Complete Guide to Holidays and Opening Hours in Syria

National and Public Holidays in Syria (2025)

Official Public Holidays (New List for 2025)

Holiday	Date	Notes
New Year’s Day	January 1	National holiday; festive atmosphere.
Mother’s Day	March 21	Widely celebrated, no closures.
Syrian Revolution Day	March 18	New holiday marking the start of the 2011 uprising. Expect parades and events in major cities.
Labour Day	May 1	Administrative offices closed.
Evacuation (Independence) Day	April 17	National pride celebrations; some closures.
Eid al-Fitr	Variable (3 days)	End of Ramadan; most shops, banks, and offices close.
Eid al-Adha	Variable (4 days)	Major Islamic festival; public life slows down.
Islamic New Year	Variable	Quiet day, some offices closed.
Mawlid al-Nabawi	Variable	Prophet’s Birthday; minor closures.
Easter (Western)	Variable	Christian holiday; churches crowded.
Easter (Eastern)	Variable	Same as above; public transport may slow.
Christmas Day	December 25	Observed nationwide.
Liberation Day	December 8	New holiday marking the fall of the Assad regime. Large civic gatherings expected.

❌ Removed Holidays (No Longer Observed)

Former Holiday	Reason Removed
October 6 (October War Day)	Associated with Baathist era
May 6 (Martyrs’ Day)	Linked to regime commemorations
March 8 (Baath Revolution Day)	Political, replaced by Syrian Revolution Day
March 20 (Teachers’ Day)	No longer a public holiday

NEW: Citywide Business Hours — Damascus (effective late Oct 2025)

Damascus has unified opening/closing times for businesses. This affects your shopping, dining, and evening plans inside the city (museum/site hours below are unchanged).

Retail shops & souks: 09:00–21:00 (year-round baseline).
Restaurants & cafés: service until 24:00 most days; until 01:00 after midnight on Thursdays & Saturdays.
Groceries/food stores: generally until 24:00.
Malls (and venues inside): operate to 01:00 after midnight.
Kiosks: 24/7.
Fuel stations: 24/7.
(Local categories like gyms/salons follow set windows; plan workouts before 23:00 and salon visits before 22:00.)

What this means for tourists:
Plan shopping to finish by 21:00. Expect midnight to be the normal dining cutoff (book the late slot on Thu/Sat if you want the 01:00 extension). For late arrivals, rely on 24/7 kiosks and fuel-station minimarkets for basics; malls cover more needs until 01:00. Other Syrian cities may differ—treat these unified hours as Damascus-only unless your hotel confirms similar rules elsewhere.

Opening Hours of Major Archaeological and Cultural Sites

The following list includes Syria’s most visited historical sites and museums. It’s organized by city, with accurate hours, closing days, and special notes about seasonal changes.

Krak des Chevaliers (Qal’at al-Hosn)

Open: Daily
Summer hours: 9 AM – 6 PM
Winter hours: 9 AM – 3 PM
Notes: Fully operational; one of the most visited sites in Syria.
Tip: Go early morning for best lighting and cooler weather.

Aleppo

Site	Status	Opening Hours	Closed	Notes
Aleppo Citadel	✅ Open	9 AM – 6 PM (summer); 9 AM – 3 PM (winter)	Tuesday	Allow 2–3 hours to explore fully.
Aleppo Museum	🚧 Closed	—	—	Under renovation since 2023. Expected to reopen in 2026.
Khan al-Wazir & Souk al-Madina	✅ Open	9 AM – 7 PM	None	Markets operate normally except during Eid holidays.

Damascus

Site	Status	Opening Hours	Closed	Notes
Umayyad Mosque	✅ Open	9 AM – 9 PM daily	None	Dress code applies; photography allowed respectfully.
National Museum of Damascus	✅ Open	9 AM – 6 PM (summer); 9 AM – 3 PM (winter)	Friday	Excellent collection of Ugarit and Palmyra artifacts.
Azm Palace (Qasr al-Azm)	✅ Open	9 AM – 5 PM (summer); 9 AM – 3 PM (winter)	Tuesday	Beautiful example of Ottoman architecture.
Khan As’ad Pasha	✅ Open	9 AM – 3:30 PM	Tuesday	One of the largest caravanserais in the Middle East.
Damascus Citadel	🚧 Closed	—	—	Under restoration; exterior can be viewed from outside.
Ananias Church (St. Hanania)	✅ Open	10 AM – 5 PM	None	Located in the old Christian quarter of Bab Touma.

Bosra

Site	Status	Opening Hours	Closed	Notes
Bosra Roman Theatre	✅ Open	9 AM – 5 PM daily	None	UNESCO site; well-preserved Roman amphitheatre.
Bosra Old City & Cathedrals	✅ Open	9 AM – 5 PM	None	Quiet, authentic experience.

Latakia & Tartus Region

Site	Status	Opening Hours	Closed	Notes
Ugarit (Ras Shamra)	✅ Open	9 AM – 4 PM	Tuesday	Ancient city where the world’s first alphabet was found.
Saladin Castle (Qal’at Salah ad-Din)	⚠️ Restricted	By prior appointment	—	Currently closed to the public; local authorities may grant access with notice.
Margat (Marqab) Castle	🚧 Closed	—	—	Restoration in progress, no entry.

Palmyra (Tadmur)

Site	Status	Opening Hours	Closed	Notes
Palmyra Archaeological Zone	⚠️ Partially open	Sunrise – sunset	None	Accessible with local guide and permission; some ruins off-limits.
Palmyra Museum	🚧 Closed	—	—	Still under renovation following war damage.

Hama and Homs

Site	Status	Opening Hours	Closed	Notes
Hama Water Wheels (Norias)	✅ Open air site	Always open	None	Scenic public park, free access.
St. George Monastery (Homs countryside)	✅ Open	9 AM – 4 PM	Sunday	Popular religious pilgrimage site.

Sednaya and Maaloula

Site	Status	Opening Hours	Closed	Notes
Our Lady of Sednaya Monastery	✅ Open	8 AM – 6 PM	None	Active convent; visitors welcome modestly dressed.
St. Thecla Monastery (Maaloula)	✅ Open	8 AM – 6 PM	None	Famous for Aramaic inscriptions and cliff views.

3. Practical Tips for Tourists

Holiday Impact

On national holidays, expect government offices, embassies, and banks to close.
Tourist sites usually stay open, especially those managed by the Directorate-General of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM).
During Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha, small shops and local transport may pause for 2–3 days.
Religious sites (churches, mosques) can get busy during major feasts.

Best Planning Advice

Always confirm local hours before visiting remote sites.
Summer schedule (April – October): most sites open 9 AM – 6 PM.
Winter schedule (November – March): most sites close around 3 PM.
Tuesday is the most common maintenance closure day for archaeological sites.
Fridays see closures mainly for government offices and museums.

Recommended Yearly Planning Windows

Period	Travel Advantage	Notes
March–April	Stable weather, before Ramadan	Avoid Revolution Day (Mar 18) for smoother logistics.
May–June	Ideal climate, long daylight hours	Most sites on summer hours.
September–October	Cultural season, post-Eid calm	Good for photography and less crowds.
December	Experience Liberation Day (Dec 8) and Christmas celebrations	Expect some civic events and hotel rate changes.

Summary

Syria’s new holiday calendar (2025) simplifies travel planning — fewer political closures, more clarity.
Major sites like Krak des Chevaliers, Bosra, Umayyad Mosque, and Ugarit are open year-round.
Tuesday closures apply to most museums and citadels.
Winter hours generally shorten to 3 PM – 4 PM, so plan morning visits.