A VISIT TO SYRIA
(With an Excursion into Lebanon)
1 – 13 September 2008
Led by Revd Andrew Ashdown
An unusual and fascinating Journey of Encounter with ancient Civilisations and living Christian communities
Monday 1 September 2008
We depart Heathrow early in the morning and arrive Damascus mid-afternoon. We transfer to the St. Elias Greek Orthodox Guesthouse in Damascus. Evening restaurant meal in the Old City.
Tuesday 2 September 2008
The morning will begin with a visit to Ananias House in Straight Street in the Old City. Walking through the Christian quarter, we hope to have a meeting at the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate with His Holiness Ignatius IV, the Greek Patriarch of Antioch. Afterwards, we have a Guided Tour of the Ummayad Mosque in Damascus, one of the oldest and finest in the world, before having the afternoon free to explore the Soukh and the sights of the Old City at leasure. In the evening we shall have a meal at a Restaurant..
Wednesday 3 September
This morning, we travel 30 miles north of Damascus, stopping at the famous Saidnaya monastery, an important Christian and Moslem pilgrimage site, before proceeding to a meeting with the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, His Holiness Ignatius Zakka 1, at the Monastery of St. Ephrem the Syrian – the worldwide Headquarters of the Syrian Orthodox Church. We continue to the ancient hillside Christian village of Maaloula, where Aramaic is still spoken. We shall visit the 4th Century Convent of St. Thekla, built into a cliff, and finish the day with a eucharist at the 4th Century Church of St. Sergius (using one of the oldest continuously used altars in the world). We spend the night at a lovely 4* hilltop Maaloula hotel.
Thursday 4 September
Leaving Maaloula, we first travel to the remote 7th Century monastery of St Moses the Ethiopian, before heading to the oasis of Palmyra., one of the most impressive ancients sites in the whole of the Middle East. We shall visit the ruins of the ancient city, the rock and tower tombs, and in the late afternoon head to the 8th Century fortress overlooking the oasis. We shall spend the night at the Heliopolis hotel in the oasis town.
Friday 5 September
After completing our visit to the sights of Palmyra, we travel to the town of Deir es Zur on the Euphrates river where we check-in at the Al Saeed Hotel for 2 nights.
Saturday 6 September
We shall visit the Archaeological museum, and our intention is to spend the day with the local Syrian Christian community and also to meet with the Syrian Archbishop of Jazireh and the Euphrates, an inspiring and well-known theologian and Church leader, and learn of the life of the Church in this region bordering Iraq and Turkey.
Sunday 7 September.
We hope to worship with a local Christian congregation before continuing up the Euphrates to the ruined 3rd Century town of Halebiye, founded by Zenobia. Continuing up the Euphrates valley, we pause at the Qal’at Najim, an Ummayad Castle overlooking the river, before proceeding to Aleppo, where we spend the next three nights at the highly atmospheric Diwan Rasmi hotel, at the foot of Aleppo Castle.
Monday 8 September
The morning begins with a tour of the Aleppo Citadel, and the great mosque before allowing free time to explore the soukhs. In the afternoon we hope to arrange a meeting with the Grand Mufti of Syria, the most senior Moslem Cleric in the country. We also hope to meet the Armenian Archbishop, and the Syrian Orthodox Metropolitan of Aleppo. In the evening, we hope to have a meal and watch some Whirling Dervishers.
Tuesday 9 September
Leaving Aleppo, we first visit the extensive ruins of the Church of St. Simeon of Styletes. We continue to the 4th Century Church of Qalb Lozeh, close to the Turkish Border, returning to Aleppo for the night.
Wednesday 10th September
Leaving Aleppo, we visit the early Christian ruined village of Serjillo, and continue to the ancient ruined Byzantine trading city of Apamaea, before travelling to Hamath, on the banks of the Orontes river, famed for its Byzantine Water Wheels. We spendthe night at the Hamath Orient House Hotel.
Thursday 11th September
From Hamath we journey to the most famous and best preserved of all the Middle Eastern Crusader Castles – Krak des Chevalier. After lunch we continue our journey into Lebanon, taking a diversion to the source of the Orontes River, and to the Monastery of Maron, and on to Baalbek, where we shall spend the night at the Palmyra Hotel.
Friday 12 September
After completing our visit to Baalbek, which contains some of the most impressive Roman Temple remains in the world, we continue our travels down the Bekaaa Valley and back into Syria, returning to the Greek Orthodox Guesthouse.
Saturday 13 September
A morning at leisure before proceeding to the airport for our return flight to London
TOTAL COST OF VISIT: £ 1270
Cost Includes
- Return flights to Damascus
- Half -Board Accommodation
- All Internal Travel and Entrance fees.
- Tipping
- Group Visas covering each participant to both Syria and Lebanon
**Please note:
- The overall cost is as at the time of going to print. The airfare is subject to increase the later the booking is made.
- Apart from the Greek Orthodox Guesthouse in Damascus which offers, simple but clean and friendly accommodation, all other accommodation is in good quality hotels.