This is the “Exploring the Old Levant” trip offered by Explore, UK that took us through the Lebanon and Syria.
I've always wanted to visit Lebanon and, whilst I've been to Syria before, this trip offers the opportunity to revist places I enjoyed - like Aleppo and Krak de Chavailer and to see new places such as Palmyra.
Traditionally the “Levant” referred to the Eastern Mediterranean area that includes Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Territories. This trip only encompassed Lebanon and Syria.
The pivotal position of Lebanon and Syria in the history of this region has yielded a wealth of fascinating ancient sites and a deep-rooted and complex cultural background to our journey. Lebanon is a tiny country – smaller than Northern Ireland – yet it has played a huge role in world history as a crossroads and meeting place of ancient civilisations. It is the land of the Phoenicians, a maritime people whose busy markets attracted traders from all parts of the known world. Through the ages the Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Crusaders and Arabs and more recently Israelis and Syrians have all left their mark. ‘Djebel Libanan’ means ‘white as milk mountains’, and one of its two mountain ranges forms the border with Syria, whose history is equally startling. The itinerary includes visits to many historic places from different millennium following in the footsteps of Hannibal, Cleopatra and Mark Anthony, Richard the Lionheart and the great Saladin.
Why is it that I say just "Syria" but seem to automatically refer to 'the' Lebanon ?
I've always wanted to visit Lebanon and, whilst I've been to Syria before, this trip offers the opportunity to revist places I enjoyed - like Aleppo and Krak de Chavailer and to see new places such as Palmyra.
The pivotal position of Lebanon and Syria in the history of this region has yielded a wealth of fascinating ancient sites and a deep-rooted and complex cultural background to our journey. Lebanon is a tiny country – smaller than Northern Ireland – yet it has played a huge role in world history as a crossroads and meeting place of ancient civilisations. It is the land of the Phoenicians, a maritime people whose busy markets attracted traders from all parts of the known world. Through the ages the Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians, Macedonians, Romans, Crusaders and Arabs and more recently Israelis and Syrians have all left their mark. ‘Djebel Libanan’ means ‘white as milk mountains’, and one of its two mountain ranges forms the border with Syria, whose history is equally startling. The itinerary includes visits to many historic places from different millennium following in the footsteps of Hannibal, Cleopatra and Mark Anthony, Richard the Lionheart and the great Saladin.
Why is it that I say just "Syria" but seem to automatically refer to 'the' Lebanon ?
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