Geography & Administration :

Syria lies at the eastern end of the Mediterranean sea. It has an area of 185.000 sq.KM. It is bordered with Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan & Palestine to the south, and Lebanon & the Mediterranean sea to the west. The Syrian Arab Republic is divided into fourteen provinces or ( Muhafazats ), which are in turn divided into forty-eight ( Mantiqa ) and one hundred and twenty-two subdivisions ( Nahyahs ).

Climate :
The climate is hot Mediterranean type summers and rainy ( usually warm ) winters on the cost. Hot summers and cold winters inland. The average in winter: 12* in spring : 21* in summer : 34* in autumn : 22*

Religion :
89 % Muslims. 11 % Christians.

Currencies :
The unit of currency is the Syrian Pound, divided in 100 piasters. There are banknotes of 5, 10, 25, 50, 100 and 500 pounds, and coins of 5, 10, 25 piasters as well as one pound coins.

Time :
Syrian time is:
GMT+03 in Summer (from 01st of April till 31th of September)
GMT+02 in winter (from 01st of October till 31th of March)

Electricity :
220 Volts.

Daily life in Syria :
Goverment offices are open from 08:00 A.M to 02:00 P.M . Except on Fridays ( official day of rest ).
Travel agencies and air companies are normally open from 08:30 A.M to 01:30 P.M . and from 04:30 to 07:30 P.M .
Banks are open from 08:00 A.M to 12:30 P.M only ( except foreign exchange offices at airports and international hotels ).
Embassies and consulates are closed either on Sundays or Fridays according to the country.
Shops are flexible regarding opening hours in the morning, but they close at 01:30 P.M and re-open at 04:30 until 09:00 P.M in summer and 08:00 P.M in winter. Their day off is either Friday or Sunday according to the religion of the owner of the location.

Official Holidays :
January1st, Mar 08th ( Revolution day ), April 17th ( National day ), May 1st ( Labour day ), May 06th ( Martyrs day ), Christmas, Easter, end of Ramadan, Al-Fitr Feast ( 03 days ), Al-Adha Feast ( 04 days ).
Museums and castles close on Tuesday.

Festivals :
1- International Flowers Fair (Damascus - April, May).
2- Technical Palmyra Festival (Palmyra - May, June).
3- Vine Festival (Sweida - July).
4- Cotton Festival (Aleppo - July).
5- Damascus Interational Fair (Damascus - August).
6- Passion and Joy Festival (Lattakia - August).
7- Arabic Book Fair (Damascus - September).
8- Desert Festival (Deir-Ezzor, Palmyra - September).
9- Periodical Bosra (Bosra - September).
10- Damascus Cinema Festival (Damascus - September).
11- Theater Festival (Damascus every two years).
12- International Syrian Tourism (Damascus - September).

Visa Conditions :
The Group Visa is valid for a group consists of 08 pax and more. (who have a valid passports). It is given upon arrival to one of the Syrian airports or borders. The passport-list should be filled with the full passport informations of the participants, stamped by the tour operator official stamp.
The individual clients (who have a valid passports), are kindly advised to obtain a visa from one of the Syrian Consulates ar representative abroad.
Groups or Individuals, mustn’t have Israel stamp or Taba stamp ( in Egypt ) on their passports, as it is prohibited to enter Syria with those two stamps.

Clothing :
Take clothes to suit the season. Do not forget that in high altitudes, the climate may be somewhat cool from December to March, and summer is a little hotter. A raincoat is not needed from April, and definitely not from May to September. Good walking shoes are a must for visiting the arceological sites or climbing the long slopes leading to castles. Good sunglasses will be useful to reduce glare in the sands of Palmyra, and a hat to protect your head. A spare pair of socks is needed.

Newspapers and information :
Major international newspapers and magazines are available in Damascus & Aleppo. The Syrian press is printed in Arabic, and there is one daily newspaper in English ( Syria Times ).

Photography :
You may take snapshots of arceological sites, unless otherwise informed (in new excavation sites for example). Do not carry a camera or movie camera near military sites or army occupied installations.

Distance between cities In Kilometres

Some of the Commercial banks in Syria

Some Hotels in Syria :

Some Restaurants in Syria :