Armenians, Nabateans, Christian saints and Crusaders have all left their mark on this stunning country, and contemporary Syrians welcome travelers to enjoy the result.  Your students will explore the capital city of Damascus, home to delightful palaces, mosques, and a National Museum that provides a perfect primer on Syria’s cultural treasures.  Aleppo offers the imposing Citadel, the Great Mosque, and traditional caravanserai, roadside inns that gave respite to Silk Road voyagers.  We’ll stop at Palmyra, a once-wealthy city that linked Persia to the Mediterranean, and visit Amrit, home to the only remaining Phoenecian temple in the Middle East.  Along the way we’ll have the pleasure of enjoying Syrian hospitality as we meet with Bedouin families, local farmers, and even soap makers.  Their heartfelt welcome shouldn’t be surprising—in a country where rich treasures abound and the open road is king, who wouldn’t want to say "Salaam"?