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"The tutors were incredible, all bursting with information and energy. To us they were seen more as friends than teachers and this is what made the group so cohesive... To me it was worth every single penny, actually a lot more."
AMH - Summer '09
Syria
Now is the time to explore this fascinating country, whilst it is still something of an adventure to travel to this unspoilt land. Syria's rise in popularity for travellers should come as no surprise; the country provides a perfect mixture of remarkable sites steeped in layers of history and a fascinating people, both hospitable and friendly. Syria is indeed 'the cradle of civilization', its history so important it still resounds through our lives today.
The trip will follow the ancient trade routes, starting with Damascus, a city so beautiful that when Mohammed glimpsed it from a distance he declared he would not enter the city gates as Man could enter Paradise only once. Damascus lays claim to being the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world and indeed one would not dare dispute this knowing that the Hittites and Hurrians, Aramaeans, Assyrians, Egyptians, Canaanites, Persians, Nabateans, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Crusaders, Ottomans and French had all passed through. Walking the streets of Damascus is like stepping into an illustrated encyclopedia of history. The evidence left behind by each invader, or trader, is astounding. The city shall be our base for exploring the immediate region, with day trips to wonders such as the Roman settlement at Bosra boasting possibly the most well preserved of theatres and the 4th century monastery at Maaloula, a village clinging to the side of a mountain where Aramaic is still spoken. We will venture across the desert to Palmyra, an oasis of splendor rising out of the sand. Palmyra was an important stop for the caravans on the Silk Road from China to the Mediterranean, but it was under the intelligent and beautiful Queen Zenobia that the city reached its height. Her legacy lives on, frozen in time. We will drive through the Valley of the Christians and climb sharply up to Krac des Chevaliers, a perfectly preserved crusader castle. Strategically built at Homs Gap, 'the gateway to Syria', the castle was frequently besieged and only fell once - through trickery rather than force. Our last port of call is Aleppo, a centre of commerce since Roman times and an excellent city in which to lose oneself in the labyrinth of souks. From here we will explore the 'dead cities', visiting the site where St.Simeon stood for thirty seven years at the top of a column.
Syria is a country of superlatives, a country of firsts (the first alphabet, the first musical notes...) It is a country many want to explore but find the prospect rather daunting. Let AHA take the stress and uncertainty out of planning such a trip.
