Private Full-Day Tour to Byblos and Tripoli from Beirut

What's included

What you'll see and do

1. Byblos

   Byblos, one of the oldest Phoenician cities. Inhabited since Neolithic times, it has been closely linked to the legends and history of the Mediterranean region for thousands of years. Byblos is also directly associated with the history and diffusion of the Phoenician alphabet.

   120 minutes here

2. Byblos Castle

   Byblos Castle, a restored 12th-century Crusader castle surrounded by a 10m-wide dry moat is located just inside the Byblos' atmospheric archaeological site that contains the ruins of the Temple of Baalat Gebal and the Temple of the Obelisks. It's an impressive building that offers an excellent perspective over the ruins from the top of its foursquare keep. A series of Bronze Age dwellings is clearly visible below the walls as you look towards the sea. Inside the castle, there's a small museum and a room with information panels outlining the city's history.

   30 minutes here · Admission not included

3. Old Souk

   Byblos old souk is an old market where tourists can shop for souvenirs and antiques, or simply stroll along the old cobblestone streets and enjoy the architecture.

   15 minutes here

4. Byblos Port

   Byblos Port is an ancient port in Byblos and is believed by the Lebanese to be the oldest port in the world. Around 3000 BC, Byblos Port was the most important timber shipping center in the eastern Mediterranean

   15 minutes here

5. Tripoli

   Tripoli, In Arabic: Ṭarābulus, city and port, northwestern Lebanon. It lies on the Mediterranean coast at the mouth of the Abu Ali River, 50 miles (80 km) north-northeast of Beirut. Tripoli is the ancient city that dates back to the Phoenician era, and is one of Lebanon's oldest cities, alongside Byblos, Tyre and Sidon. Forty-five buildings in the city, many dating from the 14th century, have been registered as historical sites. Twelve mosques from Mamluke and Ottoman times have survived. Secular buildings include the “hammam” or the bathing-house, the souks, and the “khans”, that form an agglomeration of various trades.

   180 minutes here

6. Citadel Saint Gilles (Qal'at Sinjil)

   Overlooking Tripoli city is the imposing Citadel of Tripoli known as Qal’at Sinjil (Saint Gilles), which has been renovated and changed many times during its history. Today the castle’s main features are an octagonal Fatimid constructions converted to a church by the Crusaders, some Crusader structures of the 12th-13th centuries, a number of 14th century Mamluke additions, as well as additions made by the Ottomans in the 16th century. The present state of this huge fortress (140 meters long and 70 meters wide) is largely the result of extensive restoration work by Mustafa Barbar Agha, governor of Tripoli at the beginning of the 19th century.

   30 minutes here · Admission not included

7. Begun in 1294 and completed in 1315, the Great Mosque or Al Mansouri Mosque was built on the ruined 12th century Crusader cathedral of St. Mary of the Tower. Its large courtyard is surrounded by a vaulted prayer hall. Inside, one can still see elements of Western architecture from the old church, including the northern entrance and the Lombard style bell tower, which was transformed into the minaret. The many foundation plaques and decrees inscribed in the great Mosque not only inform us about the building but also reveal details of the daily life of the Mamluke period.

   15 minutes here

8. Taynal Mosque

   Taynal Mosque is an important mosque built in 1336 by Saif Ed-Dine Taynâl on the site of a ruined Crusader church. The adjoining domed mausoleum holds the tomb of the founder. Some elements of the original structure were re-used in the mosque, for example, the two rows of granite columns with late Roman capitals, which stand in the middle of the first prayer hall. The entrance of the second prayer hall is a unique example of the architectural decoration in Tripoli during the Mamluke era.

   15 minutes here

9. Khan Al-Khayyatin

   The Khayyatin Khan is a part of Tripoli Souks, it is a long rectangular building of about 40 by 80 meters with a covered central courtyard and shops on either side. As the name Khan al Khayyatin implies, the khan housed and still houses tailors and other related trades as needles, thread, sewing machines etc.

   5 minutes here

10. The Khan As Sabon (Soap Khan) was built at the beginning of the seventeenth century. Originally it was intended to serve as a military barracks to garrison Ottoman troops and it was purposely built in the center of the city to enable the pasha to control any uprising. It is a large rectangular structure with two story arcaded corridors running around a fountain courtyard.

    5 minutes here

11. Hammam El-Abed is the only functioning hammam in Tripoli, probably built at the end of the 17th century. It has the typical pierced domes of Mamluke and Ottoman era public baths. The interior, with its cushions, central fountain and traditional fittings, is a living museum.

    5 minutes here

12. El Mina Port

    Al-Mina is a coastal town in Tripoli. It occupies the location of the old Phoenician city of Tripoli and acts as the harbor city for modern neighboring Tripoli. It has nine islands, four of them have been declared as natural reservations, to help breed fish, and preserve their natural habitat.

    15 minutes here

Where it starts and ends

Before you book

Cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Languages

ar, en

Ticket

Mobile Only

Runs on

Every day

Group size

Up to 9 travelers per booking

Operated by

Lebanon Tours Online

Know before you go

• Specialized infant seats are available
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Photos