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World Travel Guide > Guides > Middle East > Syrian Arab Republic > Damascus

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Damascus Nightlife

Nightlife in Damascus is fairly quiet. Shopping in Souk al-Hamidiyeh (open until 2100) followed by a café stop to smoke a nargileh (water pipe) and play backgammon, is a popular way to spend the evening. The an-Nofara, just beside the Umayyad Mosque, stays open late at night and has a traditional storyteller. Damascenes often head up Mount Qassioun at night to watch the city lights.

Plush hotels like the Cham Palace, Four Seasons and Sheraton all have bars and nightclubs, but the Christian Quarter, near Bab Touma, is where it's at, with a cluster of lively bars with dance floors and DJ beats.

The Syria Times and Syria Today (www.syria-today.com), both daily English-language newspapers, provide listings and descriptions of cultural events in Damascus. You can also check out the Ministry of Tourism's website for listings; however, it is updated sporadically (www.syriatourism.org).

Bars in Damascus

Laterna

Laterna, situated behind Cham Palace, is a very trendy bar-restaurant.

Sharia May 29, Damascus
Tel: (011) 232 3185.

Address: , , ,
Telephone:

MarMar

MarMar, near Bab Touma, is a small but very lively bar with a DJ after 2200 on weekends.

Sharia ad-Dawanna, Damascus
Tel: (011) 544 6425.

Address: , , ,
Telephone:

XO

If you're after a quiet drink in plush surroundings, head to XO bar in the Four Seasons Hotel, the capital's first cigar lounge. They have a wide selection of quality cigars and spirits.

Four Seasons Hotel, Sharia Shukri al-Quwatli, PO Box 6311 Damascus
Tel: (011) 339 1000.
www.fourseasons.com/damascus

Address: , , ,
Telephone:

Clubs in Damascus

Tornado

Tornado, located 10 minutes from downtown on the Damascus-Homs Highway, is the trendiest nightclub in town with a DJ playing good rap, hip hop, techno, or Arabic music.

Damascus

Address: , , ,
Telephone:

Live music in Damascus

Classical music in Damascus

Dance in Damascus

Theatres in Damascus

Music and Dance in Damascus

British Council

The British Council organises many cultural events in Damascus.

Sharia Maysaloun, PO Box 33105 Damascus
Tel: (011) 331 0631.
www.britishcouncil.org/syria

Address: , , ,
Telephone:

Dar al-Assad Opera House

The Dar al-Assad Opera House, near Midan Umawiyeen, holds concerts, theatrical performances and exhibitions arranged by the Ministry of Culture. It is the main cultural venue in Damascus.

Sharia Shoukri al-Quwatly, Damascus
Tel: (011) 245 7422.
www.opera-syria.org

Address: , , ,
Telephone:

Culture in Damascus

French Cultural Centre

French Cultural Centre, opposite the Alaa Towers Hotel in a side street off Sharia Yussef al-Azmeh, also organises several cultural events in Damascus.

Off Sharia Yussef al-Azmeh, Damascus
Tel: (011) 231 6181.
www.ccf-damas.org

Address: , , ,
Telephone:
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Featured Hotels

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Omayad Hotel Damascus

Centrally located, Omayad Hote Damascus is a popular four-star business hotel in Damascus. The hotel has a grand lobby and spacious soundproofed rooms with air conditioning, satellite TV and a free Wi-Fi internet connection.

Sultan Hotel

For many years now the best budget option in Damascus, the Sultan is popular with travellers for its excellent location near the old city, its friendly and helpful staff and the basic, but clean rooms with an unchanged motel-style1960s décor. It is advisable to book ahead.

Four Seasons Hotel Damascus

The Four Seasons Hotel is the top hotel in town, and with 23 storeys it has become a landmark on the Damascus skyline. Set in a landscaped park, opposite the National Museum, it is only a short walk from the old city. The rooms are sumptuously decorated and have great views over Damascus and the Barada River.

Cham Palace

The Cham Palace, located right in the heart of the city, is one of the oldest luxury hotels in Damascus. The rooms command great views over the city and Mount Qassioun and the lobby is a popular meeting point for Syrian businessmen. The hotel has five good restaurants, including the Étoile d'Or, the city's only revolving restaurant, on the top floor.

Beit Rumman

Beit Rumman is a recent addition to Damascus's burgeoning boutique hotel scene. Located in Bab Touma, Beit Rumman is a converted, 17th-century house complete with its own cellar and courtyard. It offers six bedrooms, each uniquely decorated.

Beit Zaman Hotel

This impressive, 300-year-old Ottoman palace is located in the heart of Bab Touma, a vibrant neighbourhood. There are 28 rooms on offer, and while the room rates are marginally cheaper compared to other boutique hotels in Damascus, guests have complained that Beit Zaman can be a little sterile. Nevertheless, the hotel is in the heart of the city, and it boasts a well-maintained inner courtyard.

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