Seven-day private journey · Churches, monasteries & living traditions
Christian Heritage & Monasteries
Damascus · Sednaya · Maaloula · Aleppo · Saint Simeon · Mar Musa
Follow Syria’s Christian heritage from intimate city chapels to mountain monasteries, with time for architecture, sacred art and the communities who give these places meaning today.
Plan my heritage journeyExplore the seven daysA heritage that is still lived
Churches are places of people, as well as history.
Explore the Christian stories of Damascus, the shrine associated with John the Baptist in the Umayyad Mosque, the monastery traditions of Sednaya and Maaloula, Homs’s Church of the Holy Belt, Aleppo’s varied churches and the remarkable settings of Saint Simeon and Mar Musa. Your guide connects architecture and sacred art with the communities who continue to care for these places.
The journey can be shaped as a cultural exploration or a more reflective pilgrimage. Time for quiet contemplation can sit alongside guided explanations; services, clergy meetings and hosted encounters are arranged separately when the community’s schedule permits.
Discover a varied religious landscape through selected churches, chapels and monastery settings.
Look closely at stonework, icons and frescoes, with context from your guide.
Agree a balance of historical explanation, quiet time and any requested devotional arrangements.
A few of the places along the way
From a small chapel to a mountain sanctuary.
Seven days, six nights
Your suggested heritage journey.
Arrival is on Day 1 and departure on Day 7. The route uses Damascus, Homs-area and Aleppo hotels; Homs breaks the north–south drives. Add one or two nights for more time in Aleppo, fewer full days or additional devotional arrangements.
Day 1 · Arrival in Damascus
A gentle beginning in the Old City.
Meet your driver at the arrival point agreed in your quotation and travel to your Damascus hotel. Take time to settle in before discussing the week with your guide: which traditions interest you, whether you want opportunities for prayer and how much walking feels comfortable.
If arrival time allows, enjoy a short orientation walk near your hotel. The Old City’s lanes and courtyard houses introduce the urban setting in which the first part of the journey unfolds. A drink or a simple meal can make a pleasant first pause, without committing to a full sightseeing programme after travelling.
No essential church visit is scheduled for this day. If you arrive early and would like additional guiding, we can agree it in advance; a late arrival can simply lead into a restful first night.
Overnight: Damascus
Pace: Arrival-led; optional short walk
Day 2 · Damascus Christian quarter
Saint Ananias, Saint Paul and the shrine of John the Baptist.
Begin in the Christian quarter with Saint Ananias Chapel and the traditions linking Damascus to Saint Paul. Continue along Straight Street towards the Mariamite Cathedral, the Greek Orthodox cathedral of the city, and include Bab Kisan’s Saint Paul Chapel, traditionally associated with Paul’s escape from Damascus. Your guide connects the biblical accounts, local traditions and the buildings you can visit today.
After a break, visit the Umayyad Mosque. Inside is a shrine traditionally believed to contain the head of John the Baptist, honoured in Islam as the prophet Yahya. This is an important part of the journey: the site’s Christian past and its continuing Muslim worship place the story of Damascus within a shared sacred landscape.
Allow time for the mosque’s courtyard, the prayer hall and discussion of the shrine, following the visiting arrangements. Church interiors and the order of the walk are confirmed around opening and worship times. The day includes a lunch pause; an additional service or clergy meeting can be requested separately.
Saint Ananias Chapel · Straight Street · Mariamite Cathedral · Saint Paul Chapel at Bab Kisan · Umayyad Mosque and the shrine associated with John the Baptist.
Overnight: Damascus
Pace: A full city day with breaks
Day 3 · Damascus → Sednaya → Maaloula → Homs
Sednaya, Saint Thecla and Saints Sergius and Bacchus.
Leave Damascus for the Monastery of Our Lady of Sednaya, an important place of Marian devotion. Take the stepped approach at a considered pace and allow time for the church visit and the monastery’s setting. Your guide explains the traditions associated with the place and the arrangements for entering devotional spaces.
Continue to Maaloula for both of its principal monastery visits: the Greek Orthodox Convent of Saint Thecla and the Greek Melkite Catholic Monastery of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, also known as Mar Sarkis. Explore their contrasting settings and sacred art while discussing the village’s Christian traditions and Aramaic heritage.
