According to transporthint, Syria (Arabic: سوريا, Sūriyā) is a country in the Middle East (Asia) bordering Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and Israel. Syria has been independent from the former United Arab Republic since 1961. The capital of Syria is Damascus. A number of major cities in Syria are: Aleppo, Homs, Hama and Latakia.
Syria is a country with a long history. For example, the capital Damascus is the oldest inhabited city in the world. In addition, there are many other historical cities such as Bosra, Aleppo and Palmyra. In these cities and scattered across the country you will find castles, monasteries, ruins, mosques, temples, a Roman theater and many other ancient structures. The landscape consists largely of desert. The country also has a small coastline on the Mediterranean Sea. However, it is not recommended to swim there due to the pollution of the sea water. See sourcemakeup for Syria as a tourism country.
Where is Syria?
Travel information of Syria
Official name: Syrian Arab Republic
Continent: Asia
Area: 185,180 km²
Capital: Damascus
Country code: SY, SYR
Population: 19,398,448 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Republic (dictatorship)
Highest point: 2,814 m (Hermonberg)
Distance (Amsterdam – Damascus): 3,265 km
Flight time: approximately 5 hours and 30 minutes
Negative travel advice
Current status: All trips to Syria are discouraged.
Current color code: Red. Due to this status, a negative travel advice
is in effect for Syria.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), (temporary) measures may apply in Syria that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs for Syria, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
At the moment there are no travel organizations that offer travel to Syria. It is possible to book airline tickets.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Syria?
Weather and climate
Syria has a continental climate. The temperatures are around 10 degrees during the winter months and around 30 degrees during the summer months.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Syria can be found on our detailed weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Syria can be found at Climate info.
Best time to travel
February, March and April are the best months to travel to Syria. In these months you have the most pleasant temperatures.
Language
Arabic is the official language in Syria. Kurdish, English and French are also spoken.
Would you like to translate from or into Arabic for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months upon arrival in Syria.
A visa is required. You can request this in person at the consulate of Syria in The Hague.
When you leave Syria, you must pay a departure tax of approximately 10 euros per person.
Note: Entry to Syria will be denied with a valid or expired Israel visa.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Syria: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulates in Syria: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Embassy of Syria in Belgium (also for the Netherlands): rijksoverheid.nl.
Consulates of Syria in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
Before visiting Syria, it is advisable to get one or more vaccinations.
For extensive vaccination advice and to make a vaccination appointment at home, please visit Thuisvaccinatie.nl. You can also see here whether your health insurance reimburses the vaccination(s).
Money and Currency
In Syria, payments are made with the Syrian pound (SYP).
The current position of this currency (currency, currency) can be found on our exchange rate page.
An overview of all ATMs in Syria can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Syria are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -60% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (72% cheaper), food (50% cheaper), imported beer in catering (46% cheaper), cigarettes (56% cheaper) and public transport (95% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Syria it is customary to tip. If no service costs have been calculated yet, a tip of approximately 10% is given.
Time difference
In Syria it is 1 hour later than in the Netherlands.
Summer time in Syria differs from that in the Netherlands.
Find the local time, date, time zone and exceptions for Syria on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Syria you have to drive on the right. You must have an international driver’s license
to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Syria. The international driver’s license is available at an ANWB shop. With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Syria.
Electricity
In Syria you may in some cases need a plug adapter.
More information about common plugs and sockets in Syria can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 112
– Fire: 113
– Ambulance: 110
Tap water
It is not recommended to drink water from the tap.
If you are unable to buy bottled water, use a water purifier to purify the water or boil the water for 5 minutes. After this you can safely use it as drinking water and for things like brushing teeth, cleaning lenses and washing vegetables and / or fruit. More information about drinking water and/or the purchase of water purification products can be found on our drinking water page.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Syria can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Syria can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Syria end in.sy.
Syria’s official website: syriatourism.org.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Syria is 00963 or +963.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Syria? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos of Syria.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Syria.
Public holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Syria can be found on Beleven.org.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Syria, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Syria?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Syria. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Syria can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Syria can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Syria? On the IATA website you will find an overview with the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, money and perfume, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Doing business and doing business
If you are planning to do business in or with Syria, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Syria, including: opportunities, import and export rules, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, current sanctions, business partners and subsidies.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Syria.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.5.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking from the age of 18.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Not allowed. Prison sentence up to 10 years.
Did you know that…
…The Golan Heights in Syria has been occupied by Israel?
…Syria has been in a civil war since 2011?
…Damascus is one of the oldest cities in the world?
…Several world heritage sites in Syria have been destroyed by IS?
…More than 4 million Syrians have fled the country in recent years?
