Getting into Syria is far simpler than it was two years ago. Most nationalities now collect a visa on arrival rather than applying in advance. This is the practical side: the visa, the money, the route in, and the things that catch people out.
Yes, with preparation. Most nationalities now get a visa on arrival at Damascus airport or the main land borders from Lebanon and Jordan, paid in cash US dollars. Damascus and Aleppo airports are operating and around sixteen airlines serve Damascus. Some regions remain off limits, most Western governments still advise against all travel, and anyone whose passport shows travel to Israel will be refused entry. Read the safety page before booking anything.
In the order most people need them. Each has a full page, kept current.
The honest picture, region by region, and what "safe" means here.
Who needs one, how to apply, and the rules that changed recently.
Flights into Damascus and Aleppo, and the overland routes from Beirut and Amman.
A cash economy, what things cost, and why your card won't work.
Month by month, by region, with the seasons that actually matter.
How far ahead to do each step, counting back from your departure date. Timings assume a two-week trip.
Decide where you're going before anything else. It determines the visa route, the guide, and the insurance.
Spring and autumn for most of the country. Avoid July and August inland.
Any Israeli stamp, visa or residency document means refused entry, and so can a neighbouring border stamp that shows travel toward Israel. There is no way around it. Do this before you book anything.
No longer a visa condition for most nationalities, but still how most visitors travel. A good guide handles driving, checkpoints, SIM cards and local rates.
Flying is quicker, but some airlines still refuse to board passengers without a visa already in the passport, even where visa on arrival applies. Land crossings from Beirut or Jordan avoid that problem entirely.
Ask your airline directly whether it will board you on a visa on arrival. If the answer is no, a licensed Syrian operator can obtain an approval document to show at check-in.
Standard policies usually void cover where a do-not-travel advisory applies, and some insurers still exclude Syria by sanctions list. Get Syria named in writing, with medical cover and evacuation.
Everything you need for the trip, in clean, new US dollars, including the visa fee and small notes for daily spending. There is no ATM fallback.
Modest clothing, a power bank, offline maps, and printed copies of your documents.
Built around what's currently accessible and worth the travel time.
Damascus and its surroundings, with one day trip. For a first visit or a short window.
The two great cities, the castles, and the coast. The trip most visitors take.
Everything above plus Palmyra and the Dead Cities, at a reasonable pace.
For the specialist: the sites, the museums, and the eras in order.
None of these are dealbreakers. All of them are easier if you know in advance.
Foreign cards do not work and there are no ATMs for visitors. Bring every dollar you need in clean, new notes, including the visa fee. Dollars are now accepted openly in shops, which was illegal under the old regime.
On 1 January 2026 the Syrian pound was redenominated and two zeros were removed, so 100 old pounds became 1 new pound. Old prices quoted online can look a hundred times too high. Check which pound someone means.
Never photograph checkpoints, military sites, or government buildings. Elsewhere, ask first.
Syriatel and MTN both sell to foreigners on production of a passport, usually around 10 to 20 dollars with data. eSIMs are not widely supported, so plan on a physical SIM. Download offline maps before you travel.
You'll pass through many. Keep your passport and permits accessible and be patient.
You will be invited in, fed, and refused payment. Accept graciously; it is meant sincerely.
No exceptions, and it applies regardless of nationality. Israeli stamps, visas and residency documents all count, and so can a neighbouring border stamp showing travel toward Israel. Check your passport before you book.
We'd rather you have a good trip than simply take one.
Roads, drivers, shared taxis, and why you won't be self-driving.
Clothing, documents, medication, and the things you can't buy there.
Why you'll want one, what it costs, and how to find someone good.
Dress, greetings, mosques and churches, Ramadan, and photography.
Vaccinations, pharmacies, hospitals, and cover that actually applies.
What to expect, and what experienced visitors recommend.
Most nationalities do, and for most it is now issued on arrival at Damascus airport or the main land borders, rather than in advance. The fee is paid in cash US dollars and varies by nationality, from nothing to a few hundred dollars. There is no eVisa.
Yes. US passport holders are generally issued a visa on arrival for a fee in the region of 200 dollars, cash. The State Department still rates Syria Level 4, do not travel, which affects insurance and means only emergency consular help is available.
Usually 15 or 30 days, single entry. Travellers report 15 days is common at the airport and 15 or 30 at land borders. Check the stamp before you leave the counter rather than assuming.
Food and accommodation are cheap by regional standards. Operators commonly suggest budgeting around 75 dollars a day on the ground, plus the visa fee, the guide and transport, and getting into the country.
It is no longer a visa condition for most nationalities, so independent travel is possible. Most visitors still use a guide, because it solves driving, checkpoints, language and local prices in one go, and it makes the trip better.
No. Cards do not work and there are no ATMs available to visitors. Syria is a cash country for travellers, so bring the whole trip in clean US dollars.