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- Destinations
- Middle East
- Syria
- Damascus
Damascus
One of the most interesting places for travellers is the capital
city of Damascus, brimming with history as one of the oldest
continuously inhabited cities in the world, where the enormous
Umayyad Mosque, Roman walls and gates, Biblical sites and bustling
markets hold visitors in a spell of fascination.
The wealth of historical sites date back to the many different
periods of the city's history, where mosques, churches, the old
city walls and ancient souqs testify to the occupation of Greeks
and Romans, Persians, Christians, and the Islamic Umayyad Empire.
Biblically speaking, Damascus was once the capital of the Aramean
Kingdom in the 11th century BC, and was where many centuries later
the apostle Paul was converted to Christianity and started the
early church. The city's most glorious days, however, were as the
capital of the Umayyad Empire, and many of its monuments are still
the pride of Damascus today. The Umayyad Mosque, or Grand Mosque of
Damascus, is one of the biggest in the world, its interior covered
from wall to wall with beautiful thick carpets and richly decorated
with ornate inlays and designs.
The place to get to grips with present-day Damascus is in the
souqs (covered markets), the largest and most famous dating back to
1863, where haggling for inlaid mosaic boxes, chessboards,
jewellery and hookah (hubble-bubble) pipes is all part of the
experience. Cries of 'need a carpet/kilim/scarf?' or 'just one
minute to look and looking is free' will assault visitors along
with the fragrant scent of spices, and the sight of colourful
merchandise spilling out onto the thoroughfares.
Information & Facts
Climate
Damascus experiences a semi-arid climate with hot, dry summers
and cool, wet winters that often experience rain and snow. The
winter months see average daytime highs of 11°C (52°F) and 0 °C (32
°F), while average summer temperatures reach around 30°C (86°F).
Most of Damascus' rain falls between October and March and
travellers visiting during these months should pack an
umbrella.
Language
Arabic is the official, and most widely spoken, language.
English is widely understood by many educated Syrians in the major
cities.
Money
The official currency is the Syrian pound (SYP), which is
divided into 100 piastres. There are a few ATMs in the bigger
towns, but not all cards are accepted. Credit cards are not widely
used, but American Express and Diners Club are the most readily
accepted. Travellers cheques are not accepted in most banks, and
those that do require lengthy and complicated processes.
Time
Local time is GMT +2 (GMT +3 from April to October).