Wednesday, July 13, 2011

DAMASCUS

(given most sights are in “Old City,” this may be preferable area for hotel)

BARS & NIGHTCLUBS
Cham Mahal Art Café – Al Amin Street; 011-963-11-543-5349; art gallery and beer and wine bar; live music.
Z-Bar – corner of Maysaloun Boulevard and Brazil Streets (New City, at Omayad Hotel); 011-963-11-221-7700; omayad-hotel.com; sleek, roof-top bar with high-end alcohol.

HOTELS
Al Pasha Hotel – Zaitoun Street; 011-963-11-543-0100; alpashahotel.com; 16-room minipalace featuring old-style Damascene décor; pleasant outdoor bar.
Beit Al Mamlouka – Bab Touma; 011-963-11-543-04-456; almamlouka.com; tastefully designed boutique hotel with lovely courtyard.
Beit Zaman Hotel – Medhat Pasha; 011-963-11-543-538-088; beit-zaman.com; elegant.
Four Seasons Hotel Damascus – Avenue Shukri Al Quatli; 011-963-11-339-1000; fourseasons.com; just outside Old City.
Hanania – Bab Hanania; 011-963-11-543-6990; hananiahotel.com.
Old Vine – 92 Ammara Jouaniyeh, Ammara (Old Damascus); 011-963-11-545-0164; oldvinehotel.com.
Orient Palace Hotel – Hijaz Square (New Damascus); 011-963-11-221-1510; orientpalacehotel.net; faded glory makes it budget option.

RESTAURANTS
Grape Leaves Café – just south of Al Qemerieh Street; 011-963-11-542-6160; simple, rustic Mediterranean home-cooking.
Luluat al Sharq – Jisr al Abyad (New City); 011-963-11-331-1604; make sure to order kebab karaz (lamb kebabs with sour cherry sauce).
Naranji – Straight Street; 011-963-11-541-3600; stylish restaurant across from Roman Arch; try mekanek (tender sausages soaked in lemon broth) and djaj mousakhan (Levantine egg roll); see and be seen locale, especially lovely roof-top terrace.

SERVICES
Hamam al Nasri – al Nassiri Street (Old City, south of Straight Street); 011-963-11-543-6126; baths; women only before 4:00 p.m.

SHOPPING
Abdalla & Dubbane – Ibn Khaldoun Street (near Souk al-Hamidiyeh); 011-963-11-221-8748; best source for embroidered, aghabani table-cloths.
Aikhayat Antiques – Medhat Pasha (inside Bab Sharqi – Old City’s east gate); 011-963-11-544-5574; 3 side-by-side buildings shops with wide-variety hand-blown glassware, kilims, Berber rugs, and textiles.
Anat – Medhat Pasha (inside Bab Sharqi – Old City’s east gate – next to Armenian Church); 011-963-11-542-7878; anat-sy.org; exquisite embroidery made by refugees.
Antiquo – Medhat Pasha (near Roman Arch); 011-963-11-541-3750; table-cloths.
DanMas – Qeimariyeh Street (near Al Nawfara coffee shop); 011-963-93-331-9180; embroidery (dog beds to towels).
George Dadoub – next to Azem Palace; 011-963-11-221-6988; furniture and rugs.
Fadi – across from Umayyad Mosque’s south wall; 011-963-11-221-1848; handmade clothing.
Ghassan Orientals – across from al-Maljaa Park; 011-963-11-543-5615; hand-inlaid, hand-made furniture.
Ghraoui – Port Said Street (west of Old City); 011-963-11-231-1323; ghraouichocolate.com; chocolates and jams.
Ahmad Jaqmiri – handicraft souk across from Tekkiye Mosque (main alley); 011-963-11-224-7590; hand-made leather bags and belts.
Khan – Straight Street, Midhat Pasha Suq (Maktab Anbar district); 011-963-11-544-99340; thekhan-sy.com; on ground floor are Villa Moda and Khanom, focused on high fashion; on upper floors, Saboon revives ancient Damascene heritage crafts and traditional productions, and Tajalliyat, dedicated to exhibiting contemporary art, particularly painting and sculptures, both by Syrian artists and also Regional artists; also Yabi & Yamo, from artsy books and chairs to kettles and kitchen wares.
Kozah Art Gallery – Medhat Pasha (near Roman Arch); 011-963-11-543-4599; husband and wife sell jewelry and paintings.
Old City – next to Al Nawfara coffee shop; 011-963-11-544-3861; kilims and rugs.
Wardy – handicraft souk across from Tekkiye Mosque (just off main passage); beautiful weaving.
Yana Kilims – Old City (across from Al Nawfara coffee shop); 011-963-11-542-3229; carpets and rugs.

SIGHTS & SITES
National Museum – Al Jamiaa Street; 011-963-11-222-8566; 2 most famous artifacts: (1) tablet from Ugarit inscribed with 1 of world’s 1st known alphabets; and (2) ornate Jewish “temple” from Europos; see also statute of singer of Ur-Nanshe Temple.
Souk al Hamidiyeh – next to Umayyad Mosque; city’s best known bazaar.
Umayyad Mosque – Old City; among holiest, largest, and oldest mosques in world; Saladin’s tomb stands in small garden adjoining mosque’s north wall; holds shrine said to contain John’s “Baptist” head.

4 comments:

  1. Great job for publishing such a nice article. Your article isn’t only useful but it is additionally really informative. Thank you because you have been willing to share information with us. Buy best quality antique Persian carpets and tribal rugs at the fair cost from shahbanurugs.com. For more persian rugs nj

    ReplyDelete
  2. I read your blog and it is quite informative. Buy karastan rug at the best prices from awcarpet.com.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I was impressed with the site that you created, so many people to be more advanced. as we provide Chandra Rugs at affordable prices. for more info visit our website.

    ReplyDelete
  4. It is a proficient article that you have shared here about Oriental Rugs New Jersey. I got some unique and valuable information from your article. Thankful to you for sharing this article here.

    ReplyDelete