Ras Ibn Hani (رآس ابن هاني) is a peninsula north of Lattakia (اللاذقية) most well-known for its luxury hotels and beach homes. While the nicer beaches on the peninsula are owned by two hotels, there are a few other beaches pleasant enough to take a swim. The peninsula also has numerous restaurants. Ras Ibn Hani (رآس ابن هاني) is a busy vacation spot in the summer, but fairly quiet the …
Perhaps Syria’s most popular mountain resort, Slenfeh (صلنفة) is full of beautiful modern homes and the climate is refreshingly cool in the summer. While mostly deserted in the off-season, the town comes to life in the summer when it is often full of Syrians and Gulf Arabs who own summer homes here. There are no specific sites in or around Slenfeh (صلنفة), but it is …
Promoted by the Ministry of Tourism as a mountain resort, al-Qardaha (القرداحة) is more well known as the home village of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad and his late father, Hafez al-Assad. Following the death of Hafez al-Assad in June 2000, his body was laid to rest here in a mausoleum built to house his tomb, as well as that of his eldest son, Basil al-Assad. …
The attractive black sand beach of Wadi Qandil (وادي القنديل) is perhaps the best place to swim if you don’t have the time to travel to al-Samra (السمرا). While it is somewhat popular with locals, it is still a much more comfortable place to swim than the generally conservative Ras al-Basit (رآس البسيط) or the crowded beaches of Ras Ibn Hani (رآس ابن هاني). It is also a large enough beach that you shouldn’t have …
The village of Aramo (عرامو) has a couple interesting, if largely unknown, sites of interest. In the center of the village is an old Armenian church, while on the northern outskirts of town is an even older church that is largely in ruin. Near to this church is a fascinating cave that serves as a religious shrine. Interestingly, the shrine seems to be shared by both …
Mashqita (مشقيتا) is a small town in the mountains northeast of Lattakia (اللاذقية) which overlooks the largest lake in the province. This is a popular summer destination for swimming and boating, and there are numerous restaurants near the lake. It is an easy trip from Lattakia (اللاذقية) which offers a scenic place to relax or go for a hike, with pine forests stretching to the east of …
Qalaat Bani Qahtan (قلعة بني قحطان) is a small Ismaili castle deep in the mountains east of Jableh (جبلة). While the castle is in a generally poor state of preservation, it has seen some restoration work over the past decade. While there isn’t a whole lot to see at this site, the trip is worthwhile for the beauty of the mountain countryside in the region. …
al-Maqataa Church (كنيسة المقاطع) is a ruined Byzantine-era church north of Lattakia (اللاذقية) just a one kilometer northeast of Ras Shamra/Ugarit (رآس شمرا/آوغاريت). While little remains aside from the apse and some of the side walls, it is worth a quick stop to investigate if in the area. If traveling between Lattakia (اللاذقية) and Burj Islam (برج اسلام), the church will be visible on the western side of the road. …
