Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away
TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Group sizeUp to 12 travelers
Pickup offeredSee the meeting and pickup details below
Overview
This is the no-frills version of the Sidon, Tyre & Maghdouche day trip — same three destinations, same small group of maximum 12, but without a professional guide and without included tickets or lunch. The most affordable way to cover south Lebanon's 5,000 years of history in a single day from Beirut.
South Lebanon is the part of the country most first-time visitors skip — and the part experienced Lebanon travelers consistently say deserves more time. Sidon: a 13th-century Crusader sea castle, the world's only olive oil soap museum, a living medieval souk, and a Silk Road caravanserai. Tyre: a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the Al-Bass complex — triumphal arch, colonnaded necropolis street, and a Roman hippodrome built for 20,000 spectators.
Maghdouché: the hilltop sanctuary of Our Lady of Mantara, revered by Christians and Muslims for two millennia. Your knowledgeable driver covers the key facts at each stop. You explore at your own pace.
What's included
Tour Leader
Hotel Pick up & Drop off
Air-conditioned vehicle
Brief explanation about each site
Meals
Gratuities
What to expect
Beirut
Pass by
8:30 AM — Hotel pickup
Your driver meets the group at your Beirut hotel and heads south along the Mediterranean coastal highway toward Sidon.
Crusaders Sea Castle
30m · Admission ticket not included
Sidon Sea Castle — Crusader fortress on the water
A 13th-century Crusader fortress on a small island just off the coast, connected to shore by a stone causeway with open sea on both sides. Phoenician traders were using this harbour 3,000 years before the Crusaders built here. Your driver covers the layered history at the entrance — you explore at your own pace.
Sidon Souks
1h
Sidon Old Souks — not renovated, not curated, just real
Stone-vaulted alleyways where spice merchants, goldsmiths, and artisan workshops have traded for centuries — functioning exactly as they always have. Your driver points out what makes Sidon's market different from every other souk in Lebanon.
30m · Admission ticket not included
Soap Museum — the only olive oil soap museum on earth
Sidon has been producing olive oil soap for over a thousand years. This museum — the only one of its kind anywhere — tells the complete story from grove to finished bar. A stop most travelers did not know they wanted until they are inside it.
Khan al-Franj
15m
Khan el Franj — the Silk Road caravanserai
A 17th-century caravanserai built by Emir Fakhreddine II for European Silk Road merchants — arcaded courtyards, vaulted galleries, carved stone facades. One of the finest Ottoman buildings in Lebanon.
Al-Bass Archaeological Site
1h · Admission ticket not included
Tyre — UNESCO World Heritage Site
Al-Bass Archaeological Complex — Roman Tyre at full scale
Enter through a triumphal arch standing after two thousand years. Walk a colonnaded street flanked by ancient sarcophagi. Reach the Tyre Hippodrome — one of the largest in the Roman world, built for 20,000 spectators on a 480-metre track. Your driver covers the key facts at the entrance. You explore the full site at your own pace.
Tyre
1h
Lunch in Tyre — optional
Fresh Lebanese mezze and seafood at a local Tyre restaurant — Mediterranean right there, ancient city as backdrop. Optional and at your own expense.
15m
Basilica of Our Lady of Mantara — where she waited
Mantara means "the one who waits" in Arabic. Christian tradition holds that the Virgin Mary waited here while Jesus preached in Sidon below — a place of pilgrimage for two millennia, revered equally by Christians and Muslims. Panoramic views over the southern Lebanese coast. A quiet close to a day that covered 5,000 years of history.
Beirut
Pass by
Return to Beirut — approx. 5:30–6:30 PM
Drop-off at your Beirut hotel. South Lebanon's 5,000 years of Phoenician, Crusader, Roman, and sacred history — at the most competitive price on this route.
Meeting and pickup
Pickup details
Complimentary pickup is provided from any hotel, Airbnb, or residence in Beirut.
Additional information
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
