Souq

Not as extensive as Cairo's Khan al-Khalili or as grand as Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, Aleppo's Souq is nonetheless one of the most atmospheric in the Middle East. Its appeal derives largely from the fact that it's still the main centre of local commerce. If an Aleppan housewife needs some braid for her curtains, a taxi driver needs a new seat cover, or the school kids need backpacks, it's to the souq that they all come. Little seems to have changed here in hundreds of years, and while recent years have seen an increase in tourism, the local trade has yet to be displaced by sightseers.

Parts of the souq date from the 13th century, but the bulk of what stands today belongs to the Ottoman era (largely 16th- to 19th-century). A walk through the souq could take all day, particularly if you accept invitations by the stall owners to stop for tea.