Homs Governorate · Syria
Homs travel guide
Homs is a city in Homs Governorate, Syria, home to about 775,000 people.
- Best months
- April, May, October and November
- Nearest airport
- LTK102 km · Latakia International Airport
- Currency
- SYPSyrian pound
- Time zone
- Asia/Damascus
- Language
- Arabic
About
About Homs
Homs, known in pre-Islamic times as Emesa, is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is 501 m (1,644 ft) above sea level and is located 162 km (101 mi) north of Damascus.
With a population of 1.6 million, Homs is the third large city in Syria after the capital Damascus and Aleppo. It is centrally positioned in Syria and is home to Al-Baath University among other institutes. There are many restaurants and hotels. The old name for the city of Homs is "Emissa" or "Emizza" but in standard Arabic it is called "Hims" and "Homs" is its informal name. Homs is the birthplace of Hashim al-Atassi, the Syrian nationalist and former president of Syria.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Homs
See
- Citadel of Homs
- Khalid ibn al-Walid Mosque
- Great Mosque of al-Nuri
- Church of Saint Elian
- Forty Martyrs Cathedral
- Saint Mary Church of the Holy Belt
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Homs
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Homs are April, May, October and November. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 35 °C; January is the wettest, with about 98 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 Homs: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Latakia International Airport (LTK), about 102 km from the city centre in a straight line; Damascus International Airport (DAM, 148 km) is also within reach.
Getting in
There is no airport in Homs; however, you can reach the city by taxi, private car, or bus from the airports at Damascus, Aleppo, or Latakia, or other ports of you are arriving from outside of Syria. There are bus stations in every city which provide service to reach Homs. There are no trains to Homs.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
LTK · Latakia International Airport
DAM · Damascus International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Homs
Eat
There are many restaurants in Homs in Ghouta street and Hamra street and others near city center. If you are just passing through the city, definitely try the labneh shawarma at the big food stall inside the Homs bus station.
Drink
You can find many pubs and bars to have a drink, specially in Al Hamidiya street, and some in Al Hadara Street. Try arak, the local Syrian alcoholic drink.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Homs: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Homs?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Homs are April, May, October and November. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 35 °C; January is the wettest, with about 98 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Homs?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Latakia International Airport (LTK), about 102 km from the city centre in a straight line; Damascus International Airport (DAM, 148 km) is also within reach.
What currency is used in Homs?
Syrian pound (SYP).
Nearby
Destinations near Homs
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.