It had just turned dark, we were shopping in the market behind the Umayyad mosque and I noticed an open door into the mosque’s courtyard. I entered. A man sat in quiet contemplation. The stone floor was still warm to my stocking-footed feet. I felt that this moment embodied the peace of Islam.

While most Arab historic souq's are largely a tourist trap, Aleppo is a largely intact historic city of 15,000 limestone buildings linked by labyrinthine streets and peaked-roof tunnels. Aleppo's enormous traditional souq boasts more than seven miles of passageways topped by vaulted stone ceilings with natural skylights. Selling everything from spices and freshly slaughtered lamb to carpets and hardware, the souq remains the heart of the city's commerce; only a tiny section caters to tourists. Today, it is hemmed in on three sides by modern, straight, multilane streets, many of them lined with high-rise apartments and office buildings. But a few steps from the high-rises, the historic fabric remains intact. It is a journey from a world of automobiles to a world of donkey carts; from a world of inert rectilinear forms to a world of alleyways, curving arches, and latticework windows; from garish, commercially produced signs hawking mobile phones and soft drinks to the simple black-and-green stenciled image of the Ka'ba in Mecca, Islam's holiest site, atop wooden doorways. Even more powerful than the visual impact of the transition is the auditory one. Just a few paces into the labyrinth, the din of vehicular traffic is replaced by the banter of conversation in the marketplace. A brief stroll deeper, and the voices of men are replaced by the voices of boys chasing after a soccer ball in a courtyard as a hijab-clad mother looks on from the window above.

Damascus is a city from a fairy tale where you forget all the prejudices you had the moment you start to walk on it's streets. After you pass by all the gorgeous food stands in the magical shopping arcade Souq al-Hamidiyya on your way to Christian and Jewish Quarters you find yourself in front of the magnificent Minaret of Qaitbay of Umayyad Mosque. The mosque is surrounded by crowded streets, Roman ruins, shops and street vendors. The scene is simply unbelievable... Take a deep breath and just walk in the court of the mosque where you can isolate yourself entirely from the city with hundreds of believers for a few quite minutes...

Two of the most moving sites that I've ever experienced were the Mosque of Say'yeda Roqayya and the Umayyad Mosque. Both sites are main attractions in Damascus for locals and tourists. The tomb of Say'yeda Roqayya is a beautiful mosaic of gold illuminated with green light. Everyone is welcome in the mosques, even non-Muslims. A robe is supplied for non-Muslims to enter. To experience the collected reverence in a holy site was surprisingly an uplifting and welcoming experience. After the war is over, I hope the peace can be restored to a city full of history.

I know not what has befallen this most magnificent of castles, Crak des Chevaliers. For hundreds of years it withstood all types of foe, having thousands of Crusader Knights pass through it. Perhaps one day when Syria emerges from the civil war that now plagues it, the country will once again attract back tourists to this historic part of the world.

Built in the 18th century to house a wealthy family, Dar Zamaria remains true to a once-glamorous way of Syrian life. To reach my room, I walked a short distance through an ancient limestone alley in Jedaideh, Aleppo’s historic Christian district. A morning buffet featured ful, a lemon juice–infused fava bean stew from Abu Abdu, a neighboring shop that prepares the best version of the dish in town. After the meal, I emerged from the lobby to find myself in the thick of Aleppo’s street life. I paused to watch a baker drying pitas on a fence. —Milena Damjanov Dar Zamaria, 963/(0) 21-363-6100, from $105. Photo courtesy of Dar Zamaria. This appeared in the July/August 2010 issue.