Syria is in Western Asia. Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea border the country to the west, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest. It is one of the larger countries in the Middle East, and its capital is Damascus. The most popular languages are Arabic, French, and English. The predominant religion is Islam. Christianity and Judaism also have significant minority presence in the country.

The official currency is Syrian Pound. The current approximate exchange rate is 515 pounds for US$1. Currency exchange is available at the Commercial Bank of Syria branches. American Express and Diners Club credit cards are the most acceptable. Some hotels also accept MasterCard. Traveler’s cheques may be rather hard to exchange, however.

As for electricity, Syria uses types C, E and L sockets. You need to bring a travel adapter to fit the proper socket type. Check out the above-linked page to see the photos and other useful information. The standard voltage is 220V.  Many of your devices may need a step-up transformer to match the electrical voltage.

There are several cars rental companies in Syria. It is best to book in advance via the Internet. Cars drive on the right side of the road here. However, the roads are in poor condition. And numerous accidents happen, due to this fact.

At present, it is not advisable to visit the country due to an ongoing civil war that began in 2011. In other words, it is a highly dangerous country. Risking your life is not worth the adventure it might offer.

Before Syria fell into the pits of war, it was among the safest countries to travel in the Middle East. The line between Muslims and Christians did not mean death to those who dared cross it. The entire religious spectrum shared common spaces in public places such as coffee shops, and art galleries. 

Nowadays, even the shadow of this peace and harmony no longer exists. Hundreds of thousands of people have died, whole communities wiped out, families torn apart and the only safe people were those who luckily managed to flee.

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August 15, 2016 12:00 am Published by Neha Rizal 1 Comment