Robert La Bua wings it to an international pariah and finds a delightful destination

We hear ‘Middle East’ and immediately picture conflict, strife, and discord. How erroneous not to consider also the balmy climate, hospitable locals, and world-class sights to be seen. We hear ‘Syria’ and are told to think ‘bad place’, but what we are told and what is true are not necessarily the same thing.

The diverse attractions of Syria are well known to Earth’s sophisticated travellers; such UNESCO World Heritage sites as Damascus, Palmyra, and Aleppo have attracted them for years. Like Turkey, its neighbour to the north, Syria is a secular country whose live-and-let-live attitude is typical of Mediterranean European societies. The Crusaders left more than castles and churches as their patrimony; after a while, you will get used to all the blue-eyed blonds and redheads mixed in with the darkly handsome types.

Frequently billed as the longest continually inhabited city in the world, Damascus is home to a cosmopolitan mix of people of diverse ethnicities and economic status. It is a city of atmosphere: observe bakers preparing their cheese-filled pastries in open-fronted shops; inhale the abundant fragrances sweet and pungent in the souks (bazaars) — Syria tantalises the senses.

There are three must-see sights in Damascus: Umayyad Mosque and its glorious mosaics, the blue interior of the glitzy Sayyida Ruqayya Mosque, and the beautiful rooms of Azem Palace. These, of course, are in addition to the sights seen in the Old Souk, a never-ending parade of live entertainment.

Aleppo’s souk is similarly entertaining. Aleppo, in northern Syria, packs in the action without losing grace. Lording over the city is The Citadel, an enormous complex built on a hill to the east. Outside Aleppo is Qal’at Samaan, the ethereal site of Saint Simon’s church on a bluff dramatically overlooking the Antioch plains — well worth a visit. South of Aleppo in Maarat an-Numan is the splendid Murad Basha Khan al-Maarah Museum. Mysteriously absent from most guidebooks, the museum has the best collection of ancient mosaics in the country. Less than two kilometres away is Tower Restaurant on the Aleppo-Damascus Highway, where the chouaibiat is extra special. If you are not yet a fan of this Syrian pastry made with pistachios, cheese, and rosewater, one stop here will win you over.

Syria’s many fortresses are sturdy reminders of its Crusader past. Most splendid is the magnificent Qal’at al-Hosn, more commonly known as Crac des Chevaliers. This imposing fortress served as the sentinel for the important Homs Gap mountain pass, the sole route between the inland settlements and the all-important towns and sea routes on the coast; today Crac des Chevaliers is the world’s best-preserved medieval citadel and as such is an important architectural treasure. It still attracts hordes, only now their swords and lances are replaced with cameras and guidebooks.

Rivalling Crac des Chevaliers is Qal’at Saladin, set in a beautiful gorge high in the mountains near the resort town of Slenfeh. Saladin’s extraordinary setting on a rocky outcrop falling away steeply on three sides is augmented by the enormous, deep channel cut through the bedrock across the one side of the promontory (formerly) accessible by land, thereby cutting off the fortress entirely save for a single drawbridge.

Though the castles and fortresses of Crusader Syria are impressive enough, the Roman ruins at Palmyra still reign as the most visited tourism site in the country. Similarly evocative is Apamea, near Aleppo, less visited but equally captivating, nonetheless.

The most beautiful place to sleep in Syria is undoubtedly Beit al Mamlouka, the magnificently restored Damascene home-turned-exclusive hotel run by the meticulous May Mamarbachi, whose abundant taste (and money) combined to create a serene retreat worlds away from the hustle and bustle of the Old City just outside the front door. You may think you have rubbed Aladdin’s lamp when stepping through the doorway of this very special place where antique does not equal antiquated; there is complimentary WiFi and satellite TV. To fall asleep to the tinkling of your private fountain in the popular Suleyman The Magnificent Suite is complete bliss, but you may not want to close your eyes at all once you lie down and see the splendid ceiling.

Syria is a colourful country in a black-and-white world. It gets a lot of bad press in the West, mostly because the Syrian government doesn’t toe the line drawn by its Western counterparts with regard to its views on international affairs. This, however, is no deterrent to an enjoyable visit to a diverse, friendly, and well-fed nation with a fascinating history and proud people.

The Ministry of Tourism’s website is packed with helpful, detailed information. Fly to Sydney from where the delightful Etihad Airways can get you to Damascus with one easy transfer in Abu Dhabi.

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