A lunch break separates the visits, and a short village walk adds context without making the optional gorge walk essential. Continue to the Homs area for the night. We confirm the interior visits and adjust the walking to your needs; any requested prayer or community encounter is arranged in advance.
Our Lady of Sednaya Monastery · Saint Thecla’s Convent · Saints Sergius and Bacchus / Mar Sarkis · a selected Maaloula village walk.
Overnight: Homs area
Pace: Two towns and three religious sites; steps can be demanding
Day 4 · Morning in Homs
Church of Saint Mary of the Holy Belt.
Begin in Homs with the Syriac Orthodox cathedral known as Umm al-Zunnar or Um Al-Zenar. The church is associated with a relic traditionally believed to be part of the Virgin Mary’s belt, making it an important focus of Marian devotion.
Allow time for the agreed church visit and for your guide to explain the tradition, the shrine and the cathedral’s place in the life of Homs. Access to particular spaces and photography are confirmed with the church. A personal meeting or participation in worship is requested separately.
Church of Saint Mary of the Holy Belt. The accompanying interior photograph is an archival view from 2008.
Dosseman · CC BY-SA 4.0 · resized.
Day 4 · Homs → Aleppo · Afternoon
Aleppo’s Christian quarter.
Continue north to Aleppo with a meal break along the way. In the historic Jdeideh quarter, the suggested afternoon pairs the Armenian Apostolic Cathedral of the Forty Martyrs with the Maronite Cathedral of Saint Elijah. These visits introduce different Christian traditions through their architecture, devotional images and continuing use.
Keep the walk selective after the transfer. Church interiors and the sequence are confirmed around local schedules; clergy meetings and services are requested separately. The photograph alongside this part of the day shows a Maronite church in Aleppo.
Overnight: Aleppo
Pace: Morning church visit in Homs, intercity transfer and selected Aleppo churches.
Day 5 · Aleppo → Saint Simeon → Homs
A pilgrimage landscape in stone.
Visit the sanctuary of Saint Simeon with your guide, exploring the accessible remains of an important early Christian pilgrimage setting. The site developed around the saint’s pillar; its architecture offers a vivid way to discuss how worship, movement and pilgrimage were organised.
Take time to understand the layout rather than treat the ruins as a single viewpoint. Your guide connects surviving elements with the site’s historical purpose, while explaining damage and conservation where relevant. The visit follows the areas open for your date, with care around uneven ground.
After a meal break, continue south towards Homs for another overnight stop. This is one of the fuller road days in the programme. If you want a more spacious visit or more time in Aleppo, an additional night is a useful extension.
Overnight: Homs area
Pace: Archaeological walking plus a longer transfer
Day 6 · Homs → Mar Musa → Damascus
Frescoes, mountain air and quiet time.
Travel towards Mar Musa, where the final approach is on foot by a substantial stepped ascent. We allow time to climb at a steady pace with breaks. This visit is a physical commitment, so we discuss suitability before booking and agree an alternative if the ascent does not work for your party.
Inside the church, allow your eyes to adjust and look closely at the medieval frescoes. Your guide introduces the images and their setting, with time to sit quietly when the community’s routine allows. Photography and conversation follow the monastery’s guidance.
A shared meal, conversation with a resident or participation in prayer may be requested but is not guaranteed. After the visit and descent, continue to Damascus for your final night. This overnight keeps the monastery visit separate from the pressure of an onward flight.
Overnight: Damascus
Pace: Stepped ascent and descent; alternative visit available
Day 7 · Damascus departure
A calm ending, shaped around your travel.
Enjoy breakfast and prepare for departure. Depending on your onward travel, there may be time for a final café stop, a short walk near the hotel or a quiet moment to reflect on the journey. These are flexible possibilities rather than scheduled visits you might miss.
Your driver meets you for the departure transfer confirmed in your programme. Hotel checkout and luggage arrangements are coordinated with the property; any late checkout or extra room use is requested separately.
If you would like another church visit, a service or more time in Damascus, we can add a final night and the guiding you need. Share your travel plans before booking so that the finish feels unhurried.
Overnight: Departure; extra night available
Pace: Based on your departure time
More than the monuments
Sacred art and extraordinary settings.
Look closely at the architecture, devotional images and landscapes that give each place its character. Interior access and photography arrangements are confirmed for your visits.
Rest between the visits
Six nights, with practical overnight stops.
