Umayyad Mosque, are among the highlights. The city was listed as a World Heritage Site in 1979, and placed on the list in danger during the civil war.
The city lies at the foot of Mount Qasioun, at the edge of the desert, where the Barada river once made a green oasis, the Ghouta, of orchards and gardens. The war devastated much of the surrounding area, and the scars are visible.
Syria's situation has changed dramatically since late 2024, and it remains unstable. Most governments advise against all travel, and practical matters such as insurance, fuel supply, money and border crossings are uncertain. Riding here is not something to undertake without very careful research and up to date local knowledge. If and when travel becomes safer, the old city, its food, from shawarma to sweets like baklava and booza ice cream, and its people will be the reward.
Fuel and services exist in the city, but supply can be unreliable. Traffic is chaotic, and the old city is best explored on foot.