Latakia Governorate · Syria
Latakia travel guide
Latakia is a city in Latakia Governorate, Syria, home to about 709,000 people.
- Best months
- April to June and October
- Nearest airport
- LTK20 km · Latakia International Airport
- Currency
- SYPSyrian pound
- Time zone
- Asia/Damascus
- Language
- Arabic
About
About Latakia
Latakia, officially Lattakia, is the principal port city of Syria and capital city of the Latakia Governorate located on the Mediterranean coast. Historically, it has also been known as Laodicea in Syria or Laodicea ad Mare.
The city consists largely of white stucco highrises and streets lined with palm trees, and the most popular beaches are along the coast to the north of the city. Latakia is home to one of Syria's largest universities, Latakia University, and the city tends to be relatively socially progressive and liberal (by Syrian standards), with a mixed population of Christian, Alawi, and Sunni inhabitants.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Latakia
See
The Latakia region is known for its diversity of landscapes, from the green mountains to the sandy beaches, with many important archeological sites, such as the Saladin Castle (a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2006) and the ruins of Ugarit, close enough to see on a day trip from Latakia.
- National Museum of Latakia
- Ruins of Ugarit
- Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
- National Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Latakia
Do
In the city center, the American street attracts the young and fashionable at night. Also the Zira'a quarter and around the university are hip upcoming parts of the city.
- Free public beach near Al Siwar
- Free public beach near South Corniche Park
- Resort hotels in the north (Le Meridien, Cote d'Azur Cham)
- Afamia
- Loop run around Latakia Sports Complex
- Loop run along Latakia water front
- Park loop run near the University
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Latakia
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Latakia are April to June and October. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; January is the wettest, with about 190 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 Latakia: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Latakia International Airport (LTK), about 20 km from the city centre in a straight line; Hatay Airport (HTY, 104 km) and Aleppo International Airport (ALP, 150 km) are also within reach.
Getting around
Much of Latakia is accessible by taxi. One can walk along the corniche, although it is otherwise not a very walkable city, due to distances between points in the city (beach, downtown, resort hotels, Ugarit, etc.). Latakia has quite a good bus system. Destinations are labeled in Arabic, but the buses are numbered, operate frequently and follow predefined routes. Illustrative maps indicating intersections of bus routes are found in the buses. Safuan hotel is able to provide you with a hand-made map of bus routes 1 and 2. A ticket is valid for two rides.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
LTK · Latakia International Airport
HTY · Hatay Airport
ALP · Aleppo International Airport
Questions
Latakia: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Latakia?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Latakia are April to June and October. August is the warmest month, with average highs of 31 °C; January is the wettest, with about 190 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Latakia?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Latakia International Airport (LTK), about 20 km from the city centre in a straight line; Hatay Airport (HTY, 104 km) and Aleppo International Airport (ALP, 150 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Latakia?
Syrian pound (SYP).
Nearby
Destinations near Latakia
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.