ITINERARY
Stop 1: Sidon
Our first stop is one of the oldest Phoenician cities in the world! Sidon, also known as Saida, is famous for its dyes, soaps, and glassware. It has also been known for Jesus visiting it. During the Crusades, Sidon was destroyed, but it survived and was rebuilt!
Duration: 1 hour
Stop 2: Crusaders Sea Castle
This stop is one of the most prominent historical sites in Sidon! Sidon Sea Castle was built in the 13th century on a small island connected to the mainland by a causeway as a fortress of the holy land. The old prints of the fortress amplify its extreme beauty!
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop 3: Khan al-Franj
Khan al-Franj is a hotel and one of the main attractions in Sidon. Over the centuries, it became a home for culture and civilization. It was built in the 17th century by Emir Fakhreddine II to be a hotel for the ambassadors. It soon became the center for literature, history, religion, and diplomacy. It’s planned as a typical khan, with a rectangular central courtyard with a fountain surrounded by covered galleries.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop 4: Soap Museum
As we’re walking through the Souk of Saida, we will be heading to the Soap Museum on the edges of the Souk. The Soap Museum, built by the Hammoud family in the 17th century, is an old soap factory specializing in making Levantine soaps. In the museum, you’ll be guided through a step-by-step walkthrough of how traditional olive oil soaps are made. You’ll get to learn about the history and buy a few great-smelling soaps!
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop 5: Debbane Palace
Our next stop is the Debbane Palace, built in the 18th century in the Old City of Sidon. It is now the last house and the only example of an Ottoman palace in Lebanon! The palace is built on top of the markets below and contains an entire world of reception rooms, stained-glass windows, rare mosaic tiles, and centuries-old stables.
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop 6: Sidon Souks
Our final stop in the city of Sidon is the Sidon Souks! The Souk of Sidon is the center for all retail, craft, and industry commercial activities. Walking through the narrow alleyways of the Souk, you’ll be captivated by the traditional architecture, small kiosks, traditional restaurants, and jewelry shops…
Duration: 15 minutes
Stop 7: Tyre
Next, we’ll be heading to the ancient Phoenician port city of Tyre! The city was once famous worldwide for its purple dye made from murex sea snails! Tyre is also known for its rich history with the many archaeological sites “Al-Bass” and “Al-Mina”, Tyre’s Hippodrome, and the different Ruins, which are a testimony to Tyre’s historical significance!
Duration: 1 hour
Stop 8: Al-Bass Archaeological Site
In sour, we’ll be first going to Al-Bass, an archaeological site that is also the largest and best-preserved example of a Roman Hippodrome. Tyre El Bass's sector comprises the necropolis's remains with several hundred sarcophagi, an intact Roman road, and a Roman triumphal arch dating from the 2nd century AD. Other vestiges include the hippodrome, one of the largest in the Roman world!
Duration: 1 hour
Stop 9: Tyre Hippodrome
The Tyre Hippodrome is a UNESCO World Heritage site in Tyre, south Lebanon. Dating back to the 2nd century, Tyre’s Hippodrome is considered one of the world's largest and best-preserved Roman hippodromes!
Duration: 1 hour
Stop 10: Ruins of Tyre - Necropolis
Tyre’s Necropolis was discovered in 1962 and consists of hundreds of stone and marble sarcophagi from the Roman and Byzantine eras. Many of them have Greek inscriptions or names of those buried there; some are even decorated with frescoes and bas-reliefs of works from Homer and others!
Duration: 1 hour
Pass By: Ruins of Tyre : The Egyptian Port
The Egyptian Port is one of the two harbors Tyre used to have. The city used to have the Sodanian in the north and the Egyptians in the south. The Egyptian Port is now a busy fisherman’s port! There, you can see the remains of a 750-meter-long mole and the remains of some ancient buildings in the water!
Stop 11: Old Souk's Heritage square
Our last stop is The Old Souk in Tyre, a traditional architectural gem! The Souk has plenty of shops selling gold, copper, fish, vegetables, clothing, and antiques! You can also enjoy the delicious Lebanese traditional food, including foul and hummus, which are very popular in the old Souk of Tyre.
Duration: 15 minutes