Cyrene, the ancient Greek city, was the oldest and most important of the five Greek cities in the region and gave eastern Libya the classical name Cyrenaica that it has retained to modern times.
Old Roman cities are fairly well represented all over North Africa, but nowhere is there a site of Greek ruins more impressive than Cyrene. Not only does it have a fantastic setting overlooking the Mediterranean, but the site is deliciously only partly excavated. Of main interest is the Temple of Apollo, first built as early as 7th century BC.
Around Cyrene, the Necropolis has grown to an unbelievable size (an estimated 10 square kilometres) and there are still hundreds of tombs cut into the hills. Other notable archaeological sites in the region include the Greek cities of Ptolemais and Apollonia.