Syria definitely feels different to travel to right now. The government has changed, people are returning, the vibe feels different and some practical things overall have changed. Here is what we have experienced after returning from our recent group tour in Syria in April of 2025.
The positivity
We have seen Syria change for the good and the bad. If you came with us in the summer of 2023, you would have also experienced this. Tourist sites had multiple groups of foreign tourists, and the economy felt like it was getting slightly better. Lebanon as well at this time was the first time since COVID, and the Beirut blast that they had a relatively busy tourist season. In general, the region felt like it was on the upswing.
In 2024, this was a completely different story. The war in Gaza was a huge factor in this as tourism in general dried up. The war spreading to Lebanon only exacerbated this impact on tourism and Syria was once again feeling more pessimistic.
This positivity we are seeing now feels very different and the reason is because of how alive the cities are. We have seen entire cities and areas come back to life, Homs and Aleppo are far more lively than before and everyone you speak to is filled with hope! This positivity though, is mixed with feelings of hesitation as Syrians have been let down before by their government, but for now people are saying they need time and are hopeful it will be better than before.
The Currency
This is a big change we have seen. The exchange rate is better than 2024, even though it does change daily. $1 USD will get you around 11,000 Syrian pounds and can easily be exchanged all over Damascus. You can also use both USD, Euros and even Turkish Lira, something that was very restricted under Assad.
Checkpoints
Checkpoints are still all around the country, however they are much less so than the old government and they are a lot easier than before. Previously, we had to have many copies of permits and sometimes show passports, and while we still need to have a permit, it is super relaxed and passports were never needed to be shown. The soldiers previously were always fairly friendly, however personally we can recall incidents that were definitely very intimated between locals and soldiers, one of which was even a little violent.
The new soldiers are very friendly to both us and the local people and it definitely feels like they are putting their best foot forward. We went through probably around 50 or more checkpoints on our trip and always felt welcomed, in fact at most they just waved us through without checking us at all.
Access to new areas
We can now get access to some new areas in the country that were previously off limits. Mt Qasioun, a lookout area that overlooks Damascus has recently been opened to locals that could not access throughout the war. Currently, it’s closed as they renovate the area, but there are plans to open it very soon again with restaurants.
We were also able to gain access to closed neighbourhoods such as Ghouta in Damascus. Here we were able to visit tunnels built by the opposition when hiding from bombs and fighting against the Assad regime. Hearing stories of people that are returning to this neighbourhood is a very sobering experience. Most of this neighbourhood is still off limits as it is filled with unexploded bombs and is still very dangerous without a local guide.
We can also now travel to Idlib, the area previously controlled by what were once the “rebels”. Access to other cities such as the infamous Raqqa and Deir Ezzor will also be possible soon as the local forces work with the new Syrian army.
Rebuilding and renovations
We also saw a lot of renovations being done throughout the city. Places were being cleaned and taken care of in a way which we didn’t see before. We saw big changes at the Umayyad Mosque, which has been cleaned, and completely opened up with people once again allowed to walk through the centre area (this was closed for years).
Funny signs are also all over the city with comical pictures of Assad used in market stalls for advertisements. Nearly everything relating to the Assad family has been destroyed or is in the process of being destroyed. When we head back in October we wouldn’t be surprised if it was all gone. The October War Museum has had a big overhaul with the interior with all the pro Assad artwork being completely destroyed.
Syria is changing very fast, and if you want to come see it for yourself, we have two more tours running later in the year in October and December. You can see dates and details online on our website or to secure your place on tour, send us an email to
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