1: St Simeon Tour (Aleppo)
	The church complex of Qalaat Semaan, which dates from the fifth century is an interesting day trip from Aleppo. The scale of the complex never fails to take visitors aback, & finesse of the carvings makes this one of the most awesome set in Syria

	2: Umayyad Mosque
	The Umayyad Mosque is at the heart of the labyrinthine streets and alleys of Old Damascus, where traders display their wares against a backdrop of Corinthian columns and delicate Mamluke stone work.

	3: Fashion Square Mall
	Fashion Square is the only self contained shopping mall in the vicinity of the city of Charlottesville, Virginia. attract many customers who reside outside of the immediate Charlottesville area with stores that cannot be found elsewhere in the region.

	4: Army Museum
	The Army Museum has a fascinating collection of military hardware from the Bronze Age to the near present. Exhibits range from flint arrowheads to a pile of the twisted remains of planes shot down in the 1973 war with Israel.

	5: The Great Colonnade (Palmyra)
	It's free to walk around day and night. Best time to visit the ruins is dawn and dusk, they are also lit up at night. Would suggest strongly that women do not wander through without a male companion.

	6: Tetraporticus
	Lattakia has precious little to show for its 3000 or so years of history. More or less the only existing monument is a right-angled Tetraporticus, a grouping of four columns, which is all that's left of a Roman gateway that once marked the eastern end of the 2nd-century-AD main street. It's on Sharia Bur Said, a short walk southwest of the train station.

	7: Wadi al Nadara
	The striking valley of Wadi al Nadara is steeped in Greek conventions from the early times, and offers a very attractive view of the villages on either side, which with their riches and prosperity are in stark contrast to most of rural Syria. Parts of Wadi al Nadara can be quite steep, with very narrow lanes running through the houses that line the valley. The most famous attraction of this valley is the Crac des Chevaliers, which overlooks Wadi al Nadara. On the valley towards the coast line is the 13th century St. George monastery.

	8: Maaloula: Saints Sergius and Bacchus
	Looking down on the hamlet of Maaloula, almost as if looking out for it, is one of the oldest monasteries in Syria, the little Church of Mar Sakus. Extensive carbon dating and age studies have proven its existence for more than 1700 years, with some structures like the iconostasis, cedar beams on the roof and the altar being older than that. The architecture is splendid and timeless, and some of it is rumoured to have Greco-Roman origins.

	9: Lone Roman Temple
	The Lone Roman Temple in Dumeir, a little town near Palmyra, is a temple that was restored somewhere in the 19th century. It stands out among the rows of closely packed houses. Unfortunately all entrances to the temple were blocked by the Arabs, so you'll have to make do with walking around it and imagining what it looks like inside.

	10: Mameluke hammam
	The Mameluke hammam (a dormitory of sorts) used to be one of the many stopovers on the holy Hajj route to Mecca. This was built around 1372 for the convenience of millions of pilgrims who undertook the holy trek every year. It has 11 huge bathing halls and is said to be the last important building that was erected in the city.

	11: Dead Cities: Jerada
	This is not a frequented destination by any measure, and gets even fewer tourists than Bauda does, but amidst the ruins of the dead city of Jerada is a modern, functioning village. The most striking feature of this dead city is the watch tower, built in the 5th century. And like the village, this watch tower still functions.

	12: Qala'at Samaan
	Also known as the Basilica of St Simeon, the ruins of Qala'at Samaan are among the most atmospheric of Syria's archaeological sites. The basilica commemorates St Simeon Stylites, one of Syria's most eccentric early Christians. In AD 423 Simeon climbed to the top of a 3m pillar and went on to spend the next 36 years atop this and other taller pillars. He ended his days on one that was a full 18m (60ft) high. After Simeon's death in 459, an enormous church was built around the most famous pillar, and pilgrims from all parts of Christendom came to pay their respects. The site today is remarkably well preserved, with the main Romanesque facade still standing and the arches of the octagonal yard still reasonably complete. Views of the surrounding countryside are simply stunning.

