Route of Time Damascus & Beirut Tour

Meeting with our guide waiting for us at Hatay airport and settling into our vehicle. Departure to Aleppo after Hatay Cilvegözü border crossing and customs procedures. Upon arrival, in our city tours; Aleppo Citadel, historical Aleppo Bazaar, Great Mosque, Babul Hadid, and Sabun Khan, which is an important trade inn built in the Ottoman period, used as the center of olive oil soap production and trade, playing an important role in the economic and commercial life of the city, are among the places we will see. Afterwards, El-Jdeideh Quarter (Christian Quarter), which we will see panoramically, is one of the oldest and best-preserved historical settlements of Aleppo. It is an important neighborhood reflecting the multicultural social structure of Aleppo with its stone mansions, courtyard houses, churches, and narrow streets where Christian communities lived especially during the Ottoman period. Then transfer to the hotel where we will stay, dinner, and accommodation at our Aleppo hotel.

Departure to Hama city after breakfast at the hotel. First, visiting the Umayyad Caliph Umar b. Abdulaziz (717–720) on the route. Then, we will see the large wooden water wheels called Norias, which rotate with the power of flowing water, one of the symbols of Hama, one of the most important examples of Islamic engineering and Medieval hydraulic technology on the Orontes River. Then, visiting the Mosque and Tomb of Khalid ibn al-Walid in Homs, one of the greatest military commanders in Islamic history, known as the "Sword of Allah (Saifullah)", who stands out with his strategic genius in the spread of Islam. Visiting the Church of Saint Mary of the Holy Belt (Ummuz Zinnar), one of the oldest churches in the Middle East, believed to house the holy belt (zinnar) belonging to the Virgin Mary according to Christian belief, and one of the most important symbols of the multi-religious and multi-cultural history of Homs. Arrival in Damascus, transfer to our hotel. Accommodation at our Damascus hotel after dinner.

We start our Damascus city tours after breakfast at the hotel. We visit Hejaz Railway Damascus Station, Hamidiye Historical Bazaar, and the great commander Saladin Ayyubi (1137–1193), who took Jerusalem back from the Crusaders and is one of the most respected leaders in Islamic history, having a special place in history with his mercy, justice, and tolerance towards different beliefs as well as his military success. Then, visiting the Turkish Air Martyrs Monument dedicated to the cherished memory of Ottoman Turkish pilots who were martyred while serving in Damascus during World War I, and the Umayyad Mosque. It is one of the oldest and most magnificent mosques in the Islamic world, built during the reign of Umayyad Caliph Al-Walid I. It is believed that the shrine of John the Baptist (Hz. Yahya) is located inside the mosque, and the structure bears traces of Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic architecture together. Then, Sayyidah Ruqayya is the young daughter of Hz. Hussein who passed away at a young age, and it is believed she was buried in Damascus after the Karbala incident. Her tomb is one of the most emotional symbols of love and devotion to Ahl al-Bayt. Afterwards, Azem Palace, built in the 18th century by the Governor of Damascus Esad Pasha al-Azem during the Ottoman period, is one of the most distinguished examples of Ottoman civil architecture. Today, it serves as an important museum reflecting the social life, traditional living culture, and architecture of Damascus. Then, visiting Nureddin Zengi (1118–1174), a great Islamic statesman known for his struggle against the Crusaders and his just administration. He played an important role in the upbringing of Saladin Ayyubi and made Damascus a center of science and justice. Return to our hotel after visiting Madrasa al-Nuriyah and Nureddin Zengi Tomb. Accommodation at our Damascus hotel after dinner.

We continue our Damascus city sightseeing and visits after breakfast at the hotel. In today's tour; first, we will visit the great mystic, thinker, and philosopher Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi. After visiting the tomb of this great scholar, who is one of the most influential figures of Islamic Sufi thought, known especially for the concept of wahdat al-wujud (unity of existence), we visit the Sayyidah Zaynab Shrine, the daughter of Hz. Ali and Hz. Fatima, sister of Hz. Hussein, whose tomb in Damascus is considered one of the most important pilgrimage centers of Ahl al-Bayt history, especially after Karbala. Then, visiting Bab al-Saghir Cemetery, which is one of the oldest and holiest cemeteries in Damascus and houses the graves of many companions and members of Ahl al-Bayt. Important figures of Islamic history such as Bilal al-Habashi, Abu Darda, Umm Habiba, Abdullah bin Jafar, Sukayna bint Hussein, and Umm Kulthum are buried here. Subsequently, visiting the graves of the last Ottoman Sultan Mehmed VI Vahdettin, whose body was brought to Damascus after he passed away in Italy in 1926 and buried in the cemetery of the Sulaymaniyah Complex, and members of the Ottoman dynasty of the period. Then transfer to our hotel. Accommodation at our Damascus hotel after dinner.

After breakfast at the hotel, first departure to Beirut after seeing the Ancient City of Bosra, the Monk Bahira Monastery and church ruins, Roman and Byzantine ruins, Ancient theater, and city walls. After border and customs crossing, in our Beirut tour; Corniche (Seaside Road), Pigeon Rocks, Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque (Blue Mosque), a mosque reflecting modern but classic Ottoman architecture located in the square with a city view. Then, guests who wish can join a boat tour on the turquoise Mediterranean waters. Wandering around Pigeon Rocks and passing through the rocks, we will witness unique landscapes for photos, especially at sunset. Afterwards, after free time given in authentic bazaars (souks), which are the most suitable places to experience Lebanese cuisine, shop for handicrafts, and observe the city rhythm, we move to Zaitunay Bay, a modern seaside complex filled with restaurants and cafes. After a free dinner break, transfer to the airport at the specified time. Our tour ends with the departure to Istanbul with Pegasus Airlines and arrival.