Lattakia

Syria's main port is on the north coast, on the shores of the Mediterranean. Known to the ancient world as Laodicea, it has grown from a small fishing village to today's thriving port. Its surrounding beaches and large, out-of-town hotels are mucch favored by local holiday makers.

The port itself is said to date from about 400B.C. and contains a ruin of the Temple of Bacchus and a triumphal archway. Its streets are wide and tree-lined, giving it an almost European ambience.

It provides a good base from which to visit the ruins of the ancient city of Ras Shamra, 16km away. Known in ancient times as Ugarit, this was once a thriving center for trade with Egypt, Greece and Mesopotamia. The French has excavated the stone-built city for the last fifty years and a variety of palaces, temples and houses have been unearthed

The earliest-known complete alphabet has been found here, written on well-preserved tablets and now on display in museums in Lattakia, Aleppo and Damascus, as well as in the Paris Louvre. Local buses depart for the ruins hourly from Lattakia.

Home	Content	Overview	Culture	History
Geography	Government	Business	Transport	Related sites

Tour guide