Syria has been in the news a lot over the past few years, and most of the time it isn’t for the best reasons. However, travel to Syria now is easier than it has been for a long time! With the new government in, visas are done at the border and it’s far easier to move around the country than before, with more and more places becoming available.
With the new government, however and their background, there has been speculation that there may be a tightening of restrictions on some of the more liberal things in Syria such as the dress code and alcohol. Currently, the only place in Syria you need to wear a headscarf as a women is in Idlib, with the rest of the country being very relaxed.
Regarding Alcohol, Syria has always stood out as being one of the Arab countries where alcohol and partying is widespread. There have been some changes to alcohol and there may be more in the future.
So, is alcohol still legal?
Yes! Definitely. Alcohol is still widely available in Damascus, particularly on the bar street area in old town near Bab Toma. Bars are still busy at night with music pumping and people are absolutely still partying.
Is alcohol available everywhere in Syria?
No. It will be very difficult to find alcohol in very conservative areas of the country such as Idlib. In Aleppo you can still find it, however it is harder to find outside of Damascus in general as these areas tend to me more conservative. In Maaloula, one of the last Aramaic-speaking villages in the world, you can still find alcohol as the people here are Christians. Most likely they will try sell you some home-made arak or even vodka!
What rules around alcohol have changed?
There is now a restriction that you can no longer cross the border with alcohol. This currently applies to both entering and exiting Syria. So, if you happen to get some souvenir bottles of wine in Lebanon or Syria, best to drink them where you bought them.
What alcohol is available in Syria?
Being on the Mediterranean, you will find the likely local suspects for booze that you find in the surrounding countries of Lebanon, Turkey, Greece etc. The most common alcoholic drinks in Syria are:
1. Arak – A spirit made from aniseed. It is similar to raki from Turkey, ouzo from Greece or pastis from the south of France. You mix it with ice cubes and water and it will turn white like milk. Recommended to sip on during a long Syria meal!
2. Wine – You can find plenty of wine in Syria, however most of the wine on the shelves in Syria comes from Lebanon. Syria does produce its own wine, but nearly all of it is sent to France for export as it is considered to be such good quality. If you do find a bottle in Syria it will be expensive!
3. Beer – The main brand of beer in Syria is called Afamia. There is also a beer called Arados which was a lovely pilsner, however these are hard to find as production was heavily disrupted during the conflict.
Does it look like the rules will change again?
At this point nobody knows. There have been rumours that the government will become more strict with this, however we are yet to see any concrete movement towards this. If it does change we will let you know!
Is it safe to consume alcohol in Syria?
Yes, especially if you go on a Syria group tour as we can take you to both safe and fun places. The biggest threat to drinking in Syria is waking up with a hangover as Syrians love to drink with other people so you may get roped into having a drink or two with some locals which could spiral.
Where else in the Middle East can you legally consume alcohol?
Currently, there are several countries in the region that allow the consumption of alcohol. The most liberal of which are Lebanon and now the UAE is also very relaxed. Other countries where it is legal are Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Iraq ( see out drinking in Iraq blog ), Turkey, and in future most likely Saudi Arabia will also join this list.
If Syria is on your bucket list the best way to see it is with a Saiga Syria group tour. To see our departure dates check out our
website here.
for further in depth information about travel to Syria, check out our comprehensive
Syria destination guide here
also.
To sign up to one of our tours, send us an email to [email protected] and we will answer any questions you have.
