Destination: Syria

LONELY PLANET'S OFFICIAL ITINERARY INFORMATION

Itinerary: The Euphrates & the Emptiness

FIVE DAYS / THE EUPHRATES RIVER

While this area is best seen with your own transport, you can still do this trip utilising the variety of public transport methods available in Syria. Some travellers have done this journey as a bicycle trip – an unforgettable experience, providing you are well prepared for the searing seasonal temperatures.



Alongside the Nile and Tigris, the Euphrates is one of the great Middle East rivers. Flowing through the northeastern region of Syria bordering Turkey and Iraq, this area is known as the Jezira, or ‘island’. Its fertile grounds yield wheat, cotton and oil. To explore this region, from Aleppo, head east to Raqqa. This dusty little town will be your base to visit Qala’at Najm, built by Nurredin, and Qala’at Ja’abar, a Mesopotamian citadel overlooking Lake al-Assad; you can also swim and picnic with the locals at the Ath-Thaura dam. A visit to Rasafa is a must – an immense walled city with ruins of three basilicas, it rises dramatically out of the empty desert.

From Raqqa travel southeast to the bustling market town of Deir ez-Zur. Basing yourself here for a few days, you can do a couple of day trips or take one very long day to see the various archaeological sites along the Euphrates River towards the Iraqi border. Dura Europos, an extensive Hellenistic/Roman fortress city, has breathtaking views of the desert.

The mud-brick ruins of Mari might not offer beautiful vistas, but this is one of the most important ancient Mesopotamian sites. Take time in Deir ez-Zur to enjoy the riverside setting, colourful souq and Bedouin-influenced culture, before heading for the stunning Roman ruins of Palmyra before heading south to vibrant Damascus.