It's my second visit to Aleppo, Syria's northern city. The first was five years ago and much has changed. On one hand, the atmospheric Christian Quarter, Al-Jdeideh, is now home to a clutch of new boutique hotels housed in gorgeous restored Ottoman mansions. The focus of these houses, tucked down narrow cobbled alleyways, is the courtyard: an entertaining area always featuring a tinkling fountain and gnarled old citrus tree whose branches reach for freedom through the open atrium above. The best hotels and restaurants have really made these restored courtyards a feature, sensitively breathing life back into the tiled floors, marble walls and ornate carved wooden ceilings in the adjacent rooms, so today's visitor only needs a little imagination to feel like a merchant traveller on the ancient Silk Road bearing precious spices from the East.
On the other hand, the central Old City area around the citadel seems to have declined a little. Maybe it was just because it was Friday - the holy day of the week for Muslims - but the area lacked the buzzing atmosphere it had five years ago. Most disappointingly, the grand and opulent Yabhoulga al-Nasery hammam opposite the citadel appears to be closed for the long term, its front windows smashed and barred up. However, a swish, brand spanking new Carlton hotel now optimistically occupies pride of place in the old hospital building, sandwiched between the citadel and the rambling souqs. On the day of our visit the hotel had been open for less than a week, but I can see it doing well on account of its plush facilities and amazing location.
Dinner at Sissi House, in one of the aforementioned grand Ottoman mansions, was a chance to enjoy Aleppan food, regarded as the best in Syria. Borrowing from neighbours Turkey and Lebanon's cuisines, the typical menu features muhummara, a rich and tangy dip made from roasted red peppers, walnuts, chillies, garlic paste and pomegranate molasses; sujok, crispy fried pastry rolls filled with spicy lamb sausage meat; and lamb kebab with a sweet, sour and rich cherry sauce garnished with toasted pine nuts. We washed this all down, along with the usual hummus, baba ghanoush and flatbread, with Syrian wine - a surprisingly tasty blend of 75% cabernet sauvignon and 25% merlot.
On the other hand, the central Old City area around the citadel seems to have declined a little. Maybe it was just because it was Friday - the holy day of the week for Muslims - but the area lacked the buzzing atmosphere it had five years ago. Most disappointingly, the grand and opulent Yabhoulga al-Nasery hammam opposite the citadel appears to be closed for the long term, its front windows smashed and barred up. However, a swish, brand spanking new Carlton hotel now optimistically occupies pride of place in the old hospital building, sandwiched between the citadel and the rambling souqs. On the day of our visit the hotel had been open for less than a week, but I can see it doing well on account of its plush facilities and amazing location.
Dinner at Sissi House, in one of the aforementioned grand Ottoman mansions, was a chance to enjoy Aleppan food, regarded as the best in Syria. Borrowing from neighbours Turkey and Lebanon's cuisines, the typical menu features muhummara, a rich and tangy dip made from roasted red peppers, walnuts, chillies, garlic paste and pomegranate molasses; sujok, crispy fried pastry rolls filled with spicy lamb sausage meat; and lamb kebab with a sweet, sour and rich cherry sauce garnished with toasted pine nuts. We washed this all down, along with the usual hummus, baba ghanoush and flatbread, with Syrian wine - a surprisingly tasty blend of 75% cabernet sauvignon and 25% merlot.
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