Syria & Lebanon: History in the Making

Highlights:

• Panel discussions and special meetings with Lebanon’s foremost academics, parliamentarians, and economists.
• The Acropolis of Baalbek, a UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site and one of the most impressive examples of Imperial Roman architecture in the Middle East.
• The Crusader fortress Krak des Chevaliers, described by T.E. Lawrence as the “finest medieval castle in the world”—another UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Private meetings with government leaders and local officials in Damascus for direct insight into issues facing Syria today.
• The Old City of Damascus, a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to the Umayyad Mosque, a venue of continuous prayer since the rise of Islam.
• The soaring Roman ruins of Palmyra, one of the most completely preserved Roman cities in the Middle East and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Accommodations:

Four Seasons Hotel, Damascus (five nights); Tadamora Palace Hotel, Palmyra (one night); Apanee Cham Palace, Hama (one night); Four Seasons Hotel, Beirut (four nights)

Ideally located in downtown Damascus near embassies, cultural sites, and shopping, the Four Seasons Hotel Damascus is a premier destination for global travelers. In the heart of the Syrian Desert, the Tadamora Palace Hotel is a welcome sight in an oasis setting surrounded by 150 palm trees. Panoramic views of the ruins of Palmyra, Syria’s star attraction, are a rooftop attraction. In the center of Hama, an old city in a rich agricultural region, the five-star Apamee Cham Palace Hotel overlooks the Orontes River and its famous water wheels. The hotel’s traditional architecture features sculpted marble columns holding up marble arches, and the rooms are modern and spacious. Unabashedly modern, the Four Seasons Hotel Beirut soars skyward above the city and the Mediterranean Sea, its slim, sail-capped profile a distinctive landmark. Elegant and comfortable, the rooms feature marble bathrooms and private furnished terraces

Approximately $15,990 per person, double occupancy
Approximately $18,990, single occupancy.

Trip Dates: Fom September 12 to September 24, 2011