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Beirut
Pass by
8:30 AM — Pickup from your Beirut hotel
Your professional guide meets you at your hotel and heads south along the beautiful Mediterranean coastal highway toward Sidon — a pleasant and scenic drive of about 45 minutes.
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Crusaders Sea Castle
30m · Admission ticket not included
Sidon Sea Castle — a beautiful Crusader fortress on the water
Begin at Sidon's most iconic and most photogenic landmark — a 13th-century Crusader fortress built on a small island just off the coast, connected to the shore by a charming narrow stone causeway with the Mediterranean sparkling beautifully on both sides. Walk through its vaulted halls and enjoy the wonderful sea views from the ramparts. Your guide brings the fascinating story of the Crusaders, Mamluks, and Phoenicians who all shaped this remarkable city to life in a warm and engaging way that visitors of all ages enjoy.
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Sidon Souks
15m
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.
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30m · Admission ticket not included
Sidon Soap Museum — fascinating & unique
Visit the world's only museum dedicated to the ancient art of olive oil soap-making — a Sidonian craft practiced continuously for over a thousand years. Housed in a beautifully restored khan in the old city, the museum traces the complete journey from olive grove to finished soap cake in a way that is genuinely charming and enjoyable for visitors of all ages. Your guide explains the history of this remarkable tradition and its importance to Sidon's identity and trade.
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Khan al-Franj
15m
Khan el Franj — the beautiful Silk Road caravanserai
End your time in Sidon at the elegant 17th-century caravanserai built by Emir Fakhreddine II for the European merchants who traded here along the Silk Road. Beautiful arcaded courtyards, vaulted galleries, and carved stone facades make this one of the finest Ottoman buildings in Lebanon — and your guide shares the remarkable story of Fakhreddine and the thriving trade that once passed through these very walls.
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Al-Bass Archaeological Site
1h · Admission ticket not included
Al-Bass Archaeological Complex — Roman Tyre
Arrive in Tyre and enter one of the most impressive Roman archaeological sites in the Mediterranean world. The Al-Bass complex opens with a magnificent triumphal arch still standing after two thousand years, leading to a beautifully preserved colonnaded street flanked by ancient sarcophagi. At the far end, the remarkable Tyre Hippodrome — one of the largest ever built in the Roman world, seating up to 20,000 spectators for chariot races on its 480-metre track. Your guide brings the full story of Roman and Phoenician Tyre to life within this extraordinary landscape of ancient stone in a clear and memorable way for everyone in the group.
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Tyre
1h
Lunch in Tyre — included
A wonderfully relaxed lunch at a local Tyre restaurant — fresh Lebanese mezze and beautifully grilled seafood served steps from the Mediterranean with the ancient city as your backdrop. Fully included in your tour price — nothing extra to pay. One of the loveliest lunch settings in Lebanon.
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20m
Basilica of Our Lady of Mantara — a beautiful and peaceful finale
Close the day at one of Lebanon's most serene and most spiritually meaningful destinations — the hilltop village of Maghdouché, where Christian tradition holds that the Virgin Mary waited in a cave while Jesus preached in Sidon. The name Mantara means "the one who waits" in Arabic — and this beautiful cave sanctuary has welcomed pilgrims for centuries, cherished equally by Christians and Muslims. The Basilica of Our Lady of Mantara stands above the ancient cave, and the wonderful panoramic views over the southern Lebanese coast make this a truly lovely and deeply moving final stop. Your guide shares the history and significance of this special place in a warm and respectful way that touches visitors of all backgrounds.
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Beirut
Pass by
Return to Beirut — approx. 5:30–6:30 PM
Your guide and driver bring you comfortably back to Beirut with drop-off at your hotel — completing a truly wonderful full day through the ancient, beautiful, and spiritually rich south of Lebanon, with every meal already taken care of.
