What to Pack for Syria — and What Not to Bring

Packing well makes a trip to Syria much easier. There are also a few things you should not carry, on the way in or on the way out.

Clothes

• Modest clothes covering shoulders and knees for mosques, churches and traditional neighbourhoods.
• A light headscarf for women entering mosques (some entrances lend one, but it is better to have your own).
• Comfortable shoes for old stone streets and archaeological sites.
• In summer: light cotton, a hat and sunglasses.
• In winter: genuinely warm clothes — Damascus and Aleppo nights are cold, and old houses may not be well heated.
• A light jacket for evenings in the mountain resorts, even in summer.

Essentials

• Clean cash: dollars or euros in recent, untorn notes. See our money guide.
• A plug adapter for European sockets (220 V).
• A power bank for your phone.
• Your medicines with a prescription in English or Arabic, and a small first-aid kit.
• Copies of your passport and travel insurance, also digitally on your phone.
• Wet wipes and hand gel for long journeys.

What not to bring

• Drones: they need prior permission; better not to bring one.
• Radio transmitters and specialist communications equipment.
• Large amounts of old Syrian banknotes after the currency change — use the new ones.
• Anything that looks like an antiquity, even a replica, to avoid delays at inspection.

When you leave

• Exporting antiquities, old coins and manuscripts is forbidden, and most "ancient" pieces in the souqs are fake anyway. Don't buy them.
• Sweets, spices, soap and rose water are normally fine. Ask for airtight packing.
• New handicrafts (inlay, copper, brocade) are no problem — keep the receipt.

Read our souq shopping guide to know what to buy, our internet and SIM guide to stay connected, and the best time to visit to pack for the season.