Palmyra

Palmyra is a "must-see" on any tour of Syria. Like Damascus, Aleppo, and several other sites in Syria, Palmyra is a UNESCO World Heritage site, but what stands it apart from the others is a combination of its magnificent location, its sheer size, and its fascinating history.

Located to the north-east of Damascus, in the Syrian desert, the reason why Palmyra is such an attraction for visitors today is that it was an oasis located strategically in the desert near the Euphrates River, which meant that it became a natural hub for the caravan routes once peace was established between the sparring Roman and Persian empires, leading to great wealth pouring into the city as trade between East and West flourished.

With wealth, of course, came grand building projects, 50 square kilometers of which can still be seen and marvelled at by visitors today. These include the Temple of Bel; the Temple of Baal Shamin, the Canaanite and Phoenician Lord of the Heavens; and the Grand Colonnade.

A visit to Palmyra is not complete without a visit to the citadel overlooking the site, from where you can appreciate the vast beauty of Palmyra, and recall the legendary Queen Zenobia, the beautiful, ambitious queen of the desert, who is alleged to have murdered her own husband and defeated Roman armies before being herself defeated and taken to Rome, where she ended up married to a Roman senator and living out her retirement in a villa in Tivoli.

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Other places of interest in Syria:

Qasr Al Heer Ash Sharqi

Shahba

St Simeon & the Dead Cities

Ugarit