Located north-west of Damascus, the principal port city of Syria, Latakia is one of the most beautiful tourist destinations on the Mediterranean. The city perfectly blends together vibrant cultural aesthetics with hot, sandy beaches to give tourists a memorable time either under the sun or exploring the rich cultural history of the municipality. The destination is highly recommended for its wide number of exciting attractions such as the National Museum of Latakia, the al-Assad Stadium, Salah ad-Din’s Castle, the ruins of Ugarit, the 13th century Great Mosque, the 18th century Jadid Mosque and several stunning beaches.
The National Museum of Latakia, which is positioned close to the Seafront part of the city, was one of the must visit sites in Latakia. The museum had on display many antiques of the past including early Arab and Crusader period chain-mail as well as ancient inscribed tablets from Ugarit. However, sadly it was closed down temporarily due to the crisis in Syria, as to protect the museum’s historical artifacts from being stolen. Hopefully, the museum will be opening again soon and become yet another essential spot for tourists to visit.
For those looking for a more adrenaline-pumping experience, Latakia’s al-Assad Stadium, which has a max capacity of 28,000 seats, can be a great place to visit when some of the city’s local football teams are playing. Latakia has a total of three football clubs that are the Hutteen Sports Club, Sports Teshrin Club and Tadamon SC, of which all are based in the al-Assad Stadium. If one were to head north of the city, they could reach the Latakia Sports City complex that was constructed in order to host the 1987 Mediterranean Games. The Sports City complex was designed to pair with the stadium, wherein the stadium served as the games’ main venue during the1987 Mediterranean Games.
Both Salah ad-Din’s Castle and the ruins of Ugarit, where some of the earliest alphabetic writings were uncovered, are the perfect spots for those interested in the deep history and rich culture of Syria. Salah ad-Din’s Castle, also known as the Citadel of Salah ad-Din, was a medieval castle that was controlled by the Franks in the 12th century until Salah ad-Din’s forces gained control of it after a three-day siege in 1188. Later the castle was besieged and defended by the Mamluks in 1287. The ruins of Ugarit was once an ancient port town in the northern part of Syria, after excavating the site, the ruins are all that is left of the once prosperous city. The history of Ugarit is a very interesting topic, which was apparently brought to ruin by mysterious “sea people.”
The Great Mosque from the 13th century as well as the Jadid Mosque from the 18th century, of which was built by the former Governor of Damascus, Suleiman Pasha Azem, are both great sites to visit for their cultural significance and aesthetics. Another reason why tourists love this destination is because Latakia’s roads connect to other popular tourism cities such as Aleppo, Homs, Beirut and Tripoli.
The beaches are by far the most attractive scene for tourists in Latakia, the video below will show you why the beaches of Latakia are such a hot tourist destination.
