Hama Governorate · Syria
Hama travel guide
Hama is a city in Hama Governorate, Syria, home to about 697,000 people.
- Best months
- March, April, October and November
- Nearest airport
- LTK78 km · Latakia International Airport
- Currency
- SYPSyrian pound
- Time zone
- Asia/Damascus
- Language
- Arabic
About
About Hama
Hama is a city on the banks of the Orontes River in west-central Syria. It is located 213 kilometres (132 mi) north of Damascus and 46 km (29 mi) north of Homs.
Wikipedia contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Hama
See
- Hama Waterwheels
- Azem Palace
- Citadel of Hama
- Museum of Hama
- Great Mosque of Hama
- Nur al-Din Mosque
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Which part of Hama to stay in
The two most popular hotels for backpackers (and apparently also the only budget options in town) are the Riad and the Cairo.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Hama
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Hama are March, April, October and November. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 36 °C; January is the wettest, with about 101 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Hama: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Latakia International Airport (LTK), about 78 km from the city centre in a straight line; Aleppo International Airport (ALP, 121 km) and Hatay Airport (HTY, 140 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
Hama is a very walkable city, with the biggest waterwheels an easy 1 km stroll from the centre. The passport office, where you get visas renewed, can be reached from the downtown in about 15 minutes on foot and there are plenty of restaurants and markets around the two most popular hotels for backpackers, the Riad and Cairo. If you need to get to the bus or train station, you'll find a service bus stop south-west of the bridge, easily recognized by many minibuses stopping there.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
LTK · Latakia International Airport
ALP · Aleppo International Airport
HTY · Hatay Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Hama
Eat
Eat possibly the best felafel in the Middle East at Ali Babas near the Cairo Hotel. This small and simple restaurant is recommended by the guidebooks and consequently has a menu in English. There are numerous fast food and juice stands in the area around Ali Babas. Al-Baroudi restaurant on Shoukri al-Quwatli is a good bet for barbequed chicken but be careful what you order. If you are not precise, they will bring a huge meal of half a chicken each plus three or four dips, bread, salad and a large plate of rice. While all the food is excellent, and perhaps just the ticket if you are starving, smaller meals are available for a proportionally smaller cost.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Hama: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Hama?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Hama are March, April, October and November. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 36 °C; January is the wettest, with about 101 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Hama?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Latakia International Airport (LTK), about 78 km from the city centre in a straight line; Aleppo International Airport (ALP, 121 km) and Hatay Airport (HTY, 140 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Hama?
Syrian pound (SYP).
Nearby
Destinations near Hama
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.