Syria

When to Travel

Spring (April to June) is the best time to visit, as temperatures are mild and the winter rains have cleared the haze that clogs up the views during the rest of the year. Autumn (September to November) is the next-best choice. If you go in summer (June to August), don't be caught without a hat, sunscreen and water bottle, especially if you're going to Palmyra or the north-east. Winter can be downright unpleasant on the coast and in the mountains, when temperatures drop and the rains begin.

Events

Not surprisingly, Syrian holidays and festivals are mostly Islamic. The big one is Ramadan, a month (the date changes every year) when everyone fasts between sunup and sunset to conform to the fourth pillar of Islam. If you're in Syria at this time, be sensitive to the fact that most of the people around you are very, very hungry. Ramadan ends with a huge feast, Eid al-Fitr, where everyone prays together, visits friends, gives presents and stuffs themselves. Eid al-Adah, another moveable event, is the other big feast of the year, and marks the time when Muslims should make the pilgrimage to Mecca. Non-religious holidays include the enticingly named Evacuation Day, on 17 April, and Corrections Movement Day, on 16 November.