Route Through Time: Damascus & Beirut Tour

The group meets at Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen Airport and, after ticket and baggage procedures, flies to Aleppo. On arrival, the city tour covers the Citadel of Aleppo, the historic Aleppo souk, the Great Mosque, Bab al-Hadid, and Soap Khan, an Ottoman-era trading house once central to the city's olive oil soap production and trade. The group then takes a panoramic tour of the Al-Jdeydeh quarter, home mainly to Christian communities under Ottoman rule and known for its stone mansions and narrow streets that reflect Aleppo's multicultural history. The day ends with a transfer to the hotel, dinner, and an overnight stay.

After breakfast, the group travels to Hama, stopping first at the tomb of the Umayyad Caliph Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz. Next comes a visit to Hama's famous norias, the great wooden waterwheels on the Orontes River powered by the current, among the most important examples of medieval hydraulic engineering. In Homs, the group visits the mosque and shrine of Khalid ibn al-Walid, the celebrated companion known as the Sword of God, and the Church of Our Lady of the Girdle, one of the oldest churches in the Middle East, believed to hold a relic of the Virgin Mary's girdle. The day ends with arrival in Damascus, transfer to the hotel, dinner, and an overnight stay.

After breakfast, the Damascus city tour begins with the Hejaz Railway Station, the historic Hamidiyah Souk, and the tomb of Saladin, the great commander who retook Jerusalem from the Crusaders. The group then visits the Turkish Martyr Pilots Monument, dedicated to Ottoman pilots who died in Damascus during World War I, and the Umayyad Mosque, built under Caliph al-Walid I and believed to hold the shrine of the Prophet Yahya (John the Baptist). The tour continues with the shrine of Sayyida Ruqayya, daughter of Imam Hussein, the Azm Palace, built in the 18th century by the Ottoman governor As'ad Pasha al-Azm and now a museum, and the school and tomb of Nur ad-Din Zengi, regarded as a mentor to Saladin. The day ends with a return to the hotel, dinner, and an overnight stay.

After breakfast, the Damascus tour continues, starting with the tomb of the great Sufi thinker Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi, followed by the shrine of Sayyida Zaynab, daughter of Ali and Fatima, an important pilgrimage site in Ahl al-Bayt history after the events of Karbala. The group then visits the Bab al-Saghir Cemetery, one of Damascus's oldest and most sacred burial grounds, home to the graves of several companions and members of the Prophet's family, including Bilal al-Habashi and Umm Habiba. The day continues with a visit to the tombs of Sultan Mehmed VI Vahdettin, the last Ottoman sultan, who died in Italy in 1926 and was brought to be buried at the Suleymaniyah complex, along with other members of the Ottoman dynasty. The day ends with a transfer to the hotel, dinner, and an overnight stay.

After breakfast, the group first visits the ancient city of Bosra, seeing the ruins of the Monastery of Bahira, along with Roman and Byzantine remains, an ancient theater, and the city walls. The group then heads to Beirut; after crossing the border and clearing customs, the city tour includes the Corniche, Pigeon Rocks, and the Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque (the Blue Mosque), which blends modern and classical Ottoman architecture. Guests who wish can join an optional boat trip on the Mediterranean around Pigeon Rocks, especially rewarding for photos at sunset. This is followed by free time to shop in the traditional souks and a visit to Zaitunay Bay, a modern waterfront complex of restaurants and cafés. After a free dinner break, the group transfers to the airport and flies to Istanbul with Pegasus Airlines, bringing the tour to an end.