Damascus

Every corner of this bustling capital shows signs of the more than 33 civilizations that have occupied the country over the last thousand years.  The Old City, with its winding alleyways and hidden courtyards, can be a bit of a scene-stealer. The souq, the Umayyed mosque and historical hammans (bathhouses) will actualize latent Orientalist fantasies of texture and color, but don’t let your exploration of this dynamic city end here. Downtown, Soviet-style architecture bleeds into a fashionable shopping district and European inspired Art Deco residential neighborhood. If you have the time, it’s well worth straying from the traditional tourist route to enjoy all the riches that modern Damascus has to offer.

Eating

Since the 1960s Syria has been largely self-sufficient in its agricultural production.  Not relying on imports for most of the major food crops means that produce is fresh and seasonal.  It is hard to find a bad meal in Damascus.  Variety might be the only thing lacking; menu choices are limited to the regional staples of grilled meats, an array of enticing dips, spreads and salads. Luckily within these staples all of the major food groups are covered, though vegetarians are mostly limited to starters there is always more than enough of these to make for a satisfying meal.

A brief rundown of what you will find at a typical Syrian restaurant: main courses, served with rice, usually come in the form of grilled chicken, lamb and beef, or sometimes kofte (meal balls) in a garlicky yogurt sauce.  The side dishes typically run the gamut from hummus, falafel, fatoush, baba ghanouj, foul, labnah- a thick yogurt dip, muhammareh- ground walnut and chili dip, muttabal- an eggplant dip similar to baba ghanouj but without tahini, simple arugula salad (ordering which often receives snickers because of its reputation as a potent aphrodisiac), lentil soup and tessiyeh- a delicious bowl of tahini, yogurt, garlic and chick peas with dried pita chips. 

Beyond the typical sodas and bottled juices, a popular drink at restaurants all over is the “Marco Polo” lemonade blended with mint leaves.  After dinner people typically order tea, sometimes served with mint, or Turkish coffee.

Syria is famous for its sweets, though they are usually not served with dinner.  Downtown and just outside the Old City are rows of bakeries offering stacks of every shape of baklawa, trays of kunafa and basbousa, and countless other treats waiting to be enjoyed.

Another sweet treat of choice can be found at Bakdash Ice Cream Parlour in Al-Hamidiyah Souq in the Old City.  Since 1890 they have been serving up cones of delicious ice cream covered in pistachio slivers. A generous scoop in a cup or a cone costs about twenty-five cents (It will be the first ice cream shop on your left hand side when you’re walking away from the Ummayed Mosque in Al-Hamidiyah Souq).

In the Old City don’t miss Beit Jabri. A meal or tea at this restored 18th century mansion is the perfect retreat from the bustle of the souq.  Traditional regional dishes as well as nargileh, tea, coffee and juice are served within the high walls of its enclosed courtyard; an internet café and art gallery are also tucked away on the premises.

Something to keep in mind is that many of the restaurants in the Old City don’t list prices on the menu. The cost is generally reasonable, but if there is any doubt ask how much things cost before you sit down. 

If you’re not up for the total restaurant experience there are plenty of shawarma stands (best visited early in the day), falafel shops and bakeries that sell spinach fatayer, and manakeesh- breads with various toppings (cheese, zaatar, egg, meat, muhammarah, etc.). A particularly good bakery is a small stand near the Victoria Bridge overpass on Sharia Port Said downtown.

For a sit-down meal downtown, try Al-Kamal’s Restaurant.  Stepping into Al-Kamal’s feels like traveling back to the Arab world of the 1950s: elegantly dressed waiters gather in every corner; an old style phone booth and color scheme of light gold, pink neon and fake plant green further sets the ambiance.  Prices are reasonable too (approximately $4 for a main course). A full menu of the staple Syrian side dishes is complimented by revolving daily selections of vegetarian and meat entrees.  Some of the descriptions on the menu are not very descriptive; ask to go to the case in the back where waiters and cooks are happy to point out the day’s specials.

Another good dinner option is hopping into a cab and riding up to Jebel Qassioun, a 1200m hillside rising above Damascus to the Northwest.  The view offers a stunning panorama of the city; at night neon green lines from the minarets dot the landscape below. Several restaurants of average-to-good quality are perched atop. If you want to skip dinner, or care for a stroll afterwards, mini vans equipped with snacks and espresso makers are parked along the winding road at night.

Culture and Entertainment

Damascus has much to offer in way of culture. Last summer Pink Martini played a concert at the citadel.  Damascus is host to two international film festivals and a world-renown Jazz Festival.  Summer is the time when the city comes alive with outdoor cultural events; but throughout the rest of the year galleries and bars offer much in the way of art and cultural entertainment.

On Monday nights Damascus is the place to be.  For a smoke-filled evening of poetry, live oud music and impromptu singing, head to the basement bar of the Fardoss Tower Hotel where budding young poets, musicians and university students gather every Monday night.  If poetry isn’t your thing stop by Mar Mar, a popular nightclub in Damascus’ Old City, when they have their weekly film series, which screens an eclectic selection of independent films from around the world.

For a real atmospheric treat, be sure to pay a visit to the Danish Institute in the Old City. It is housed in an impeccably restored Damascene house that contains architectural components dating back more than 2000 years.  The institute offers a library, gallery space, and also holds lectures and special events. It is open to the public Sunday to Wednesday 9am-3pm and Thursday 9am-2pm

Film

Damascus is best known as a center of television production in the Arab world.  Since the first Syrian film Al Muttaham al Baree, The Innocent Suspect, was produced in 1928, Damascus has been a quiet center of film and media production. It is best known for a vibrant television industry- producing many of the television shows popular throughout the region, but it has a rich, if under-studied, history of filmmaking as well.

Two recommended articles for more information about Syrian Cinema: Rasha Salti’s article for the Danish Film Institute titled “Critical Nationals: The Paradoxes of Syrian Cinema” and “Autonomous Spaces” by Cécile Boëx for Film Comment.

There are currently 2 international film festivals in Damascus. Every other November is The Damascus Film Festival, founded in 1979. New to the scene is Dox Box. Founded in 2008, Dox Box is the first documentary film festival in Syria and one of the few film festivals in the region dedicated to non-fiction films. Film selections include a well-curated roster of known and less-known international documentaries. The event takes place in March, film screenings and panel discussions are held at a number of venues in downtown Damascus and are free to the public.

Language Learning

Damascus is widely cited as the best place to study Arabic.  Its relative isolation and vibrant student population makes it the ideal learning environment. There are a number of language centers that offer quality courses, flexibility of schedule and affordable tuition.

Arabic Language Center: Damascus University  Beginning to Advanced Arabic courses, 5 days a week 4 hours a day. Each course lasts 4 weeks and costs $300.

French Institute  The yearly program at the French institute is considered the best place to study Arabic. It’s considerably more expensive than the Arabic Language center, $3,900 Euros for the academic year (divided into 3 semesters).

For more information about studying Arabic is Syria visit the Syrian Studies Association website.

Contributors

Emma Piper-Burket

Emma is a filmmaker and produces videos about cooking, food and agriculture for Kitchen Caravan. When she was 8 she starred in a play titled "Home is Where the Heart Is"-- that has certainly turned out to be the case.

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