The Syrian Coast: Latakia, Tartus, Arwad and Kassab — A Summer Guide
Guide to the Syrian coast: Latakia's corniche, Ugarit and Saladin's Castle, Tartus and Arwad island, Jableh's Roman theatre, and the mountains of Kassab and Slunfeh.
When the Damascus summer gets fierce, Syrians head west to the sea. The coast is a green strip between the Mediterranean and forested mountains: old towns, beaches and fish restaurants, with cool mountain villages half an hour above the shore.
Latakia
The largest coastal city and main port. The corniche fills with families and cafés in the evening, and the city is known for its seafood. Two important sites are close by:
- Ugarit (Ras Shamra), about ten kilometres north, where the oldest known alphabet was found.
- Saladin's Castle in the hills east of the city, on a ridge between two ravines, listed by UNESCO together with Krak des Chevaliers.
Jableh
Between Latakia and Tartus lies Jableh, with a small Roman theatre in the middle of town, an old souq and a beach.
Tartus and Arwad
Tartus is a quiet seaside city with the Cathedral of Our Lady of Tortosa, a Crusader-era church that is now a museum. From its harbour, boats take about fifteen minutes to Arwad, Syria's only inhabited island: narrow lanes, a small castle, wooden boat-building yards and fish restaurants on the water.
Mountains above the sea
- Kassab, a village with Armenian heritage in the far north, among pine forests.
- Slunfeh, a high mountain resort where the air is cool even in August.
- Mashta al-Helou and the Valley of the Christians to the south-east, near Krak des Chevaliers.
More in our guide to Syria's mountain escapes.
In July and August the coast is crowded and prices rise — book ahead, or choose June or September: the sea is warm and the crowds thinner.
Getting around
The coast is about 350 km from Damascus via Homs, roughly three and a half hours by car. Between the coastal towns and the mountain villages, a car is far easier than buses.
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