Is there anything cool at all in Damascus, Syria? Nightlife? Sightseeing? Girls?

Question

Should spending a week in Damascus by any fun? Any festivals or celebrations during July?

Answer 1

Well Syria i hear it beautiful in its own way,but if you want to go to Syria come to Lebanon its a great country,field with night clubs,girls,woman alcohol Syria is a dictator country.no offense to Syrians but Lebanon is more cooler then there they are the most advanced country in its freedom way i mean.(in there arean)

i am not Lebanese i have been there and been to Syria.

Answer 2

Syria is, by far, one of the most unique countries in the Middle East. Due to Syria's long resistance of Westernization and Globalization, Syrian culture remains more or less intact- as opposed to more Western countries such as Jordan and (northern) Lebanon. Syria has a reputation as being a member of the "axis of evil" and a "fanatic" Muslim state. These, quite simply, are myths. Syria is the safest country in the Middle East and quite possibly one of the safest countries in the world. Crime is incrediably low and tourists are rarely, if ever, bothered.

To explain Syrian nightlife, a brief explanation of Arab society is needed.

Due to the extreme heat of the desert during the day, Arabs generaly consider themselves a "night" people. When Arabs wish to claim that something is handsome/beautiful, they say "it is as lovely as the moon". It is not uncommon, especialy during the summer, for Arabs to stay up partying until three in the morning, when most resteraunts and stores finally close. While there are no festivals in July, one could readily describe a Damascene summer as an extended feista in and of itself. To determine what nightlife Syria has would depend on your definition of nightlife. If your interested in clubs (serving alchohol), you'd be hard pressed to find such places, and harder pressed to find a reputable one. Syrians of all religions and classes look down on night clubs as shady and dishonorable places. On the other hand, if your definition of nightlife simply reffers to activities during the later hours, then you're in luck. As I've already said, Syrians will stay up late into the night dancing, singing, drinking tea, playing cards, etc. Nothing demonstrates this better than Asr-el-Narjis.

Asr-el-Narjis was a traditional Arab house built in the fifteenth century and is now a resteraunt serving traditional Arab food. After about ten o'clock, an 'oad' (Arab instrument similiar to a lute) will arive and preform, often getting the entirity of the resteraunt to sing (and sometimes dance) along.

When it comes to sightseeing, again, you'd be hard pressed to find a better country on earth. Syria is a treasure trove of ruins, and Damascus itself is the oldest continously inhabited city on earth. The Old City of Damascus boasts such sites as the Roman temple of Jupiter, the Ummayed Mosque (the fourth holiest site in Islam), the Byzantine citadel, the tomb of Saladin, Straight Street (which isn't that straight), and the House of St. Ananias. The villages surrounding Damascus are also steeped in history. To the East, there is the town of Bosra, reknowned for being the summer resort of Zenobia and  having extensive and excellently preserved Roman ruins. In fact, Bosra has the second largest (and best preserved) ampatheater in the world. To the south-east of Damascus, there is the village of Maloula, the last place on earth where Aramaic is still spoken. Near the city of Hama in central Syria, there is the Crak-de-Chevalliers, the largest and most powerful castle in the world and the best preserved Crusader castle in the Middle East. Across nothern and central Syria there are "dead cities"- Roman cities that have been abandoned for over sixteen hundred years (but are still in excellent condition). In noth-east Syria there is a village called "Daer Simaan" (Simon/Simeon's village). In the rocks directly above the village is the fortified church of St. Simeon, which until the construction of the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople, was the largest church in the world.

When it comes to girls I can only offer this advice (please forgive me if I'm blunt).

Unless you'r looking for brothels, Syrian girls are off limits. Syrians are highly protective of their women and the wise tourist will refrain from flirting. Don't take this to mean the Syrians are religious fanatics who opress women- this is simply Syrian culture. Respect for women is an unwritten law followed by all Syrians regardless of religion- be they Muslim, Christian, or Jew (yes, there are Syrian Jews).

In short, Damascus is a once-in-a-lifetime experience enjoyed only by a few who manage to ignore Syria's intimidating reputation. Syrians love tourists of all nationalities (except for Israelies, of course) and are a highly hospitable and welcomming people. Often, complete strangers (usualy tourists) are invited into houses for tea.