The Ancient Villages of Northern Syria have been inaccessible during Syria’s Civil War due to their proximity to the front line between the Syrian Army and the “rebel” capital of Idlib. With the former rebels now in control of the entire country, this region is also open to tourists. I went to Serjilla, supposedly the best-preserved village, but the Church of Saint Simeon Stylites (further north) had also been visited by my local guide recently with a foreign tourist. The 2025 State of Conservation report states that some villages, including Serjilla, were still off-limits due to the presence of landmines, but this is apparently no longer the case (although we were warned not to stray from the paths).

Serjilla is remote for West Syrian standards: it lies at the far end of a large limestone massif. Limestone is still mined in that area from open-pit quarries. It’s a harsh region with only some olive trees growing. The narrow access road is bumpy. We were welcomed by the sight of a shepherd with a large herd of sheep crossing the site – it would have been a classic picture if the sun had been on the other side!

The site is, as with so many now in Syria, unsupervised. My 2006 Bradt Guide of Syria speaks of a “ticket office”. But now there is none. The state of the buildings, considering they were built in the 5th to 7th centuries, is excellent. It’s one of those “Frozen in Time”-WHS (like Pompeii), like the people have just gone and left all their belongings behind. The layout of the town is fully recognizable, with the baths and the andron (“men’s house” - where the local men sat and chatted) at the prime position at the central square, and houses scattered around them.

The inhabitants led a simple agricultural lifestyle: they had migrated here due to overpopulation elsewhere, had to master the limestone soil, and eventually did so successfully that they could afford to build a bath complex and Christian places of worship. Both wine and olive presses are present among the remains near their houses. Near the entrance lie decorated sarcophagi.

Overall, it's a splendid site in an idyllic setting. I would have loved to explore more of these "Dead Cities" as they are known colloquially.