Damascus Walking Route: Bakdash Ice Cream to Umayyad Mosque
This 10-stop route maps the top things to do in Damascus, Syria, covering about in roughly 10 minutes of travel. It links Bakdash Ice Cream, Al Hamidiyah Souq, Umayyad Mosque, Bait Alwali, Hanania Church, Al Nawfara Park, Ramadan Market, Bike Bash Hotel, the Traditional Hammam in Damascus and the Old City of Damascus.
- Mode
- Places
- Start
- Bakdash Ice Cream
- End
- Traditional Hammam in Damascus
- Stops
- 10
- Video author
- travmap
- Updated
Stops on this route
- Bakdash Ice Cream โ Ice cream shop considered the best in the city.
- Al Hamidiyah Souq โ Traditional covered market (souk).
- Bike Bash Hotel โ Boutique hotel in the Old City where the speaker stayed.
- Bait Alwali โ Boutique hotel option toured in Old Damascus (heard as 'Bait Alwali').
- Hanania Church โ Church with underground sections in Old Damascus.
- Umayyad Mosque โ Important mosque, once a church, dating to 634 AD.
- Old City of Damascus โ Picturesque old town, one of the most picturesque places in the Middle East.
- Al Nawfara Park โ Park with views over the whole city, popular with locals; described as the biggest park.
- Ramadan Market โ Market active only during Ramadan.
- Traditional Hammam in Damascus โ Traditional bath experience.
Useful for your trip
- Food
- Try the shawarma at El Burge in Damascus; the creator recommends eating at least two, noting the meat drippings are used to baste the bread.
- Food
- Visit Bakdash Ice Cream, founded in 1895, known for ice cream beaten with a strong hammer that gives a stringy texture; it's typically topped with pistachios.
- Timing
- Nawfara Park is a good viewpoint over the city and a good time to visit is any time of day, though the creator suggests sunrise may be best; they visited at sunset.
- Timing
- The Ramadan Market only operates during Ramadan; outside that period the area hosts concerts and other events instead.
- Where to stay
- Boutique hotels in the Old City often include a breakfast in the morning and feel like a homestay; the creator stayed at Bike Bash Hotel and also toured Bait Alwali.
- Tip
- Dress and behave respectfully at the Umayyad Mosque, one of the holiest mosques in Islam; it houses the tomb of Saladin and dates to 634 AD.
- Tip
- Hanania Church is said to be one of the oldest churches in Damascus, with underground sections reflecting the city's historic lower ground level.
- Tip
- Al Hamidiyah Souq has a wide range of goods including clothing and sweets, with reasonable prices according to the creator.
- Tip
- A traditional hammam visit includes a steam room, a multi-stage scrub that removes the top layer of skin, and a strong arm massage.
- Tip
- The creator's tour guide Ayoub (Ayoub_syria_guide on Instagram) offers tours around Syria and arranged the creator's visit.
Video on this route
10 BEST Things to do in Damascus Syria in 2025 ๐ธ๐พ