As-Suwayda is a city of 300,000 inhabitants in Hauran of Syria.

Understand

The city was founded by the Nabataeans as Suada. It became known as Dionysias Soada in the Hellenistic period and the Roman Empire, for the god Dionysus, patron of wine - the city is situated in a famous ancient wine-producing region. After the fall if the Roman Empire, As-Suwayda gradually declined and by the time of the Ottoman Empire it had been reduced to a hamlet. It once again grew in the 19th and 20th century, with many immigrants arriving. The city is sometimes referred to as Little Venezuela due to the city's influx of Venezuelan Syrian immigrants. The inhabitants of the city are mainly Druze with a prominent Greek Orthodox Christians minority.

Get around

The central city is quite walkable, even if it lacks a proper old town with narrow streets. Taxis is the best alternative for reaching sites further afield.

See

The agora of Dionysias.

• 1 Agora of Dionysias. Archelogical site with well-preserved Roman ruins. (updated Mar 2022)
• 2 As-Suwayda National Museum (متحف السويداء الوطني). (updated Mar 2022)
• 3 St. George's Cathedral (كاتدرائية مار جرجس). Main church of the Greek Orthodox in As-Suwayda. (updated Mar 2022)
• 4 As-Suwayda Great Mosque. 19th century mosque in the city centre. (updated Mar 2022)

There are several ancient Hellenistic-Roman cities dotted around As-Suwayda, most notably the settlements of Canatha (Qanawat) and Selaema (Salim). There's several impressive Roman ruins in the towns, well worth a day trip.

• 5 Temple of Rabbos. (updated Mar 2022)

Sleep

• 1 Your Address Resort & Spa (منتجع وفندق عنوانك), ☏ +963 962 400 444. (updated Mar 2022)

Go next

• Bosra — a Roman city in southern Syria close to the Jordan frontier noted for the use of black basalt stones and its well preserved theatre