Rhapsody Shore & Land Excursions > Syria - Latakia > Ancient Ugarit & Modern Latakia

Ancient Ugarit & Modern Latakia

One of the most marvelous cities inhabited from the Chalcolithic era, Ugarit became an important city from the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC developing the oldest alphabet known to man in the 14th century BC.

The engravings were made on clay tablets in Ugaritic, a Canaanite dialect similar to Hebrew and Arabic adapted later by the Greeks then the Romans thus becoming the origin of all present Latin languages.

Ugarit was one of the richest city-states of Eastern Mediterranean from the 16th to the 18th century, a renowned commercial port with the famous temple of Baal within its walls attracting millions of pilgrims.

Today, the little remains of the impressive buildings are down to their bare foundations but walking among the ruins you can recognize the royal palace, the temples of Baal and Dagon, the library of the Great Priest and the layout of several square patterned paved roads with their remarkable system of water pipes.

An ancient entrance gate to the town is also visible. Back in town, you have free time to explore the city before returning to the ship

 

Special Notes:
Comfort stops available at site.

Tour not suitable for wheelchair confined persons or with restricted walking conditions.

Comfortable clothing and walking shoes recommended.

A considerable amount of walking is involved on mostly flat and partially uneven ground with several stairs near the entrance to the site.

Most parts of the site are overgrown with grass and small plants.

 

Tour Timings:

Tours begin at times suitable for the ship's arrival in port. The breakdown of the excursions is as follows:
00hr00 -> Depart from Latakia Port

00hr00 -> 00hr30 Drive to Ugarit
00hr30 -> 02hr00 Visit Ugarit
02hr00 -> 02hr15 Drive to Latakia
02hr15 -> 02hr45 Free time in Latakia
02hr45 -> 03hr00 Drive to the port

 

 

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