Arwad

About this place

Arwad is the only inhabited island in Syria, in the Mediterranean about 3 km from Tartus. Today it is a small fishing town with about 4,400 people at the 2004 census. It draws visitors with its boats and narrow lanes, and with a relative quiet after the bustle of the cities on the mainland. It was an important Phoenician city, mentioned in the Annals of Thutmose III at Karnak, and classical writers knew it as Aradus. Remains of Phoenician walls in huge blocks still surround part of the island. Plans to renovate it as a tourist attraction were announced in 2016, though we could not confirm how much of this has been done. You see a harbour crowded with boats and walk narrow lanes between white houses and small shops. On the western shore huge stone blocks of the old wall face the sea. The island also has a small citadel with a museum, and yards where wooden boats are built in the traditional way, which are worth a stop. You reach it by small boat from the port of Tartus, and the crossing is short, but check the state of the sea. Take your time on foot, as the island is small enough to walk around. Krak des Chevaliers is about 41 km away in a straight line. The UK Foreign Office currently advises against all travel to Syria, and British consular help is not available there, so check official guidance before making any plans.