The Adventures of Nicole was invited to Syria to partner with Syrian Guides to promote tourism and sites around the country. All views are her own.

Travel to Syria in 2025: What it was like

Updated April 2025, Travel to Syria in 2025: What it was like was originally published in October 2024

Traveling to Syria had long been on my to-do list. I had loose plans to visit back in 2011, utilizing a (now) long defunct ferry line to get there from Europe.  

But as you all know, the 2011 Arab Spring kicked off.

I was still set on going, but as the protests started to increase my travel buddy started to second guess if it would be a giant pain, so we decided to hold off on our Syria plans.  

It’s one of the few things in my life I look back at and wish I’d have done otherwise, as the situation escalated into a full-scale war, the rise of ISIS, and the destruction of countless historical artifacts and sites.  

But still, I always knew that Syria would one day become feasible again. So there my Syria travel plans sat on the back burner until 2024.

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So what was it like to Travel to Syria?

Syria was quite different from the slew of difficult nations I’ve visited over the years. Unlike countries that I’ve frequented over the past decade such as Yemen and Afghanistan, Syria was a tourism powerhouse until rather recently, with a developed tourism infrastructure.

Strife due to the proxy war, terror organizations, and economic woes, among other hindrances, Syria has suffered immensely, despite housing a few of the most impressive archeological sites dating back to the times of the Greek, Roman Empire, and Byzantine eras as well as some of the world’s longest continuously inhabited cities.

With reminders of both Syria’s once-bustling tourism sector and of the scars of war, it’s a juxtaposition of two sides to a nation pushing forward.

Wandering the Roman ruins of Palmyra as it sat largely destroyed, and those of Bosra and Apamea featuring stones pockmarked with bullet holes or pieces missing altogether after looting across borders. All of which sites we had entirely to ourselves.

Courtyard cafes full of patrons sipping chai and even alcohol in a cloud of shisha hidden behind high walls and closed Damascene doors. Gorgeous stretches of Mediterranean coastline with nary a soul wandering its sands.

Hotels both grand and boutique sat desolate or in some cases burned and nearly razed- spiraled into a state of disuse. Trundling past towns between major cities sat largely abandoned and blown to pieces. This is the mixture of what I witnessed as I traveled across Syria.

So, Should You Travel to Syria?

Syria is complex, to say the least, from its rich history to its diverse cultures, and politics. Its complexities can be a deterrent as much as they can be attractive to tourists.

Those curious about Syria who accept the nation in the state it is currently in, actively acknowledge the delicate balance the country straddles, and the risks involved in visiting will be greatly rewarded by their travels in Syria. -If this is you, then I recommend a visit to Syria to experience what the country has to offer but also to serve as a voice connecting the outside world to the realities of Syria once your travels in the country are over, that it’s more than just another warzone.

There are many reasons to visit Syria and to do so responsibly, from helping support its tourism industry, which is essentially restarting, to understanding more about the complexities of Syria.

So who shouldn’t go?

I’m not here to tell anyone what to do, but those who want to visit for bragging rights of having traveled to Syria and want to perpetuate the stereotypes of what wartorn nations are like (hint: they are all vastly different)- Syria probably isn’t the destination for you.

Balancing the Ethics of Traveling in Syria

I’ve seen some self-righteous travel influencers and bloggers whining about the ethics of visiting war zones. Making the point that no one should visit, period. Of course, ethically visiting these destinations is a complex topic and you could argue either way if you should or shouldn’t go- and I think these all need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

In my opinion, there are plenty of reasons to visit Syria and ways to do it as ethically as possible. I personally think it’s far more important to visit places like Syria to support local business ventures and learn more about their society, rather than to sit in the comforts of well-beaten traveler routes in Southeast Asia, Europe, or even the US clutching your pearls and having an all-out online hissyfit over others doing it.

There are certain unavoidable places your money will go into the hands of the government- ie: visa fees and taxes that businesses must pay. So in the ethics category, this is one negative as many travelers do not want to support the governments of countries in strife- I feel that helping support local tourism and businesses affiliated with the industry overshadows this, but this is a question you have to mull over for yourself to decide if visiting Syria is ethical for you.

And finally, it just really depends on what you want to see and how you plan to depict your Syrian travels after your trip is over. If you just plan to treat it like an edgy backdrop or dramatize your visit as a tourist surviving a war zone, military state, etc., then maybe it’s not the place for you yet.

Is it Safe to Travel to Syria Right Now?

It’s no secret that Syria has suffered immensely throughout the civil war, but that said, Syria at present is safer than you would assume, for tourists at least.

One major reason for this is that the movement of tourists around the country is tightly regulated.

You will go through countless police and military checkpoints as you move throughout the country and many will stop the car to check permits and documents.

These checkpoints monitor situations and movement into and out of their areas and will not allow you in if there is a threat as a precaution.

A thing to note about attacks in Syria is that when they do happen, they tend to be targeted, and these targets are rarely places a tourist would be visiting anyway (such as the IDF attack on the Iranian annex in Damascus back in April).

Although a guide is not required any longer to visit Syria, I still would recommend hiring one as they will enrich the experience with their extensive knowledge of the history and politics of the country as well as sharing their stories of life in Syria before, during, and now as the country rebuilds from the war. In my experience with Syrian Guides, Rami, Mary, and Bashar all take security quite seriously and make assessments throughout the trip based on information they might receive.

Independent Travel in Syria

Foreign visitors are now able to travel independently in certain parts of Syria. They can visit the cities, but not all the tourist sites like Palmyra or Bosra.

Alternatively, they can come with a travel company, which will organize everything including transfers, transportation, accommodation, etc. (I 100% recommend Syrian Guides for this).

How to Travel to Syria

Much to many people’s surprise, you can, in fact, travel in Syria. As of May 2025, many nationalities can enter Syria visa-free through the land border crossings between Syria and Lebanon; and Syria and Jordan.

If flying directly to Syria, you will likely need to pay a visa-free on arrival. See this post for approximate costs of visa fees at Damascus Airport.

Visa-Free Entry to Syria

As of February 2025, following the regime change Syria has undergone, many nationalities may enter Syria visa-free from the borders of Lebanon and Jordan based on reciprocity. If you aren’t sure, get in touch and I can verify with a local team who can tell you can enter visa-free on your passport.

Be aware that this current visa scheme could end at any moment.

Entering Syria at the Land Borders

It is possible to enter Syria at its land borders with Jordan and Lebanon.

Read this post on the Jordan-Syria border crossing and this post on the Lebanon-Syria border crossing.

Have any questions about visit Syria?

Ask in the comments section below.

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