Just 50 kilometers North of Homs there is a city called Hama known for its 9 water wheels. These wheels were used to water the gardens of the city over 3000 years ago and are still used in the same way today!
The city is not big. In facts its pretty tiny, and a day trip there will be enough to cover the stuff you need to see. If you stroll through the narrow streets in the old city you will come across Azm Palace and the Taj Mahal Restaurant which was worth a visit.
Right next by there is a pretty big fort that might not catch your eye right away as most of the castle that was built on top has been destroyed a long time ago. A walk to the top is still worth it for the view and if you go on a warm summers day you are also likely to find locals hanging out for a picnic.
The best view of the water wheels in my opinion was from the restaurant opposite of Nur al Din mosque and the area by the I <3 Hama sign, that is just like the ones they have in other cities.
Hama really gave me a “wow” feeling, considering how smart is to make these water wheels, which by the way are the biggest in the World, to water the gardens. I had the same feeling last when visiting Constantine in Algeria, where they had used bridges around the mountain city to create a natural fort. But a day in both of these cities has been enough.
