Syrian Air

  Ministry of Tourism

     Tartus

Tartus is the second most important Syrian seaport on the Mediterranean. The Phoenician and Torusa by the Byzantine called it Antaradus. Tartus was to become one of the main supply ports for the Crusaders and military base of considerable importance. It was held by the Templars, but recovered by Salah Ad-Din in 1188. The arches, wall-towers and narrow lanes in Tartus evoke what the town must have been like in Medieval Times. Tartus museum: A jewel of Romanesque art is the Cathedral of Tartus, which is now a museum containing relics from various Syrian civilizations. The most important antiques are marble tombs dating back to the third and second centuries B.C, and mosaics and a big white marble tomb dating back to the Roman days. Draykish: A lovely town situated on a mountain covered with olive trees, which overlooks the sea. It has a reputation for its well-known Mineral Water. It has several hotels and camping sites. Arima citadel: Arima was built as a Crusader castle to help safeguard the routes between Tartus and Tripoli. The walls are almost completely in ruins only two towers still exist dating back to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries A.D. Some clay pieces found in and around the citadel reveal that it dates back to the Roman, Greek and Byzantine periods, although its name denotes to that it existed before those periods. Baetocece: The Arabic name is (Hosn Sleiman). It is the heart of these wild mountains, that the inhabitants of Aradus (the present Isle of Arwad) once built a temple dedicated to Baal and Astarte. Excavations revealed that there was a Roman city beside it. The Greek writing, sculptured on its walls, indicates that this castle was a temple for the god Zos.