Practical information
Visas, border crossings, cash, SIM cards, getting between cities — where the plan is built.
145 Practical
Tourist complaints in Syria: the Labbaik hotline and tourism police
Charged for something you never ordered? Syria’s tourism ministry takes complaints on 011137, WhatsApp and email. What the tourism police do, and where they are.
How to get to Tartus: the Arida crossing, Homs and the coast road
The Arida crossing from Lebanon runs only in part in 2026. How to reach Tartus overland: via Homs from Damascus, along the M1 from Latakia, or through Arida.
The breads of Syria: which bread from which oven
The saj, the taboon, the tannour and the neighbourhood oven each turn out a different bread. Which comes from where, what it is for, and when it is hot.
Where to stay in Tartus: the seafront, the old town or the southern beaches
In Tartus the hotels line the seafront, a walk from the Arwad boats and the old town; southern chalets sit on the beach but need a car. Three areas, no hotel names.
What to drink in Syria
Which glass belongs to which season, where you order it and what it is called. From the street sharbat vendor to the Ramadan table and the mate of the coast.
How to get to Palmyra now: transport, permits and the desert road
Minibuses run from Homs, no direct bus from Damascus; the site is open and free, the museum shut. Getting to Palmyra now, the desert road, and what to bring along.
How to get to Syria
By air into Damascus and Aleppo, by land from Lebanon and Jordan. Which crossings are open to whom, which airlines fly, and how the Turkish border works.
Syria visa and entry rules
For most nationalities the visa is issued on arrival and paid in cash. The fee follows your nationality, an Israeli stamp blocks entry, and rules move often.
Damascus airport to the city: how to get in
The centre is 30 kilometres and 25-45 minutes away, and there is no meter: take a fixed price at the desk or haggle before you get in. Apps, the bus and Aleppo too.
Money, cash and the Syrian pound
Two zeros came off the pound in January 2026. Cards and ATMs do not work for visitors: the cash you carry in is all the money you have in the country.
Changing money in Syria: where and how
A licensed office, the day’s market rate and always a receipt: the three rules. Which districts to change in, where the rate lives, what happens at exit.
SIM cards and internet
Two operators: Syriatel and MTN. A line is opened against your passport and entry stamp, registration is required, and international eSIM cover is thin.