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Voykit pocket guide · Syria
As-Suwayda
السويداء
Give As-Suwayda half a day to a full day: walk the centre for the Agora, museum, Great Mosque and St George's Cathedral, then taxi out to Qanawat or Salim.
As-Suwayda sits in the Hauran, about 110 km south of Damascus, and grew from a Nabataean foundation into the Roman wine town of Dionysias. The centre is walkable and holds the Roman Agora, the national museum, a 19th-century mosque and the Greek Orthodox cathedral. One day covers the city; add a second for the Roman towns of Qanawat and Salim. The population is about 65,000 in the city itself (Wikidata); the wider governorate is far larger.
- Country
- Syria
- Local name
- السويداء
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (very hot)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- SYP
- Money
- Foreign cards and ATMs generally do not work in Syria: see Insurance & payments above.
- Daily spend
- Budget SYP 15,000–25,000 (check) · Mid SYP 25,000–45,000 (check) · High SYP 45,000+ (check) (estimate; check)
- Emergency
- Police 112 · Ambulance 110 · Fire 113
Get in
By air
- DAM · Damascus International Airport
- Main international gateway for southern Syria; about 110 km (68 mi) by road to As-Suwayda, roughly 1.5–2 h by car. Check current flight schedules and road conditions.Main international gateway for southern Syria; about 68 mi (110 km) by road to As-Suwayda, roughly 1.5–2 h by car. Check current flight schedules and road conditions.
- AMM · Queen Alia International Airport, Amman (Jordan)
- Common arrival point for the Hauran; overland via the Deraa crossing, then about 1 h to As-Suwayda. Check border status before you commit.
Typical fares
- Taxi, city centre → Qanawat
- About 20 min; agree the fare before you get in (check)
- Taxi, city centre → Salim
- About 30 min; agree the fare before you get in (check)
- Damascus → As-Suwayda by road
- About 110 km (68 mi), roughly 1.5–2 h by car (check road conditions)About 68 mi (110 km), roughly 1.5–2 h by car (check road conditions)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The central city is quite walkable, though it has no old town of narrow lanes. Taxis are the practical option for the Agora, the museum and the outlying Roman sites; agree the fare before you get in.
See and do
Known for
- Agora of Dionysias (Roman ruins)
- As-Suwayda National Museum
- St George's Cathedral (Greek Orthodox)
- As-Suwayda Great Mosque (19th century)
- Druze culture and the 'Little Venezuela' diaspora
- Nearby Roman towns: Qanawat (Canatha) and Salim (Selaema)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Qanawat (Canatha) | Taxi from the city centre, about 20 min | About 30 min each way |
| Salim (Selaema) | Taxi, about 30 min | About 1 h each way |
| Bosra | Road south-east via the Hauran plain; taxi or shared car | Check locally |
| Deraa | Road west on the Damascus highway | Check locally |
Sleep
- Your Address Resort & Spa
- City-edge resort with pool and spa at about 32.7347, 36.5920; the only listed hotel in the guide. Book ahead and confirm the current phone number.
- City centre
- Small hotels and guesthouses cluster around the Agora and the Great Mosque; walkable to the museum. Check availability locally.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | مرحباmarhaba |
| Thank you | شكراshukran |
| How much is it? | كم الثمن؟kam al-thaman |
| Where is the museum? | أين المتحف؟ayna al-mat-haf |
| I need help | أحتاج مساعدةahtaj musa'ada |
| Goodbye | مع السلامةma'a al-salama |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Scams and watch-outs
- Security can change quickly; read your own government's travel advice before booking anything.
- Summer heat: July and August average highs near 38 °C. Carry water and sun protection.
- Some sites are unguarded ruins with no facilities or posted hours: check locally before travelling out.
- The Deraa border crossing with Jordan can close without notice: check status before planning an overland arrival.
Security in southern Syria can vary by week. Follow your government's travel advice, stay in well-known areas, travel in daylight and keep your plans flexible.
One and two days
No timed day plan for As-Suwayda yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Agora of Dionysias (Roman ruins)
- As-Suwayda National Museum
- St George's Cathedral (Greek Orthodox)
- As-Suwayda Great Mosque (19th century)
- Druze culture and the 'Little Venezuela' diaspora
- Nearby Roman towns: Qanawat (Canatha) and Salim (Selaema)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata — As-Suwayda (coordinates, population): www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170063
- Wikivoyage: As-Suwayda, revision 5265712 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5265712
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/as-suwayda). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.