Do you want to explore a city whose past you can retrace by wandering its streets? Where Roman ruins and Biblical sites lie side by side with eastern souks and mosques? Where you can end the day eating in a tranquil setting straight out of Arabian nights? You’ll find all this and more in old Damascus, the old town at the heart of the modern city of Damascus, as I discovered during a city break.
Cultural Tours of Old Damascus
Old Damascus has a unique character, which is fitting as Damascus is reputedly the longest continually occupied city in the world. Whereas in modern Damascus pedestrians risked their lives daily simply by crossing the street, I found the best way to explore old Damascus was to walk.
Straight Street used to be the main road of Damascus in Greek and Roman times. Now, it is the main artery of the old city, running straight the way through to the souks. Despite its modern road surface and signs of renovation, it could come straight out of biblical times with its whitewashed buildings hung with carpets and washing. It’s as if the ancient city walls, which still encircle the area, preserve old Damascus not from invaders but time itself.
Straight Street is surrounded by mysterious shady passages created in the gap between the buildings. These alleyways demanded exploration so I gave in to temptation and wandered off.
The allies were largely deserted but still I had the sense of being watched. Looking up, I noticed the benign face of the Virgin Mary, looking down on me from a small shrine overhead. Syria may be a predominantly Muslim country but about 17% of Damascus’s population is Christian. Old Damascus houses the Christian quarter.
Logically, it seems the Christians have made their home close to some of Damascus’s earliest Christian remains, including the sunken church of Ananias and Bab Kisan, the old city gate from which St Paul escaped after his conversion. Besides biblical sites and plenty of shrines to watch over the residents, the Christian quarter is also a thriving zone of bars and restaurants, making it the perfect place for visitors too.
The Umayyad Mosque
Further west and back on Straight Street, I came face to face with a solitary roman column. This fractured, graffiti covered fragment is all that remains of the eastern entrance of the vast temenos of the Roman temple of Jupiter.
In its day, the temenos dominated this area of Old Damascus. Today, the area is a lively hive of dusty roadways, discrete bathhouses and stalls selling clothing and carpets. The aroma of spices and cooked meats rise up from a roadside eatery. The streets are full of people. It wasn’t far now to the premier religious building of modern Damascus, the Umayyad mosque.
Built over the old temple of Jupiter, the mosque is one of the jewels of Islamic architecture. But entry is strict. So far in Damascus, I’d needed to do little more than cover my shoulders and legs. The mosque required a little more if I was to enter. My whole body had to be covered and whilst men can wear trousers, for women they are forbidden.
Having done my homework, I’d put together an outfit of long skirt, light cardigan, headscarf and borrowed socks. This eccentric ensemble passed muster with the strict lady who inspected us at the ticket office near the tomb of Saladin, saving me from the unbecoming dark hooded robes most other tourists were wearing.
Souks and Shopping
After visiting the mosque, I headed for the shops. Carpets hang off more much-abused Roman architecture, marking the entrance of the Hamidiyeh souk.
Inside is a mix of labyrinth and old fashioned shopping arcade. High vaulting ceilings cover avenues of emporiums, selling everything the modern shopper and trinket hunter could desire.
The souk sells everything from food and carpets to household goods and qurans. I smelled the spice and coffee market before I reached it; a delicious mix of heady and sweet spices overlaying the earthy richness of ahwa or Arabian coffee. And as a curiosity, I noticed that in the clothing souk, traditional headscarves and long robes were for sale not far from cheap looking western negligees.
Gold and silver jewellery abound but beware, you’ll have to barter. It’s an awkward art for most westerners to grasp. Luckily, I took an uninhibited companion and acquired a beautiful solid silver Bedouin style bracelet for just under £20.
Eating Out in Damascus-Syrian Food and Damascus Houses
Worn out with exploring and spending, I ended the day in style, back in the Christian quarter. The old houses of Damascus are relics of the eighteenth century, inward-looking courtyard houses where the wealthy Damascan elite lived their lives in opulent splendour. Many have been restored and are now open to the public as restaurants with Elissar, Al Khawali and Old Town amongst the best.
Although most serve European style cuisine, traditional Damascan delicacies are also common. There is no better place than a Damascan house to enjoy a plate of mezze and a glass of arak followed by local specialties such as chicken in lemon sauce or Makhlooba, a delicious combination of rice, lamb, chickpeas and onion cooked in stock and spices and served as a dome.
All served in a dimly lit courtyard garden of arabesque arches and lamps with nothing but the murmur of your fellow diners to compete with the fountains. The perfect end to the perfect day.
Damascus Hotels and Flights
For tourist information, including details of hotels and restaurants, try Syria’s Ministry of Tourism
Air France, British Airways and Lufthansa all offer flights to Damascus, as does the local Syrian Air
Natasha Sheldon - A writer since 2000, Natasha Sheldon holds a BA Hons in ancient history and archaeology and MA in ancient history and historiography.
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