Southern Lebanon Day Trip: Exploring Sidon, Maghdouche and Tyre

Spare yourself the inconvenience of renting a car and opt for a day trip departing from Beirut to explore the captivating highlights of southern Lebanon. Begin by immersing yourself in the charm of Sidon, where you'll uncover its renowned attractions such as the sea castle, soap museum, khan el franj, Debbane palace, and take a leisurely stroll through the historic souks. Then, journey onwards to Maghdouche to pay homage at the shrine and church of Our Lady of Awaiting (Mantara). Lastly, delve into the ancient wonders of Tyre, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where you'll marvel at the Roman Hippodrome, Necropolis, Egyptian port, and much more.

The Sidon Sea Castle was built by the crusaders in the thirteenth century on a small island, connected to the mainland by a causeway, as a fortress of the holy land. It is one of the most prominent historical sites in the port city of Sidon, Lebanon. The castle was largely destroyed by the Mamluks in 1291 and was later restored by Fakhr el-Dine Maan II in the early 17th century. Old prints of the fortress show it to be one of great beauty, but little remains of the embellishments that once decorated its ramparts.

Khan al-Franj is one of Sidon’s main attractions. It was built in the beginning of the 17th century by Emir Fakhreddine II to be a hotel for ambassadors and a center for commercial exchange between Lebanon and France. The hotel soon became a center for literature, religion, history, industry and diplomacy. It became a home for culture and civilization. This is a typical khan with a large rectangular courtyard and a central fountain surrounded by covered galleries.

The Soap Museum is a museum in Sidon specialized in Levantine soaps The soap workshop was originally built in Sidon by the Hammoud family in the 17th century. The Soap Museum traces the history of soap making in the region, its development and manufacturing techniques. Visitors can see a demonstration of how traditional olive oil soaps are made and learn about the history of the "hammam" (bath) traditions. A historical section of the museum introduces artifacts which were found during onsite excavation and which include remains of clay pipe heads dating from the 17th to 19th century as well as pottery fragments. The Museum building is an old soap factory built in the 17th century, although containing parts thought to date back to the 13th century.

The souk of Sidon is the center of all the commercial activities of retail, as well as craft industry. The souk is a maze of narrow alleyways with small kiosks, shops and cafes, street merchant, butchers, grocers, shoe-makers, tailors and jewelers.

Our Lady of Awaiting, also known as Our Lady of Mantara, is a Melkite Greek Catholic shrine in Maghdouché, Lebanon, discovered on 8 September 1721 by a young shepherd. The shrine consists of a tower crowned with the statue of the Virgin and Child, a cathedral, a cemetery and a sacred cave believed to be the one where the Virgin Mary rested while she waited for Jesus.

Al Bass Archaeological Site is the largest and the best-preserved example of a Roman Hippodrome. The sector of Tyre El Bass, constituting the principal entrance of the town in antique times, comprises the remains of the necropolis, on either side of a wide monumental causeway dominated by a Roman triumphal arch dating from the 2nd century AD. Among the other vestiges are an aqueduct and the hippodrome of the 2nd century, one of the largest of the Roman world. site contain a Necropolis with several hundred well-preserved sarcophagi, an intact Roman road, an aqueduct and a monumental arch.

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

• Southern Lebanon Day Trip: Exploring Sidon, Maghdouche and Tyre
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  Pickup included

• Tour Leader
• Hotel Pick up & Drop off
• Brief explanation about each site

• Meals
• Gratuities

Please be advised..

• This Tour is Provided by Beirut Daily Tours.
• Tour Timezone & Starts at Asia/Beirut.
• Mobile or paper ticket accepted.
• For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
• This Tour is Rated 5 Stars based on 4 valid reviews on TRIPADVISOR.
• Minimum 1 Travelers is required to book.
• Maximum 9 Travelers is accepted for booking.