Syria

Entry requirements

As of April 2025, Syria offers visas on arrival for all nationalities except for Israel and Iran. Israeli citizens are outright banned, while Iranian citizens need to obtain a visa in advance.

Syria's currency unit is the Syrian pound or 'lira (Arabic: الليرة السورية al-Līra as-Sūriyya'). You will see a variety of notations used locally: LS, SP, or ل.س are used. You may also see £S or S£. Wikivoyage uses the ISO currency code SYP. The pound's subdivision 'piastre' is obsolete.

By taxi

The taxis (usually yellow, always clearly marked) quickly get around Damascus, Aleppo, and other cities. All licensed taxis carry meters, and it is best to insist that the driver put the meter on and watch it stay on. Most drivers expect to haggle prices with foreigners, and the pricing may be horrible.

Arabic is the official language. It is always a good idea to know some words ("hello," "thank you," etc.). A surprising number of people speak at least (very) rudimentary English. Learning basic numbers in Arabic to negotiate taxi fares would be worth your while.

As of March 2026, travelers are advised to avoid majority-Kurdish areas in northern Syria, particularly around Kobane (Ayn al-Arab) in northeastern Aleppo Governorate and the Hasakah-Qamishli area. These areas remain politically sensitive, with periodic tensions between local Kurdish people and Syrian government institutions, including security forces.

Healthcare in Syria is well below Western standards, and essential medication is not always available. If you have a treatment, take it with you. Only expect to find some medicines in Syria. Ask for a "foreign" EU or US brand if you have to buy something from a pharmacy. You will have to pay a premium for that, but at least you will increase the chances of having actual medicine. According to certain local pharmacists, some products come from uncertain origins and are ineffective. Pharmacists often speak a little bit of English.

Phone

The international calling code for Syria is +963.

Internet

Syria has had easy and cheap internet access. However, with badly damaged infrastructure and electricity outages common, don't rely on it. Internet is very common around the cities at internet cafés. The cafés are very friendly but in order to avoid being price gouged it is best to ask a local how much the internet costs per an hour before agreeing to sit down. It is best to avoid political debates regarding the Syrian…

Syria is a majority Muslim country with long-established Christian, Jewish and Yazidi minorities. However, the Jewish community is down to only a handful of individuals in Damascus, with the vast majority having immigrated to Israel. Historically, religious groups lived in harmony, and religion was primarily considered personal. It was inappropriate to ask someone about their faith unless you knew them well. However, this has changed since the start of the Syrian Civil War.