DAMASCUS ONE-DAY GROUP TOUR
Every Saturday · Art, Heritage & Shared City Stories · English Only
One Saturday. Many Layers of Damascus.
Damascus is not a city that can be understood by looking at monuments alone. Its real character lives between the museum galleries and crowded souqs, inside quiet courtyards, beneath Roman arches, and in conversations shared over coffee.
The Damascus One-Day Group Tour brings local residents and international visitors together for a carefully planned six-hour journey through the capital. We begin at the National Museum of Damascus, continue through the historic centre and the Old City, and finish at the Eastern Gate, known locally as Bab Sharqi.
This is more than a checklist of famous places. Your English-speaking local guide connects the monuments to the people, traditions, faiths and daily life that have shaped Damascus. Along the way, the group has time to talk, ask questions and make genuine connections.
The tour operates every Saturday from 5 September 2026 onwards. Once a booking is confirmed, departure is guaranteed even when only one guest has booked. The number and mix of local and international participants naturally varies from one Saturday to another.
We may adjust the order of visits, use an alternative cultural stop or divide participants into separate guided walking groups when operational conditions require it. This protects the quality of the experience without changing its central character.
The Essentials
Who This Tour Is For
This shared English-language tour welcomes both Syrian residents and international visitors who enjoy discovering Damascus with other people.
Damascus Tour Highlights
The city’s essential monuments come first. The route then moves into its neighbourhood histories, contemporary art and living handicraft traditions.
Art, Neighbourhoods & Handicrafts
Beyond the principal landmarks, the tour introduces creative spaces and neighbourhood stories that reveal another side of Damascus.
Damascus in Monuments, Art & Community
Saturday Itinerary
The times below provide a clear structure while leaving enough flexibility for questions, gallery and workshop availability, temporary closures and the natural rhythm of the Old City. The route may be reordered while keeping the overall experience and finishing time.
A Shared City Experience
The route creates opportunities for conversation. International visitors can gain a more human understanding of Damascus, while local residents can share their city, practise English and meet people from abroad. The number and nationality mix varies on every departure, so a particular social balance cannot be guaranteed.
The same US$15 shared-tour price applies to everyone. Entrance fees and café orders are separate.
Entrance Fees
Entrance fees are not included in the US$15 tour price because official rates differ between Syrian residents and international visitors. All figures below use the new Syrian pound. USD equivalents are calculated at the reference rate you provided—US$1 = 131 new SYP—and rounded for orientation. Fees and exchange rates may change, so participants pay the actual posted amount directly at each entrance.
International Visitor Fees
Estimated total: 2,750 new SYP (approximately US$20.99)
Syrian Resident Fees
Estimated listed total: 650 new SYP (approximately US$4.96), plus any applicable mosque or clothing charge.
A Break at Jabri House Café
Partway through the Old City walk, we pause at Jabri House Café, an atmospheric traditional courtyard where the group can rest and continue the conversation in a relaxed setting.
Food and drinks are not included. Everyone can decide whether to order tea, coffee, a cold drink, a snack or something more substantial. This keeps the tour price fair and allows each guest to choose according to personal taste and budget.
A Saturday Walking Through Damascus
Includes & Excludes
INCLUDES
EXCLUDES
Meeting & Finishing Points
What to Bring
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the tour operate?
The Damascus One-Day Group Tour operates every Saturday from 5 September 2026 onwards. Bookings for each departure close at 10:00 PM on the preceding Wednesday, Damascus time—72 hours before departure.
Is departure guaranteed?
Once your booking has been confirmed, the tour operates even when only one guest has booked. Like any travel service, operation remains subject to force majeure, official restrictions, exceptional safety conditions or events outside our reasonable control. If such a rare situation prevents operation, we contact confirmed guests and apply the appropriate alternative or remedy under our payment and cancellation policy.
Will there always be both local and international participants?
Both Syrian residents and international visitors are welcome, but the number and nationality mix varies from one Saturday to another. The tour creates opportunities for connection without promising a particular balance or group composition.
Is the price the same for everyone?
Yes. The shared-tour price is US$15 per person for local residents and international visitors. Entrance tickets and café orders are separate. Payment arrangements are confirmed during booking.
Which language is used?
The entire tour is conducted in English only. Live Arabic translation is not provided, so participants should be comfortable following explanations in English.
Are entrance fees included?
No. Entrance fees are paid separately in new Syrian pounds at each attraction. At the reference rate of US$1 = 131 new SYP, international visitors should currently allow approximately 2,750 new SYP (US$20.99) in total. Syrian residents should currently allow approximately 650 new SYP (US$4.96) for the museum, Azm Palace and Khan Asaad Pasha, plus any applicable mosque or clothing charge. Official fees and exchange rates may change.
Are all interiors and cultural stops guaranteed?
The advertised route is our intended Saturday programme, but museum rooms, places of worship, galleries, workshops and historic properties control their own opening and access. We may reorder the route or substitute an appropriate nearby cultural stop when an interior, exhibition or workshop is unavailable. Prayer times and official closures are always respected.
Does the Jewish Quarter visit include a synagogue?
The Jewish Quarter experience is a respectful guided neighbourhood walk focused on the history, families, crafts and architecture of Haret al-Yahud, also known as the Al-Amin quarter. Entry to synagogues, private houses or restricted properties is not promised.
Is Mustafa Ali Gallery always included?
Mustafa Ali Gallery is a planned cultural stop, subject to its Saturday opening and exhibition schedule. When it is unavailable, the guide provides another suitable art, architecture or craftsmanship experience nearby.
Do I have to buy handicrafts?
No. The crafts visit is educational and there is no obligation to purchase anything. If you choose to buy directly from an artisan, the purchase is personal and is not included in the tour price.
Are food and drinks included?
No. The group stops at Jabri House Café, where every participant can order and pay for any preferred drink, snack or meal. There is no compulsory café order.
How much walking is involved?
This is an active city walking tour lasting six hours, including indoor visits and a café break. Participants should be comfortable spending several hours on foot and walking on uneven Old City streets. Contact us before booking if you have mobility concerns.
Will photographs be taken?
The guide may offer group photographs during the day, but participation is optional. Tell the guide if you prefer not to appear in photographs. Participants must ask permission before photographing identifiable residents, artisans or private interiors.
What should I wear?
Wear comfortable walking shoes and clothing suitable for the weather. Modest dress is required when entering religious sites. Your guide will explain any additional requirements during the tour.
Where does the tour begin and end?
The tour begins at the main entrance of the National Museum of Damascus at 09:00 AM and finishes at Bab Sharqi, the Eastern Gate, at approximately 5:00 PM. Please arrive by 8:50 AM.
How do I reserve my place?
Contact us using the below form. We will then ask you to complete the booking form with your preferred Saturday and participant details before the Wednesday deadline. Submitting the contact form below is an inquiry and does not reserve a place by itself. Your booking becomes confirmed only after our team sends written confirmation and any required payment step has been completed.
What People Say About Us
How to Book
Every Saturday
First departure: 5 September 2026
Shared-tour price: US$15 per person, plus tickets
Language: English only
Status: Guaranteed once confirmed
Deadline: Wednesday at 10:00 PM
Booking: Written confirmation required
REQUEST YOUR SATURDAY PLACE
Tell us which Saturday you would like to join. Enquiries close at 10:00 PM on the preceding Wednesday. The form is an enquiry; your place is reserved only after our team sends written confirmation and any required payment step is complete.