How many days do you need in Damascus?
Two days cover the core of Damascus. Day one is the old city end to end: in at Bab Sharqi, west along Straight Street, finishing at the Umayyad Mosque. Day two heads north to the Ayyubid buildings of Salihiyya, then up Qasioun in the late afternoon. A third day is only worth it if you want the hammam and the Nur al-Din bimaristan without hurrying them. With one day, drop Qasioun rather than cutting the old city in half.
- Suggested length
- 2–3 days
- Total visiting time across these places
- 11 hours 45 minutes
- Best season
- April–May, September–October
Ready-made routes
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A walk through the Christian quarter of Damascus: Bab Sharqi to Bab Kisan
900 metres and three stops in the Christian quarter of Damascus: the Roman east gate, a chapel below street level, and a gate that became a church front.
Seven stops from the Hamidiyya to the Umayyad Mosque
Seven stops from the Hamidiyya's pierced tin roof to the Umayyad courtyard. 600 metres in all, no leg over 150 — the core of old Damascus, step by step.
Old Damascus in a day
A route inside the walls, from Bab Sharqi to the Umayyad Mosque. Five stops, all of it walkable: six hours without stopping, a full day if you stop along the way.
What to see
Bab Kisan
The southeast gate of Old Damascus, Saturn's gate in the Roman wall. Since 1939 the gate itself is the front of a church. How to find it and what to see.
The Chapel of Saint Ananias
A two-room underground chapel in the Christian quarter of Damascus, 5-6 metres below street level, held to be where Paul was baptised. How to find it, what to see.
Souq Midhat Pasha
The covered western stretch of Straight Street, named after the Ottoman governor who rebuilt it in 1878. Cloth and abaya stalls on top of the Roman road.
The Mariamite Cathedral
The seat of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch, in the Christian quarter of Damascus. Handed back in 706 in exchange for the Umayyad Mosque. Free entry.
Mount Qasioun
The mountain north of Damascus and the viewpoint that fits the whole city in one frame. Half an hour from the centre. When to go up, late afternoon or night.
The Mausoleum of Saladin
A small domed tomb of 1196 against the north wall of the Umayyad Mosque. Two cenotaphs stand inside, and which of them is the real one is the surprising part.
Transparency
- How this was chosen
- The answer on this page is written by hand. The lists are built from published records tied to this city and grow on their own as records are added.
- Last updated
- August 20, 2026