The suggested plan includes three Damascus nights in total, two Homs-area nights on different dates and one Aleppo night. We confirm the hotels, room types and exact locations before booking. Overnight stops can be adjusted if you extend the trip.
Traditional or contemporary comfort
Choose a characterful Damascus courtyard property or a more conventional hotel. Outside Damascus, we prioritise a practical location and the comfort you need for the following day’s visits.
Access matters
Tell us about stairs, bed arrangements and luggage. Heritage hotels and Old City locations can involve steps or a short walk from the vehicle; we check these details with you.
Hotel images are examples. Monastery accommodation is not included in this suggested programme.
Comfort along the route
Private transport for your party.
Your driver and vehicle cover the agreed intercity route and transfers. Vehicle choice depends on your traveller numbers, luggage and comfort requirements. Walking inside churches, monasteries and archaeological areas remains an important part of the journey.
SedanFor a small party when seating and luggage requirements allow.
Hyundai H-1More space for travellers and bags on the road days.
MinibusFor a larger private party; capacity is agreed for your group.
Photographs illustrate vehicle categories. The confirmed model may be an equivalent vehicle.
Heritage or pilgrimage, clearly arranged
Price & inclusions.
Receive a quotation with the price per person and the total for your private party.
Your price depends on group size, rooms, hotel choice, vehicle, meals and any additional hosting or specialist arrangements. Tell us whether the emphasis is cultural, devotional or a combination so that the quote reflects the journey you want.
The proposed package
- Six hotel nights in the agreed room arrangement
- Breakfasts as confirmed in your hotel proposal
- Private guide for the agreed programme on Days 2–6
- Private vehicle and driver for the confirmed route
- Entrances for the included visits
- Arrival and departure transfers from agreed points
Options shown separately
- Lunches, dinners and hosted meals
- Single rooms, hotel upgrades and extra nights
- Additional guiding, specialist meetings or a priest accompanying your party
- Any agreed donations or special arrangements with hosts
Flights, visa fees, travel insurance, personal expenses and tips are excluded unless specifically stated otherwise. Airport and border transfer prices can differ.
Share your group’s tradition, language, interests and proposed spiritual leader. We can discuss an appropriate programme and request service arrangements with local churches before confirming them.
Plan with understanding
Questions about the journey.
Why does a Christian heritage tour include the Umayyad Mosque?
The mosque stands within a sacred site that previously included a Christian church. Its prayer hall contains a shrine traditionally associated with the head of John the Baptist, also revered as Yahya in Islam. Visiting it helps explain both Damascus’s Christian history and its shared religious heritage. We visit respectfully as guests in a working mosque.
Do I have to be Christian to join?
No. The journey can focus on history, art, architecture and community life, or take a devotional emphasis for travellers who want that. Respect for worship and local customs is expected from everyone.
Can you arrange Mass or another service?
We can request arrangements with a suitable church, subject to clergy availability, the community’s calendar and the needs of your group. Tell us your denomination and language. A private service is not included or guaranteed by default.
Will we meet priests, monks or nuns?
We can ask for meetings when relevant, but personal encounters depend on hosts’ availability and agreement. The tour does not promise access to a particular individual.
How demanding is Mar Musa?
The final approach involves a long stepped ascent and descent. Tell us about mobility or stamina concerns before booking. We can replace this visit with an agreed alternative rather than assume the ascent will suit everyone.
Can we avoid long walking routes?
We can shorten some visits, but steps and uneven surfaces are common in historic places. We discuss your specific needs and check hotel and vehicle access as well as the sites.
Can we visit at Easter or Christmas?
Ask us about your preferred year and dates. Religious calendars, services and hotel availability affect the programme; festival participation is arranged around the local communities.
Can the itinerary be longer?
Yes. Extra nights can allow more Aleppo time, fewer full travel days or additional places such as Saint George’s Monastery in Wadi al-Nasara. These are extensions to the seven-day route, with visits and access agreed in advance. We can also shape a shorter Damascus-based version.
Syria tours beyond the beaten path
Shape a journey around what matters to you.
Plan your Christian heritage journey.
Send your dates, party size, preferred language and room arrangement. Tell us whether you are most interested in history, sacred art, pilgrimage or a mixture, and share any walking needs or requests for worship.
Request my private quoteContact Syrian GuidesExplore all private tours · Read about Saint Ananias Chapel and Saint Thecla’s Convent.