The ruins of Apamea or Persian Afemea are small enough to handle on foot. Because of its high elevation, the area is frequently foggy and wet leaving a unique haze in the area. Lichens and moss cover much of the surroundinmg landscape. While Apamea is considered a lesser known attraction in Syria, many locals describe the area as more impressive than its famous counterpart to the east, Palmyra. Surrounding the Apamea ruins are the dead city sites of Serjilla and Al Bara.
There are several sets of ruins at the site, with more excavations still being undertaken in 2008. The collonade on the main street of Apamea is a mile long and, in true Roman style, is dead straight, providing interesting 'vanishing point' photography. There is also a citadel at the site, which has seen locals move in and build around it, and several, smaller ruins heading away from town on the access road.
Access to all of these parts of the site are paid for with one single ticket, worth only a few American dollars. You are then permitted to walk around most of the vast site by yourself. Several tourist guidebooks are available in several European languages.
In the old caravanserai in the town is a museum with some nice mosaics from Apamea.
