Mini Guide to Aleppo, Syria
Attractions, Shopping, Achitecture, and Accommodation in Aleppo
Things to see and do in the Middle East's friendliest city, including the Citadel, the Great Mosque, the souq, the Baron Hotel, and the Jdeide quarter.
Aleppo stands alone in Syria‘s fertile north, just 45 minutes from the Turkish border. One of the great lost, thoroughly underrated cities in the world. In the days of the Orient Express owned trains from London to Baghdad, Aleppo was an absolute on-route must. So appealing in fact, that both Agatha Christie, and TE Laurence spent extended periods of time here kicking back and writing their memoirs.
Aleppo boasts the world’s longest souq (covered market - an endless, medieval shoppers paradise), a citadel, a number of churches and mosques, classic Arabic and Armenian architecture, and some of the friendliest people on the planet.
The Souq
More friendly than Damascus, more authentic than Cairo, and less aggressive than Istanbul, Aleppo's medieval market sells everything from home made soap to exquisite jewellery. If you find yourself lost within its tiny streets head up hill, the theory being that eventually you’ll come out of the souq by the Citadel, the highest place in town. It is open everyday from about 10am - 5pm but closed on Fridays
The Baron Hotel
Back in the day this was the place to be, and although it’s condition is somewhat shabbier today, it’s still the most famous hotel in Syria. In it’s prime, the likes of TE Laurence, Kemal Ataturk, and Agatha Christie all stayed here, and there’s still a room bill signed by Laurence himself framed and on show in the hotel lounge. There’s a forecourt which serves as an excellent spot for reading, writing and people watching on a hot day, and a bar, which is filled each night with foreigners who drop by to survey it’s faded elegance. Although you can still book the rooms once slept in by your heroes, there are much better hotels in the city, namely the Diwan Rasmey, which is hidden amongst the narrow alleys of Aleppo's old town surrounding the Citadel.
The Jdeide Quarter
If you head east of the Baron hotel you‘ll find yourself in the Jdeide or Armenian quarter, the home of Syria’s Christian population. The architecture stands out from the rest of the city, and it’s the perfect place to spend a shady afternoon visiting the Greek Orthodox and Armenian Churches. It’s also home to some of the city’s finest restaurants and cafes.
The Citadel
Dominating just about every view in Aleppo is the mighty fortress around which Aleppo has grown. The Citadel sits atop of a natural mound and covers some 450m by 325m. It’s the most visited tourist site in the city, and was made a UNESCO world heritage site in 1986. Around it’s base are a number of shisha cafés which serve as great places to sit back and take in the views, especially at night when the castle is lit up in green.
But those that do make the effort to climb the steps to the castle's summit will be justly rewarded by the views, especially at prayer time, when the respective calls come bellowing out from the city’s mosques and minarets.
The Great Mosque
Of Aleppo's many mosques, the great mosque is unsurprisingly the greatest. A short walk away from the Citadel, it’s an ideal stop off on any walking tour of the city. The mosque was first founded in 715AD, and the oldest part of the Mosque, it’s 45-metre minaret, is said to be one the most beautiful in the country.
