Excursions in Lebanon: Full Day Tour of Byblos & Tripoli
Full Day Tour of Byblos & Tripoli
Beirut, Lebanon
Situated about 40km north of Beirut, Byblos can be considered one of the oldest cities in the world. From the time of the Phoenicians, it was one of the most active trading ports in the entire Mediterranean area and enjoyed enormous strategic importance for trade. The crusader castle was built by the Franks in the 12th century over the site of a Fatimid fortress. It dominates the vast archaeological area and is a striking sight against the backdrop of the vestiges of a graceful Roman colonnade, dating from approximately 300AD.
You begin your tour at the citadel, where there is an interesting and well laid out museum detailing the history of the site. From here you explore the rest of the castle, and will have the chance to enjoy the spectacular views of the sea and the Roman ruins from the towers. Following exploration of the ruins, you have time to wander through the souqs, or to enjoy a coffee while looking over the attractive port.
Just 85km north of Beirut, Tripoli makes for an excellent day trip from the capital combined with a visit to Byblos. This is Lebanon's second largest city and one of the main ports in the country. The city comprises two main areas; the broad streets of the modern city and the labyrinthine old town. A maze of narrow alleyways, colourful souqs, hammams, khans and madrassas, the old part of the town dates back to the 14th and 15th centuries. Almost all of Tripoli's 40-or-so listed monuments are contained within the old town, each with it's own numbered plaque. The main highlights include the citadel of Raymond de Saint - Gilles, The Hammam Al Nouri and the Great Mosque. There are also a number of madrassas that are worth exploring, in particular the Madrassa Al Tuwashiyat.
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