	13: Bab al-Farag
	Until the 20th century there were 13 gates in the city walls, all closed at sunset, and there were inner gates dividing the Christian, Jewish and Islamic quarters. These inner gates are now gone, as are several of the main city gates. Most impressive of those remaining are the northern Bab al Farag; Bab al Faradis (Gate of Paradise), with a short stretch of market enclosed within its vaulting; Bab as Salaama (Gate of Peace), the best preserved of the gates and a beautiful example of Ayyubid military architecture; and, in the south, Bab as Saghir (Little Gate).

	14: Western Temple Gate
	At its eastern end, Souq al Hamidiyya re emerges back into glaring sunlight at the spot where the Western Temple Gate of the 3rd century Roman Temple of Jupiter once stood. The outer walls of the Umayyad Mosque, directly ahead, mark the position of the temple itself, but here, on ground now occupied by stalls selling Qurans and religious paraphernalia, was the propylaeum (the monumental gateway to the temple complex).

	15: Apamea
	Apamea or Afamia is nestled on the east side of the Orontes Plain in Damascus. This is a stunning sight and was one of the four cities founded by Seleucos I Nicator early 3rd century BC. The name, Apamea, was adopted to commemorate his Persian wife, Apamea. It was also one of the four main centers of the Seleucid in Syria, used as a military base. This town was destroyed several times due to war and natural calamities. Today, one can see the tumbled ruins and the remaining stones.

	16: St. Ananias
	The house of St. Ananias is also known as the Chapel of Saint Ananias. This is an ancient alleged house of Saint Ananias, situated in Damascus old Christian quarters. Some say this is the precise house where Ananias baptized Saul, who later on became Paul the Apostle. This historic building is situated near the Bab Sharqi, at the very end of the Straight Street. This chapel is five meters below the ground level and built at the level of the Roman Street.

	17: Old City
	he Old City is one of the most popular tourist destinations of Damascus. It has a vibrant history, rich architecture and culture. Highlights of the place include the Umayyad Mosque, Al-Hamidiyya Souq, Straight Street, the Citadel and Azem Palace. Travelers enjoy walking into a network of alleys, a tangle of small streets with arches encompassing churches, mosques and shops. One can witness the remnants of old defensive wall and visit restaurants that appear to be hidden behind small doors.

	18: Shaati al-Azraq (Lattakia)
	Six kilometres north of town, Shaati al-Azraq is Syria's premier coastal resort. While there are a few small stretches of sand in the area, access to the best stretches of beach is controlled by the Le Meridien and Cham hotels; each charges a fee per person for nonguests to use the beach and hotel swimming pool. Both hotels also hire out pedal boats, jet skis and sailboards. To get to Shaati al-Azraq take a waiting microbus from behind the large white school building on Saahat al-Sheikh Daher.

	19: Towers of Yemliko (Palmyra)
	To the south of the city wall at the foot of low hills is a series of variously sized, freestanding, square-based towers. Known as the Towers of Yemliko, they were constructed as multistorey burial chambers, stacked high with coffins posted in pigeonhole-like niches. The niches, or loculi, were then sealed with a stone panel carved with a head and shoulders portrait of the deceased; you can see dozens of these stone portraits in the Palmyra Museum, and in the National Museum at Damascus. The tallest of the towers - at four storeys high - is the most interesting. It dates from AD 83 and although it is kept locked you can peer in through the barred entrance. There is also an interesting carved lintel above the doorway and an inscription further up identifying the family interred within. A rough path winds up behind the towers to the top of a rocky saddle for a wonderful view of the Palmyrene landscape.

	20: Al-Gharbiyya Minaret
	There are three minarets in the Umayyad Mosque dating from the original construction, each of which was renovated and restored by the Ayyubids, Mamluks and Ottomans. The one in the southwestern corner, the Mamluk-styled Al-Gharbiyya Minaret, is the most beautiful.