Aleppo Things to Do Tips by chizz

The Famous Baron Hotel - Aleppo

Take a trip to the Baron Hotel for a few drinks in the bar or even stay there! The hotel in places looks to have hardly changed from the days when Agatha Christie and T E Lawrence stayed there!

Address: Baron St - nr. National Museum

National Museum - Aleppo

The National Museum is worth a visit to see the wide range of exhibits. The presentation may not be the best and there was renovation going on when we went, but for the small entrance fee, it's worth the walk. Open 9am-5.30pm in summer/9am-3.30pm in winter.

Address: Corner of Baron St and Al Maari St

Jdaide Quarter - Aleppo

The Jdaide (or "New") Quarter is a nice place to go for a stroll with its cobbled streets and elegant houses. The Museum of Popular Tradition is situated in one of these tradition houses and is worth a visit, if only to view the architecture of the building alone. You can see the Forty Martyrs Armenian Church and several renovated hotels and restaurants in traditional houses (such as the Dar Zamaria and Beit Wakil Hotels). The Beit Wakil is a lovely renovated hotel with caves underneath it and even a cave bar!

Address: Jdaide Qtr.

Great (Umayyad) Mosque - Aleppo

For a small fee you can visit the Great Mosque by the entrance to the Souq. Hooded gowns are available for women to wear and it is advisable to dress modestly. The main prayer hall is nice to wander around and the outside courtyard has been newly renovated and has some lovely decorated doorways.

Address: Next to Souq entrance, city centre

Al Joubaili Soap Factory - Aleppo

We were disappointed to find the door of this little soap factory closed every time we walked by, but by chance we mentioned this to one of the shop keepers whos store we visited. One quick phone call later and we were taken on a guided tour by the shop owner who even closed his store to take us! We watched the workers stirring the liquid soap in a giant round pool with a wooden paddle before going upstairs to see the floor of setting soap, ready to be stamped and cut into blocks. The shop owner explained the process and even let us stamp the soap with a rubber mallet. Mountains of soap blocks could be seen in the old warehouse and it was like stepping back in time with everything done by hand. We of course bought a few souvenir soaps from the kind shop owner and thanked him for such a kind gesture!

Address: In the outside lanes of the souq

Souqs - Aleppo Souqs Review

Go into the maze of souqs and be transported back in time! The covered souqs sell everything from camel humps to carpets and you can find little courtyards (khans) housing shops. Soap is big business in Aleppo and you can find many kinds of different fragrances here, most of which is hand-made.

Address: Centre

The Citadel - Aleppo Citadel Review

The Citadel rises over 50m above the streets of Aleppo and is a must-see when visiting. After going through the impressive gateway, you can walk up the hill past a series of doors to see the remains of the Ayyubid Palace. There is a baths complex here and throne room and a chance to climb on to the upper battlements to take in the great view. There are several Mosques as well as an amphitheatre and a small museum (separate fee) and cafe. The Citadel is open: 9am-6pm in summer/9am-4pm in winter. Closed Tues. Small entrance fee and guides are available.

Address: Centre, nr souq - can't miss it