Raqqa

A Euphrates city once Harun al-Rashid's capital, parts of its Abbasid wall still standing.

Status today

Updated weekly by our Raqqa correspondent.

Every line carries who checked it and when

ElectricityNationwide: in August 2026 the Ministry of Energy said supply rose from about 8 to 20+ hours a day in some areas. Hours vary by city and neighbourhood; many hotels use generators or solar.Checked by: فريق التحرير (من مصدر منشور) · SourceLast updated: 21 October 2026

InternetMobile internet runs on the Syriatel and MTN networks, with 4G in cities. Speed and coverage vary outside cities. Plans and prices change; ask at an operator service centre.Checked by: فريق التحرير (من مصدر منشور) · SourceLast updated: 21 October 2026

RoadsPer the General Authority for Ports and Customs (Aug 2026), the main crossings with Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey are operating. We have not yet field-checked roads inside this province; check official announcements before travelling.Checked by: فريق التحرير (من مصدر منشور) · SourceLast updated: 21 October 2026

WeatherForecast for 2026-10-21: partly cloudy, high 28, low 18 degrees C. Rain chance 30%.Checked by: المدير · SourceLast updated: 21 October 2026

EventsSANA publishes a daily 'cultural agenda' listing events at cultural centres, theatres and galleries across the provinces.Checked by: فريق التحرير (من مصدر منشور) · SourceLast updated: 21 October 2026

Every line carries who checked it and when. We don't make safety claims, only dated facts with a link to the official source.

Raqqa’s architecture

Abbasid brick

Abbasid brick walls and gates such as Bab Baghdad, decorated by the way the bricks are laid.

This page’s pattern and the arch of its photo frames come from this style.

Sights

6 places

Baghdad Gate and walls

An Abbasid brick gateway.

Qasr al-Banat

Remains of an Abbasid brick palace.

Qal'at Ja'bar

A castle on a peninsula in the Euphrates lake.

Resafa

A walled Byzantine city with churches in the desert south of Raqqa.

Heraqla

An unfinished Abbasid monument west of Raqqa, attributed to Harun al-Rashid.

Raqqa Museum

An archaeological museum in central Raqqa showing finds from the Euphrates valley. Its collections were looted during the war.

From the people of Raqqa

Secrets, jokes and proverbs

Told and signed by people of the city, in Arabic only. Read them on the Arabic page.

Restaurants and cafes

Visited and written up by our Raqqa correspondent.

What to eat here: Euphrates fish, tannour bread, and dairy.A first list compiled on 24 October 2026 from published guides (Wikivoyage, TripAdvisor) and Google Maps. Check opening hours before you go; our correspondent updates it after visiting.

Restaurant