Al-Nadarah Valley, Tourist Gate of Syria’s Central Region

It’s mild climate, charming nature, high mountains and picturesque valleys make it one of the most fascinating areas in western  Homs.  Al-Nadarah Valley with the other neighboring villages  such as al-Hawash, al-Mzieneh, Marmarita, Almshteih, Nasera, Kafrah and Ein el-Bardeh (the Cold Spring), which are located on tops of mountains and in valleys, create charming series of natural resorts that attracts tourists, nature lovers and rest seekers  from inside and outside Syria.

In winter, the people here experience very hard climate of cold and heavy rain that ensures them great amount of water in the dams, which are distributed in the region such as al-  Mzieneh Dam, which was setup on the River Rawel. This dam helps people to benefit from the Heaven’s gift to irrigate the agricultural lands in Summer, in addition to its being  a wonderful park for visitors where a number of beautiful restaurants were erected.

Besides its fresh springs, healthy air and charming nature, al-Nadarah Valley enjoys a lot of important tourist components. The Valley contains a number of  archaeological and religious sites. The most famous is al-Hoson Castle, which is considered the most famous medieval castle which is  mostly toured by visitors from all over the world in addition to the monastery of Mar Gergios in Almsteih which overlooks the castle and surrounded by  forest, which is one of the important symbols of religious tourism in Syria.

Al- Faouar spring is a natural phenomenon that confused all  visitors who tour the area waiting for the effervescence of its water.

A lot of restaurants and parks, hotels and resorts have been erected next to the wonderful spring and the neighboring areas  where several musical festivals are held in August every year.

There is also a relics of an old church that has been recently restored where a large statue of the Virgin Mary is placed. The statue looks like the one in Harissa in Lebanon.

Several studies and plans are set for developing the castle and the valley so as to preserve the historical heritage of the area  in order to be a center for recreation and for natural,  historical and religious tourism, as well as a special agricultural area.

In a step to promote tourism and attract more Arab and foreign tourists, Al-Nadarah Valley hosts several festivals every year such as “the Castle and the Valley” Festival which is held at al-Hoson Castle’s amphitheater  that can accommodate two thousand people.

Amal Farhat