Raqqa Governorate · Syria
Raqqa travel guide
Raqqa is a city in Raqqa Governorate, Syria, home to about 300,000 people.
- Best months
- March, April, October and November
- Currency
- SYPSyrian pound
- Time zone
- Asia/Damascus
- Language
- Arabic
About
About Raqqa
Raqqa (Arabic: ٱلرَّقَّة, romanized: ar-Raqqah, also al-Raḳḳa) is a city in Syria on the north bank of the Euphrates River, about 160 kilometres (99 miles) east of Aleppo. It is located 40 kilometres (25 miles) east of the Euphrates Dam, Syria's largest dam.
While Raqqa became know to the world as the capital of the self-declared Islamic State between 2013-2017, the city has a long history as a Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine city. Many historic sights and artifacts have however been destroyed or lost during the fight to liberate the city. As of early 2020 the local government is still struggling to bring back basic services, however efforts have been made to save and restore some of the historic buildings and sights within the city.
Wikipedia and Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Things to do
What to see and do in Raqqa
See
- Great Mosque of Raqqa
- Ruins of Qasr al-Banat Castle
- Raqqa Museum
- Raqqa City Walls
- Baghdad Gate
- Tuttul
- Ruins of Heraqla victory monument
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
When to go
The best time to visit Raqqa
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Raqqa are March, April, October and November. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 40 °C; January is the wettest, with about 39 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 Raqqa
Getting around
Shared taxi is the most common way of getting around with in the city, walking is an option in the centre. Be aware that many buildings are still in rubble and can be hazardous.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Raqqa: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Raqqa?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Raqqa are March, April, October and November. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 40 °C; January is the wettest, with about 39 mm of rain.
What currency is used in Raqqa?
Syrian pound (SYP).
Nearby
Destinations near Raqqa
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; 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.