Monday 23^rd December – Beirut, Lebanon – Damascus, Syria

Morning

• Arrival at your convenience into Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon. Most international airlines have daily flights between Beirut and other major European cities. For those arriving on the previous night we can arrange pre-tour dinner and drinks.
• Pre-tour meeting will be held at the lobby of our hotel at 8:00am to discuss the tour itinerary and to meet your fellow travellers and YPT guide.
• Our drive to the Syrian border will take about two hours. On the way, you’ll get a first insight into the reality of life in Syria as you see Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon.
• With guidance from your YPT guide, you’ll cross the border, with a stop at duty free in the no man’s land for some of the cheapest alcohol and other products you’ve ever experienced. Whether you plan to buy or not, it is interesting just to see what people are taking across the border.
• The whole border crossing usually takes 1 to 2 hours, with the border guards being very friendly.

Afternoon

• Once clearing Syrian customs and immigration, we’ll continue our drive to Damascus, which will take roughly an hour.
• On arrival, we will check into the Beit Al Wali Hotel – quite simply one of the best hotels in the Old Town of Damascus. This itself is a highlight.
• After welcome tea and snacks, we will then arrange SIM cards and currency exchange for those who need it.
• Next stop is lunch. Quite simply you have not been to Damascus unless you have tried their shawarma, or falafel for those of the vegetarian persuasion.
• The duration of our walking tour of the old part Damascus will depend on our arrival time (which depends on how long the border crossing took!), but we’ll make sure to explore the Old Town’s bazaar and shopping areas – a great spot for sampling local ice cream or some of the best street food in the Arab world.
• We’ll also visit the Ananias Church, Damascus’ oldest underground structure, which is said to be the remains of the home of Ananias of Damascus, where Ananias baptized Saul (who became Paul the Apostle).
• We’ll then visit Omayad Mosque before the believers start to gather for the Friday prayer. This is the main mosque of Damascus and the fourth holy mosque in Islam.
• Feeling tired all all that exploration? We can arrange a visit to an historical hammam. After soaking in the hammam, you’ll get a exfoliating scrub and a massage for as little as $4!
• Later we’ll head to one of the best restaurants in Damascus for dinner. We could write pages about Syrian food but you wouldn’t believe us, so let’s just say it will be one of the best dinners you ever had. That’s guaranteed.
• After dinner, we offer 3 options, either going to watch a football match, hitting the bars of Old Damascus, or simply returning to our comfortable hotel to relax.
• Overnight in Damascus.

Tuesday 24^th December – Damascus – Maaloula – Aleppo

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Today will be a long day as the main road between Damascus and Aleppo runs very close to areas controlled by Jahat Al Nursra (Al Qaeda), so we’ll need to take the more scenic route. This journey offers a real insight into how close the Islamist groups got to Damascus. Various stops will be taken for pictures.
• Our first stop will be at Maaloula, a small Christian town that was almost completely decimated by ISIS in 2014. This visit will be quite special as this is Christmast’s eve.
• Visit the Greek Catholic church which was destroyed but has already largely been rebuilt and is now again doing services.
• This town is one of the last in the world where people speak the Aramaic language – the same language Jesus spoke, and it is possible to hear the Lord’s prayer being spoken using it.
• This is also a great place stop for a coffee, snack, or even to buy wine produced by the Christians of the area (and yes, they offer free samples).

Afternoon

• This will be your first opportunity to properly explore the destruction that is now so commonplace in Syria, at the Safir Hotel. Until 2014, it was a 4 star hotel with plenty of international guests, but is now a shell filled with rubble. There are still “do not disturb” signs, menus, folders of guest information, time sheets, crockery and all sorts of other hotel items amongst the debris.
• Walk through a canyon to the St. Sergious and Bakhous Monastery where you may have the chance to meet nuns who were kidnapped and held hostage for several years.
• We continue the drive to Aleppo arriving in the late afternoon.
• On arrival we will stop at the best falafel and kebab restaurant in the city.
• Check into our centrally located hotel. After a quick freshen up we head for an evening tour of Aleppo.
• For dinner, we head to the famous Cordoba Restaurant. Particular favourites include the Aleppo Kebab and lamb testicles for the truly adventurous.
• Optional return to the hotel, or you can join us at the only watering hole in Aleppo, Cheers Bar to spend a festive Christmas eve together.
• Dinner and overnight in Aleppo

Wedneday 25^th December – Aleppo – Hama – Krak des Chevaliers – Damascus

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Aleppo was arguably one of the worst affected cities during the Syrian war. Here you’ll get the chance to see some of the terrible destruction as well as the opportunity to witness the early stages of rebuilding that Syrians are now partaking as they slowly return to their homes.
• Our first stop in the morning will be the famous Aleppo Citadel, or Aleppo Castle. This is a truly amazing experience and we will take a few hours exploring here. During the Syrian war, army troops were blockaded in the citadel for over a year and you will still see bullets strewn around.
• When we hit the summit you can take some amazing pictures of Aleppo City, before we exit by VIP secret passage, something only YPT offer!

Afternoon

• We have lunch at the imaginatively titled Citadel Cafe, where we get some tea coupled with Syrian sandwiches known as muhammara kashkawan, as well as people watching.
• In the afternoon we head to to not only one of the highlights, but also probably the saddest part of Aleppo, visiting the formerly bustling souk. This was previously the biggest and most profitable in the Arab world, but now lies in ruins. It is though slowly starting to rebuild and as well as destruction we will witness its slow rebirth
• Whilst in the Souk we visit a Syrian institution the Aleppo Soap company where they have been making the soap the same way for 800 years, excluding the years it was under ISIS control. Aside from seeing how it is made, we will also get the chance to buy some – they make for great souvenirs or Christmas presents to give your loved ones when you go back home!
• We then continue driving until we reach the Krak des Chevaliers a former castle built for Christians to house them on their way to the crusades. As well as a rich and ancient history it also boasts a darker contemporary one, with our guide having being held hostage and tortured by Al Nusra during its occupation
• Begin the journey back to Damascus
• On arrival head to Naranj Restaurant, again one of the best in Syria for a big Christmas feast – shisha available for those interested
• Following dinner we head next door to our favourite bar in Damascus. We won’t spoil the surprise by giving away its quirks, but rest assured it is well worth it.
• Overnight in Damascus

Thursday 26^th December – Damascus – Beirut, Lebanon

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel
• Last chance to do some last minute exploring of Damascus, including a stop at the iconic “I love Damascus” sign and a drive past and stop at the Presidential Palace.
• We will also stop at some special souvenir shops, where you can buy everything from a national football jersey, to Assad posters.
• Before leaving town, we’ll visit the Kim Il Sung Park for a quick photo opportunity. Syria and DPRK have had a long history of friendship and recently the Syrian Government decided to dedicate a park to the founding leader of North Korea, Kim Il Sung. Quite the YPT experience!
• Farewelling Damascus, we’ll head back towards the Lebanese border. Including the border crossing – that usually takes longer in that direction – and a few stops, we’ll arrive back in Beirut around 5:00pm.
• Tour concludes – Airport drop-offs can be arranged for people leaving that day, with hotel stops available for those staying in the Hamra area of Beirut

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