Scattered across the limestone hills of north-western Syria, between Aleppo and Idlib, lie hundreds of abandoned villages from late antiquity, built of finely cut stone between the first and seventh centuries and then gradually deserted. They are known as the Dead Cities, and together they form the World Heritage site of the Ancient Villages of Northern Syria. Ruweiha, in the Jebel Zawiye, is one of the largest: houses, churches, tombs and oil presses spread over a wide area, and among them the church of Bizzos, named after a local notable whose domed tomb stands beside it, is one of the best preserved. These villages grew rich on olive oil and trade, and their stone architecture, with arched doorways, carved lintels and crosses, is remarkably intact.
The landscape is stony and dry, with red soil between the limestone outcrops, olive groves and fields of wheat and vegetables. In spring the hills are green and dotted with wild flowers, in summer the heat bakes the stones. For centuries, shepherds and farmers lived among the ruins, and sometimes in them.
It has to be said plainly: this region has been at the centre of the Syrian war since 2011, and the Idlib province was one of the most heavily fought-over areas. Many ancient sites have been damaged, looted or used by armed groups. The political situation has changed significantly since the fall of the former government at the end of 2024, but security, landmines and unexploded ordnance remain real dangers, and conditions can change quickly. Anyone thinking of riding here must check current travel advice carefully, travel with reliable local contacts and accept that this is not, for now, an ordinary touring destination.
In calmer times, the roads between Saraqib, Kafranbel, Maarat al-Numan and the villages of the Jebel Zawiye were narrow and winding, crossing the hills through olive groves, with the main north-south highway nearby. Saraqib, about seventeen kilometres away, is the nearest town with fuel and shops. Syrian food, wherever you find it, is excellent: hummus, fresh bread, grilled meats, and the sweets of Aleppo, famous throughout the Middle East. The hospitality of ordinary people has survived everything.