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Pinal Airpark
Note the chrysanthemum crests.
Hachiman Bridge
Clarendon War Memorial.
Clarendon War Memorial
This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
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This fried chicken is one of Bangkok’s most famous.
Gai Tord Jae Kee
Chefs Aruss Lerlerstkull and Atcharaporn Kiatthanawat lean into regional traditions.
Charmgang
The khao soi at Gedhawa comes with a rich, coconutty broth.
Gedhawa
At Nai Mong Hoi Thod, the oyster omelet is worth waiting for.
Nai Mong Hoi Thod
In this deceptively simple dish, top-quality ingredients are paramount.
Kor Panich
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Haleakalā National Park’s summit region, shrouded in the pre-dawn fog.
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All Syria

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Syria

15 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Syria

Updated September 24, 2024

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Cities

The palace entrance inside the Citadel of Aleppo.
Aleppo
North Korean mural of former Syrian President Hafez al-Asad. (LeahC/Atlas Obscura)
Damascus
Attractions
Map
Leaderboards
Stories

Unusual Attractions in Syria

Palmyra, Syria

Palmyra

Mysterious lost empire of the Silk Road.
Krak des Chevaliers

Safita, Syria

Krak des Chevaliers

Ruins of the Crusaders' headquarters.
A grand facade in Serjilla (Flickr/Laura and Fulvio’s photos)

Balshoon, Syria

Dead City of Serjilla

A 1,500-year-old ghost settlement is slowly fading away.
The Castle of Masyaf (Flickr/Samuel Santos)

Masyaf, Syria

Musyaf Castle

The Syrian headquarters of alleged hashish-smoking assassins.
The palace entrance inside the Citadel of Aleppo.

Aleppo, Syria

The Citadel of Aleppo

One of the oldest and largest castles in the world.
Shoppers visit the restored Souk al-Saqatiya in Aleppo, Syria, in November 2019.

Aleppo, Syria

Souk al-Saqatiya

Amid the rubble of Aleppo's Old Quarter, part of a historic market has been restored and re-opened.
6th Century Image of Saint Simeon

Syria

Church of Saint Simeon the Stylite

What is left of the pillar of Saint Simeon, the voluntary martyr who climbed the column to give his sermons, remaining perched there for thirty-seven years.
Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi

An-Nabk District, Syria

Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi

This ancient mountain monastery welcomes all manner of faith in an effort to keep Christians in Syria.
See All 15 Things To Do in Syria
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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore Syria

Ruins 5
Architecture 5
Sacred Spaces 3
Architectural Oddities 2
Mosques 2

Syria Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. LeahC
    2
  2. Borisborough
    2
  3. serflac
    2
  4. A FOSTER
    2
  5. michaelsballard
    1
Join the Ranks!
Add an unusual place to Syria.

Places Edited

  1. John McFadzean
    4
  2. Tawsam
    3
  3. Martin
    2
  4. ahvenas
    2
  5. serflac
    2
Join the Ranks!
Improve the Atlas with edits and photos.

Places Visited

  1. cesaresabbatini
    13
  2. Thetravellingwoozle
    12
  3. marcut
    11
  4. ersy007
    10
  5. hatmac
    10

Recent Syria Activity

  • spirit47

    has been to The Citadel of Aleppo

  • spirit47

    has been to Souk al-Saqatiya

  • spirit47

    has been to Krak des Chevaliers

  • spirit47

    has been to Church of Saint Simeon the Stylite

  • gillian72

    has been to Palmyra

Stories About Syria

The Syrian Cassette Archives website currently hosts 91 fully digitized cassettes, including interviews with artists and distributors.

The Quest to Preserve Syria's Cassette Tape Era

Keeping sounds, stories, and cultural memory alive through years of conflict.
by Line Sidonie Talla Mafotsing
November 29, 2022
Seeds reside deep inside.

The Rare Seeds That Escaped Syria for an Arctic Vault

Formerly stashed at Svalbard, they've since sprouted in Morocco and beyond.
by Matt Simon
December 2, 2020
Architect Sakher Oulabi (left) and engineer Tamim Kasmo in the courtyard of Aleppo’s Great Mosque.

Syrians Won't Give Up on the Great Mosque of Aleppo

In 2013, the mosque's minaret shattered into 2,000 pieces. A restoration team aims to put them back together.
by Chris Ray
December 10, 2019

A New Crusade

How the mysterious, millennium-old, stateless Order of Malta outlived its contemporaries and established a place in the modern Middle East.
by Ariel Sophia Bardi
September 29, 2019
Accept no substitutes: Authentic Aleppo soap bears its maker’s mark, and the Arabic name for the city of its origin.

In Syria, War and Modernity Are No Match for the World's Oldest Soap

The artisans of Aleppo keep plying their ancient trade, one bar at a time.
by Nora Wallaya
August 1, 2019
Students at work in Mafraq.

Syrian Refugees Are Learning Stonemasonry to Rebuild Their Country

The apprentices hope to restore damaged buildings and monuments after the war ends.
by Sophie Yeo
March 28, 2018

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