Middle East - Anthony Ham [438]
RIVER
The Euphrates River runs north of the city centre and is spanned by a 400m-long suspension bridge that provides fine views of the sluggish, eddying waters as they flow past islands and reeds along the riverbank. The bridge is an impressive structure and a favourite place with the locals for an evening promenade. On the other side of the bridge is a small recreation ground where the local boys swim.
To reach the main body of the river from the main square, Saahat 8 Azar, cross the canal and head north up Sharia 7 Nissan (the continuation of Sharia 8 Azar) for 500m; it runs into the southern end of the suspension bridge, which is open for pedestrians and bicycle users only.
Sleeping & Eating
Al-Jamia al-Arabiyya ( 351 371; Sharia Khaled ibn al-Walid & Sharia Maysaloun; s/d S£250/450) Though it has shabby, spartan rooms and the building is peeling away by the day, the hotel is kept reasonably clean and the owner, Nureddin, is a friendly host and speaks some English. Rooms are equipped with fans and basin and some have a balcony. Toilets (squat) and showers are shared.
Ziad Hotel ( 227 338; www.ziadhotel.com; Sharia Abu Bakr as-Siddiq; s/d US$35/45; ) Easily the best hotel in Deir, Ziad Hotel is not far west of the main square and overlooks the canal. Its 33 rooms are large and spotlessly clean, with thick mattresses, fridge and satellite TV. There are plans to upgrade some of the rooms to four-star status and the breakfast is simple but fresh.
Lailati ( 229 648; Sharia Ali ibn Abi Taleb; meal per person S£250; noon-midnight) In a renovated art deco building with vivid orientalist paintings on the walls, this casual eatery 400m west of the main square is easily Deir’s best and busiest. Attracting a chatty crowd of families, young couples and groups of women (a rarity in this part of the country), the menu is a mix of Syrian standards plus international dishes – everything from pizza to hamburgers – and it’s all good.
There may not be many restaurants around in Deir but there are myriad eateries selling hot chicken, shwarma, kebabs, and burgers along Sharia Khaled ibn al-Walid. There’s a handful of restaurants on the banks of the Euphrates, adjacent to the suspension bridge. The pleasant riverside setting doesn’t quite compensate for the mediocre food; have a drink only and eat elsewhere.
Getting There & Away
AIR
The airport is about 7km east of town. The ‘regular’ flights (S£1500, one hour) between Deir ez-Zur and Damascus have been known to get cancelled – regularly. A shuttle bus runs to the airport from the office of SyrianAir ( 221 801; Sharia al-Ma’amoun; 8.30am-12.30pm Sat-Thu).
BUS
Several bus companies depart regularly from Deir ez-Zur’s ‘Pullman’ station for Damascus (S£340, seven hours) via Palmyra (S£150, two hours) and to Aleppo (S£230, five hours) via Raqqa (S£100, two hours). Al Kadmous is the most popular choice. The luxury bus station is 2km south of town, at the far end of Sharia 8 Azar; a taxi costs S£50 from the town centre.
There’s a local microbus service (S£15) to the airport from a stop about a five-minute walk south of the main square, on the right-hand side; otherwise a taxi will cost S£100.
MINIBUS & MICROBUS
The minibus station is on Sharia 8 Azar about 1km south of the main square. From here, there are regular departures for Raqqa (S£90, two hours), for Hassake in the northeast (S£125, 2½ hours) and south to Al-Bukamal (S£90, two hours) for Mari and Dura Europos.
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SOUTHEAST OF DEIR EZ-ZUR
The Euphrates River empties down into Iraq southeast of Deir ez-Zur and two of Syria’s most important ancient sites – Dura Europos and Mari – lie close to its banks, around 100km and 130km respectively from Deir ez-Zur.
To reach these sites, the road shadows the fertile Euphrates River flood, passing