Is it safe to visit Syria in 2024?

If we look into the Syria travel advice–, the FCDO advises against all travel to Syria, and claims that foreigners should leave by any practical means. The FCDO claims that the situation in Syria is volatile and dangerous. This is partially true, but only for those areas where the government has no control. This includes the eastern part of Syria, an area off-limits to all tourists.

Regardless of your feelings about the current Syrian Government – we are not here to discuss politics – the areas controlled by them are currently safe to travel to, and no Syrian living in that part of Syria will tell you otherwise.

How safe is it to travel to Syria?

I have been to Syria three times since the beginning of the conflict and can only speak positively about it.

The people

On the one hand Syrians are happy to see tourists, as they are a sign that Syria has become a safer country. Plus, tourism was once an important part of Syria’s economic system.

Security in Syria

On the other hand I can confirm that the security situation has improved dramatically between 2018 and 2022. The proof is that in 2018, going through the checkpoints was much more difficult than it is today. In 2018, road checks used to take forever and I remember the Syrian Army periodically checking my backpack in Damascus. In 2022 we were able pass all checkpoints relatively quickly, making the whole experience seem more relaxed.

The only checkpoint in 2022 where I was asked to show my passport was at the Bosra border checkpoint. This isn’t controlled or monitored by the Government, but by the Bosra. Free Syrian Army (FSA).

Is life returning to normal in Syria?

The souks of Damascus are crowded with people, and the restaurants are also full. Homs and Aleppo are suffering more than Damascus. However, a lot of reconstruction is taking place, shops are opening and slowly Syrians are returning to their hometowns.

It will be a long time before Syria can regain the beautiful life it had before 2010, mainly because half the population fled abroad and there is no money to rebuild all the destroyed buildings. The simple fact that the process of returning to normal has already begun can only mean that Syria will become safer and there is hope.

Which parts of Syria can you safely visit?

Here’s where you can travel safely in Syria.

1 – Safe regions to visit in Syria

Is there any part of Syria that is safe? – some people wonder. As I said earlier, the safest areas to visit in Syria include those that are controlled by government.

Is Damascus safe?

Officially, the capital has always been one of the safest places in Syria – relatively speaking. Although the outer areas of the city have been heavily bombed it is true that the old city as well as the new part of the town are unaffected. The streets and souks in both parts of the city have also returned to life. All travelers are amazed at how ordinary everything appears to be. Today, you can walk around Damascus without any worries.

Is Aleppo safe?

The old city of Aleppo, liberated in 2017 by Al Nusra and largely destroyed, was almost completely destroyed. People say that before the crisis Aleppo used have the most beautiful Souk in the Middle East. Most shops are closed today, but there is much rebuilding taking place. In comparison to 2018, small, family-owned business have started to appear.

Is Homs a safe place?

Homs, the city most heavily affected by the war with nearly half of the city completely destroyed, was the worst-affected. When I first went there in 2018, it was a ghost town. The souk had disappeared and I saw hardly anyone walking the streets.

During my second visit to the city in 2022, I found that the souk was rebuilt and certain parts of the center were relatively busy. Homs’ original beauty will take many years to restore, as many of the districts are in ruins today.

Is Krak de Chevaliers safe?

Krak de Chevaliers, a Crusader castle, is one of the best preserved medieval castles. It was once a major tourist destination, but during the crisis it was taken over by a branch Al-Qaeda called Al Nusra Before the Syrian Army took back.

Is Maaloula safe?

Maaloula, a historic Christian town, was also captured by Al Nusra in 2013 and recovered by the jihadists during the battle of Maaloula. Maaloula has been reopened to tourists and you can see that some of the churches and monasteries are still damaged.

Visit safe places in Syria

There are many places in Syria where it is safe to travel:

• Hama: The city of the 17 Norias
• Al Mishtaya, Marmarita and other Christian villages near Krak
• Sidnaya, a Christian town near Maaloula
• Tartous and Latakia, the two main coastal cities
• Arwad is the only inhabited island of Syria

2 – Relatively safe areas to visit in Syria

There are some places that are not safe to visit.

