Hostels in ALEPPO, SYRIA

Aleppo – City of Archaeological Sites

Aleppo, located in the northern part of Syria, is its second largest city known for its rich historical heritage in the form of castles, mosques and similar sculptures and architectures.

History
The city’s history can be traced back to 5000 B.C when it was the capital of Yamkhad Kingdom. From 1600 B.C to 64 B.C, it had been ruled by the Hittites, Assyrians, Persians and Romans. The city fell to the Arab conquerors in 637 A.D but was occupied by the Byzantines again between 974 and 987. The Mongols ruled the city between 1260 and 1516 after which it was occupied by the Ottomans till the early 20th century when it came under the French colonial rule. The city has been named as Islamic Culture’s capital in 2006 by ISESCO.

Popular Places and Attractions
The city has more than 600 archaeological sites contributing to its rich cultural and historical background. The Citadel occupies the city’s central part is a magnanimous medieval castle which was used as a defence fortress in the past. Remains of the Byzantine as well as the Roman civilizations can also be seen here.  Saint Simeon’s Basilica is another beautiful building known for its pillars and spring-time freshly blossomed flowers. It has developed into a major Christian pilgrimage centre in the recent years.

Some other popular attractions in the city are the Great Mosque, Blue Lagoon Water Park, Public Park, Forty Martyrs Cathedral, Madrasa Halawiye, Khanqah al-Farafara, Clock Tower, several other mosques and Bimaristan Arghan Museum exhibiting ancient medical equipment, biographies, and herbs and so on. This museum used to be a mental hospital in its olden days and its biggest attractions are its separate sections for mentally ill patients as well as its beautiful courtyards.

Getting Around
Taxis, service buses, microbuses and car rentals are the available modes of transport for tourist to help them guide their way around the city.

Places for Entertainment
Restaurants, cafes, bars, cinemas, casinos, nightclubs and shopping centres are the usual places for entertainment in the city. The city’s khans (commercial courtyards) and souqs (shopping markets) are quite impressive and avid shoppers would be taken aback by the huge variety of boxes, soaps, sweets, spices, gold materials and wraps. Aleppo’s pistachio sweets are especially popular amongst visitors. The al-Telal street is has numerous clothing shops for garment lovers. A walking tour along the city’s Christian section is also worth taking for seeing an altogether different part of the city.

Accommodation
Luxurious hotels, budget hotels, motels, rooftop accommodation, backpackers hostels and campsites are available for fulfilling tourist accommodation requirements.

Currency
The Syrian Pound (SYP) is Syria’s official currency. Acceptability of credit cards, U.S Dollar and traveller’s cheques is not wide enough.  Latest exchange rates can be found from local news publication before exchanging currency at the Syrian Commercial Bank office.

Group accommodation in Aleppo | Cheap Hotels