Sacred Syria
Eight days of layered religious and cultural heritage.
Damascus · Saidnaya · Maaloula · Deir Mar Musa al-Habashi · Bosra
✦ Sacred Damascus and its historic quarters✦ Saidnaya and Maaloula subject to access
Price on requestView journey →
Maaloula
A cliffside pilgrimage village of historic monasteries, dramatic rock passages and living Aramaic heritage.
WHY GO
A cliffside pilgrimage village of historic monasteries, dramatic rock passages and living Aramaic heritage.
Maaloula occupies a dramatic setting in the Qalamoun mountains, where homes meet the cliffs and monasteries remain part of the village’s religious life. Saint Thecla Monastery is the principal pilgrimage focus, while Mar Sarkis adds another important layer of local Christian history. The village also preserves a modern Western Neo-Aramaic language descended from the wider Aramaic tradition; it should not be described as exactly the dialect spoken by Jesus.
What to see
- Saint Thecla Monastery, built beneath the cliffs and a major pilgrimage stop associated with the tradition of Saint Thecla.
- Mar Sarkis Monastery, another important historic religious site overlooking the village, visited subject to access.
- The narrow mountain cleft between towering rock walls.
- The village rising in tiers along the Qalamoun slopes and its mountain views.
What to experience
- Encounter Western Neo-Aramaic as a living linguistic tradition, without claiming it is exactly the dialect spoken by Jesus.
- Experience Maaloula as a living pilgrimage village, respecting worship, residents and current visiting access.
- Hear the story of Saint Thecla and the mountain splitting as inherited religious tradition, not proven historical fact.
Food
A simple village table or coffee stop when locally arranged.
How long to stay
A day trip from Damascus or one night for a slower pace, subject to access.
SUGGESTED JOURNEYS
Place it within a route.
Grand Syria
Fourteen days from the south to cities and coast.
Damascus · Bosra · Maaloula · Palmyra / Tadmur · Homs
✦ Six World Heritage properties in context✦ Cities, desert and coast
Price on requestView journey →
Syria Essentials
Seven days linking capital, desert and castle.
Damascus · Maaloula · Palmyra / Tadmur · Homs · Krak des Chevaliers
✦ Old Damascus in the morning✦ Mountain Maaloula
Price on requestView journey →