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An incorrect Web address was provided for tour operator Adventures Abroad in the below story; the correct address is www.adventuresabroad.travel.

Walk the streets of Syria's capital and you quickly realize there is a serious disconnect between reality and the Western image of a country America lumped into the Axis of Evil.

Damascus, the world's oldest continuously inhabited city, is like the rest of the country: hospitable and safe, with little street crime and no terrorist attacks. While much of the population is Muslim, Syria is a secular state with no official religion and Damascenes appear to be comfortable dressing according to their personal preferences - tight jeans and T-shirts mingling easily with head scarves and chadors.

Our tour group, arriving from London, came mainly to see Syria's fabled archeological sites, many being relics that reach back to the roots of Western civilization. Since 2000 BC the area that is now Syria has been inhabited or controlled by Amorites, Assyrians, a number of Arab dynasties, the Persians, Alexander and his successors, Egyptians, Romans, Mongols, Turks and, in more "modern" times, by the Byzantines, Ottomans and the French. Traces of these civilizations and their religions remain in the buildings and the bloodstream of the Syrian people.

Our weeklong visit would see us travelling by bus on a triangular route formed by the capital, Palmyra and Aleppo. While there are dozens of unforgettable places to visit - among them Ebla, Hama, Bosra and Dura Europos - the following were the highlights of our journey.

DAMASCUS

At least 3,000 years old, the place where Saul became St. Paul, the Old City at the heart of modern Damascus is a wonderful introduction to the country. On our first evening in the capital, our guide led us to one of the countless small restaurants lining the dark and narrow streets of the quarter. Here we ate our fill of mezze - hummus, tabbouleh, baba ghanouj, aubergines, lamb kebabs and flat bread - accompanied by a very acceptable Lebanese wine. The next morning we visited Souk al-Hamidiyeh, a seemingly endless bazaar, defined by its soaring, arched metal roof and lined with shops of every description. Strolling water sellers offered refreshment by the glass from colourful containers on their backs, and numberless shops sold jade, lapis lazuli, hand-crafted furniture and, of course, damask.

A must-see attraction in the heart of the Old City is the Umayyad Mosque, one of the most important religious buildings in the Islamic world. In an ecumenical flourish, it holds the tombs of both Saladin (Salah al-Din) - the 12th-century Kurdish warlord who recaptured Jerusalem from the Crusaders - and John the Baptist. We strolled through its great courtyard and mingled with the hundreds of Damascenes who use the mosque not only as a place of prayer but as a haven in which to converse, study and meditate.

Also worth a visit is the Synagogue of Dura Europos at the National Museum. Built in 200 BC at a town near the Iraq border, the ruins of the synagogue were rediscovered in 1932, reconstructed and transported to Damascus. The brightly painted walls depict in colourful and well-preserved frescos the main incidents in the early history of the Hebrew people. It is a unique Jewish monument displayed in the centre of a great Muslim city.

PALMYRA

Often described as the "Bride of the Desert," Palmyra is one of the world's most complete and evocative classical sites, encompassing the remains of a great Roman caravan city set on the edge of a desert oasis and surrounded by Bedouin settlements and soaring palm trees. The ruins include colonnaded streets, a theatre, impressive tombs, temples dedicated to long abandoned deities and a substantial museum. On the way into town our bus was halted for 15 minutes to allow a large herd of camels to cross the road. One of them was on the menu the next day when we had lunch at the Zenobia Restaurant.

KRAK DES CHEVALIERS

Located 50 kilometres inland from the port city of Tartous, the Krak is the most impressive and complete among surviving Crusader castles. Constructed in the 12th century on a flattened hilltop, the impressive fortifications are matched by the interior, a complete and beautiful city, much of it in Gothic style, which once accommodated more than 2,000 people. We had lunch at the Al Kala Restaurant nearby, which features a magnificent view over the Castle.

ST. SIMEON BASILICA COMPLEX

Near Aleppo, this site is popularly known as the 5th-century home of St. Simeon Stylites, the Christian ascetic who spent 37 years there living on a small platform on top of a 15-metre pillar.

But the attraction today is the magnificent basilica complex built in his name in a stunning pastoral setting. Built by the Byzantines, it was, on completion, the largest and most important church in the world. We ended our visit here with a delicious lunch of grilled lamb in the orchard beside the basilica.

Back in Damascus for our last night, we drove up the Jebel Qassioun hill overlooking the city to the restaurant La Montagna. It was filled with trendy teenagers, business types and families, all of us drawn by the view over the sparkling city. An orchestra was playing. It is possible to be very happy in Syria. Enjoy it before the tourists arrive.

*****

Pack your bags

GETTING THERE

British Airways, KLM, Air France, Lufthansa and Alitalia all fly to Damascus from Europe.

WHERE TO STAY

Cham Palace Maisaloun St.,

Damascus; 963 (11) 223-2300; http://www.chamhotels.com/palace_damascus.html. Rooms from $250.

Cham Palace Damascus Road, Palmyra; 963 (34) 319-12230; http://www.chamhotels.com/palmyra_palace.html. Rates from $250.

TOURS

Martin Randall http://www.martinrandall.co.uk. Cost is $4,000 for 9 days, all-inclusive from London.

Adventures Abroad http://www.adventuresabroad.com. $2,800 a person for 14 days, airfare not included.

Bestway Tours & Safaris http://www.bestway.com. $1,540 a person, not including airfare.

MORE INFORMATION

Syrian Ministry of Tourism http://www.syriatourism.org.