Is Palmyra safe?

Palmyra and its archaeological site are located about 300km east of Damascus. ISIS captured it twice in 2014 and 2016. The Temple of Bel was destroyed, but most of the structures and the site are still standing. The reason why Palmyra is in the relatively-safe section is that ISIS cells are not that far away, and a few attacks have been reported – always targeting the army – along the road that takes you to Palmyra.

The situation is much calmer, and there is an insane amount of security along with all tourists being escorted. The Russian Army is responsible for guarding the archaeological site at Palmyra. They are based at Qalaat Fakhr ad-Din al-Maani (Palmyra Castle), a fortress overlooking the ruins and a former spot to watch sunsets.

Is Bosra a safe place?

Bosra lies in the southern part of the country, close to Jordan’s border. It’s a peaceful place, and it’s pretty much the only place that’s safe to visit, where the Free Syrian Army is in control, a group of armed men who represent the Syrian people and oppose the Syrian Regime.

The FSA played a key role in fighting against the Syrian Government in the war, but now they are trying to make pacts with each other. In exchange for gaining control of that territory, the FSA agreed to allow Russian troops to be present. Bosra can be visited safely, but it is a sensitive area and most visitors come here to see the Roman theatre.

3 – Dangerous areas to visit in Syria

The dangerous areas to visit in Syria all have one thing in mind: you can’t even visit them if you want to.

Is Idlib a safe place?

Being almost an enclave within the Government-controlled west part of Syria, the city of Idlib is an area dominated by Al Nusra. However, their dominance is only symbolic, as it is actually occupied in reality by Turkey. You will receive an SMS saying Welcome to Turkey from a Turkish mobile phone network when you reach Idlib.

Nobody knows exactly what is going on, but it seems that the Turkish government has begun annexing Idlib after the Syrian Government stopped fighting for it. In Idlib the local currency is no longer the Syrian Lira, but Turkish. The residents of Idlib are not allowed into Syria, but they are allowed to enter Turkey. It’s not in the Western media, and nobody talks about it. But it’s happening.

Is Raqa safe?

The former capital city of ISIS is completely off-limits to visitors.

I tried to understand the current situation in Raqa, but was never able to get a convincing reply. Apparently, a part of Raqa Province is under Government control, and the rest is under Kurdish forces. Despite this, some people claim that it is still a dangerous area because ISIS sleeping cell are still there.

Is Rojava safe?

Rojava – officially named the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria – is a region of Syria that could be essentially understood as Syrian Kurdistan. It was granted autonomy after several battles in the war. Here is a fantastic explanation.

Rojava is a volatile region that experiences conflict on and off. ISIS, for example, attacked al-Sina Prison located in a Rojava city in February 2022.

Is Syria a safe place for female solo travelers to visit?

Like its neighbor Lebanon, Syria has a diverse ethnic, religious, and cultural population. It is also home to many Christians and a large number of secular people.

What I would like to say is that Syrians have a lot of experience dealing with people of all kinds. So, bumping into liberal women walking down the streets of Damascus, is not uncommon. If you aren’t visiting very conservative areas, then you can dress however you want, at least relatively.

Many Muslims do not fast during Ramadan. Moreover, a large number of restaurants in Syria remain open. This is because the population is largely secular. Traveling as a woman in Syria is, obviously, more challenging than if you are a man – like in any other country – but what I can tell you is that popular destinations such as Morocco, Egypt or even Jordan are way more challenging than Syria, from a solo woman perspective.

Is it safe to travel to Syria for Americans?

Syrians tend to be kind-hearted and don’t judge based on their nationality. While it’s true that many Syrians blame – partly – the USA for what happened in the country recently, they also know that American tourists have nothing to do with the US Government and that they visit Syria just to learn about the conflict, meet beautiful Syrians and visit all their historical gems.

Conclusion: Is Syria a safe place for tourists?

Remember that the areas controlled and governed by the Syrian Government may not be completely safe, but they are still relatively safe. Be sure to do your research and pay attention to the surroundings before you go. Against the Compass does not take responsibility for any unfortunate events that may occur in the current crisis.