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Private Half-Day Tour to Tripoli: Explore Historical Sights and Cultural Highlights
5.0
5 Ratings
Tripoli
Embark on this full journey to visit the second largest city in Lebanon, Tripoli. This coastal city is full of history and culture. Visit the highlights of the city, including the Citadel, hammams, mosques, souks, and Al Mina on the coast side before returning to Beirut.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Tripoli - Tripoli, known in Arabic as Ṭarābulus, is a city and port in northwestern Lebanon. Situated on the Mediterranean coast at the mouth of the Abu Ali River, it is located 50 miles (80 km) north-northeast of Beirut. Tripoli is an ancient city dating 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 from the 14th century, are registered as historical sites. Twelve mosques from the Mamluke and Ottoman periods have survived. Secular buildings include the hammam (bathing-house), the souks, and the khans, which form a cluster of various trades.
- Citadel Saint Gilles (Qal’at Sinjil) - Overlooking Tripoli is the imposing Citadel of Tripoli, known as Qal’at Sinjil (Saint Gilles), which has been renovated and altered many times throughout its history. Today, the castle features an octagonal Fatimid construction converted into a church by the Crusaders, some Crusader structures from the 12th-13th centuries, several 14th-century Mamluke additions, and Ottoman additions from the 16th century. The current state of this massive fortress (140 meters long and 70 meters wide) is largely due to extensive restoration work by Mustafa Barbar Agha, the governor of Tripoli at the beginning of the 19th century.
- Al Mansouri Mosque - Begun in 1294 and completed in 1315, the Great Mosque or Al Mansouri Mosque was built on the ruins of the 12th-century Crusader cathedral of St. Mary of the Tower. Its large courtyard is surrounded by a vaulted prayer hall. Inside, elements of Western architecture from the old church can still be seen, 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 daily life during the Mamluke period.
- Taynal Mosque - Taynal Mosque, built in 1336 by Saif Ed-Dine Taynâl on the site of a ruined Crusader church, is an important mosque. The adjoining domed mausoleum holds the tomb of the founder. Some elements of the original structure were reused in the mosque, such as 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 architectural decoration in Tripoli during the Mamluke era.
- Souk Al-Harajb - Tripoli’s souks are marvelous, allowing visitors to step into a unique, busy, and colorful universe and gain insight into centuries-old traditions. Meandering through the souks with their lively passageways and small hidden alleys, filled with a plethora of smells, sounds, and colors, is like stepping into a theater filled with fantastic characters, props, and stories. There are nine souks in total in Tripoli: Attareen, Bazerkan, Haddadin, Haraj, Kameh, Koundarjiyeh, Nahhasin, Samak, and Sayyaghin. Besides the food souk, which offers plenty of fresh produce as well as meat, fish, and much more.
- Khan Al-Khayyatin - The Khayyatin Khan is part of Tripoli’s souks. It is a long rectangular building, 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 such as needles, thread, and sewing machines.
- Tripoli Soap Factory Khan el masriyen - The Khan As Sabon (Soap Khan) was built at the beginning of the seventeenth century. Originally intended to serve as a military barracks to garrison Ottoman troops, 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.
- Hammam Al Jadid - 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.
- Hammam al-Jadid - Hammam Al-Jadid, built around 1740 and called the “New Bath,” is the largest hammam in Tripoli. Although it has not been in operation since the 1970s, its faded grandeur still stirs the imagination.
- Ezzeddine Hammam - Hammam Izzed-dine is a public bathing house given to Tripoli by its Mamluke governor ‘Izz ed-Dîne Aybak. The governor, who died in 1298, is buried in a mausoleum beside the hammam. The Hammam ‘Izz ed-Dîne was in continual use until recently and is now under restoration.
- Rachid Karami International Fair - On the grounds of the Tripoli International Fair (Rashid Karameh International Exhibition Center) in Lebanon, one finds one of the five largest exhibition centers in the world. The 15 structures, designed by legendary Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer in 1963, remain unfinished due to the project’s abandonment during the country’s civil war in 1975.
- Hallab 1881 - Since 1881, and originating from Tripoli, Abdul Rahman Hallab has been a pioneer in the world of Lebanese sweets. Today, “Kasr El Helou” is considered one of Tripoli’s most renowned landmarks, visited by thousands of people from all parts of the globe.
- 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 which have been declared natural reservations to help breed fish and preserve their natural habitat.
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Tour Leader
- Hotel pick up & drop off
- In-vehicle air conditioning
What's Not Included
- Entrance fees to the sites
- Lunch
Location
Tripoli
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(5 Ratings)
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Gaby85
Jun 8, 2023
Visit to the Citadel of Raymond de Saint Gilles - The Citadel was built by Raymond XI de Saint Gilles knight of the very First Crusade, who set out to conquer Tripoli and erected the castle around 1100 A.D. Entrance to the site costs 100,000 LBP and is well worth the price. You can roam through the sprawling grounds of this Crusader Castle and admire its Frankish and Ottoman foundations. Every stone staircase leads to a new deck and and its doorway opens up into a grand hall from Lebanon's past. Climbing through the structure to the very top of the castle, visitors will find an unmatched panorama of Tripoli from above. The site is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gordana_v
Nov 15, 2022
Our trip to Tripoli - Hassane was the most excellent local guide/driver - intuitive, pleasant and flexible. He took good care of us and respected our interest and time.
Review provided by Viator
Larifari98
Jun 8, 2022
Great Experience - We saw three amazing places, were driven around and had the opportunity to explore on our own inbetween. The guide was very kind, left us a lot of freedom during the tour and gave us all the time we needed. If we had any special requests, he was always ready to help us out. All in all highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J5369qishaneb
Dec 8, 2021
Tripoli tour - Great guide and driver. Fun, educational and a great experience to see the real culture and way of life of Lebanon.
Highly recommended
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tum
Oct 3, 2021
Best way to see Tripoli - My Private tour to Tripoli with Lebanon Tours Online was amazing from start to finish. The guide was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the city. The guide recommended a good place to eat and added a short stop at Byblos even it was not included in the itinerary. Thank you Hassan.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
