Syrian Arab Republic is one of the larger states of the Middle East. *Damascus, the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city. *Aleppo (map) — a once-great ancient citadel with great views, much of Aleppo has been destroyed by fighting in the Syrian Civil War.
*Apamea / Afamia (map) — a former Roman city that once housed about half a million people. Apamea was hit by an earthquake in the 12th century and much of it was destroyed but it still boasts a long street lined with columns.
*Palmyra (map) — formerly held the once-magnificent ruins of a Roman city, in the middle of the desert. Once considered the main attraction in Syria, the UNESCO-listed heritage site was severely damaged by extremists in 2015. Restoration and de-mining is underway as of 2019.
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Many governments advise against all travel to Syria. Some parts of the country are not controlled by the government. Terrorist attacks, kidnapping and fighting between rival armies are common.