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Full-Day Tour to Tripoli and Batroun: Explore Lebanese Natural Highlights and Iconic Sights
5.0
15 Ratings
Tripoli
Embark on a full-day tour to Tripoli and Batroun in Lebanon. Explore natural highlights, iconic sights, Tripoli souk, mosques, churches, seaside, Crusader castles, Phoenician wall, and enjoy a delicious lunch. Hotel pickup and drop-off included.
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 12th-13th century Crusader structures, several 14th century Mamluke additions, and additions made by the Ottomans in 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 to 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, offering visitors a chance to step into a unique, busy, and colorful world and gain insight into centuries-old traditions. Meandering through the souks with their lively passageways and 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 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 17th 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, 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.
- Batroun - Batroun is one of the world’s oldest cities. Located along the Mediterranean coast in northern Lebanon, this city is known for its ancient castles and churches, quality citrus fruits, beaches, and modern nightlife. Batroun was a Phoenician metropolis established more than three millennia ago.
- Phoenician Wall - The ancient Phoenician sea wall was originally a natural structure composed of petrified sand dunes. The Phoenicians gradually reinforced it with rocks, and the wall as it stands today took its present shape in the first century BC. The Phoenicians used this wall as protection against sea storms and invaders, while during Roman times it also functioned as a quarry. The wall is 225 meters long and 1 to 1.5 meters thick. Parts of it have crumbled, but what remains still stands as a bulwark against the sea for the residents of the ancient city.
What's Included
- Tour Leader
- Entry/Admission to All sites
- Hotel Pick up & Drop off
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Lunch at a local Lebanese restaurant
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Make the most of your time in Lebanon and visit Batroun and Tripoli on this full-day tour from Beirut and take in all the natural highlights and the most iconic sights around such as the Tripoli souk, Mosques, Churches, Sea Side, Crusader castles, the Phoenician wall and much more as well as a good lunch with hotel pickup and drop-off that make this tour a convenient option.
Location
Tripoli
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(15 Ratings)
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1 star
Evonne
Apr 17, 2024
Excellent tour experience with fantastic guide- Albert!! - Our tour to Tripoli amd Batroun was excellent, due mostly to the superb professionalism, courtesy and knowledge of our friendly guide Albert. The car was clean and in good condition, everything advertised for the trip was done and at high standards. We had fun, learned a lot and just had a totally relaxing day, full of interesting sight visits, delicious food and causal enjoyment of walking around the towns. We did some shopping, tastes local specialities, met locals and hear great stories. I wish we would have had Albert for other tours we did at other companies. Had we known how great this company is, we would have done all out trips with them and asked for Albert as out guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
46113m_cvalencia
Sep 17, 2023
Excellent day - An interesting and beautiful day trip, perfectly organized by Lebanon Tours & Travel, a highly recommended Beirut Agency. Accompanied by Rita, an expert tourist guide from Lebanon who accompanied us the entire day, assisting with professionalism and closeness with any questions about any information or needs of the group. Very reasonable price for a group. They included lunch at midday, also very well served in a well-known restaurant in Tripoli. The group is only 5 people. Worth.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marciel14
Sep 14, 2023
Lebanon travel Tripoli and Batroun - Fabulous tour with Rita sharing the history and the cultures of Tripoli and Batroun. She assisted me in finding specific items I was looking and knowing where to get the best quality
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Seaside67368526326
Sep 13, 2023
Amazing experience - Loved this tour ! I had the pleasure of meeting Rita today. Lovely women! Very knowledgeable about Tripoli and Batroun ! It was a beautiful day and a really impressive lunch I would strongly recommend this tour !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alamaghribi
Aug 9, 2023
Wonderful trip - I had a very nice tour to Tripoli and Batroun. Our guide Rita and our driver Mustafa were both very friendly and respectful. Rita gave us a lot of interesting information about the places we visited. She was also very flexible with individual requests and took us to a great restaurant with delicious Lebanese food.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jordy19932014
Aug 9, 2023
Superb! - Great trip. Pick up time was correct, the guide Rita was very nice and friendly and knew a lot about Tripoli and everything. Batroun is great!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Priyalpg
Aug 9, 2023
Great guide and lunch - Rita was great guide, we went to great places in tripoli and batroun. Very knowledgeable guide and informative. She was very helpful. Also very good lunch place.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Justing83
Jul 26, 2023
Fabulous Trip with Rita to Northern Lebanon - This was a wonderful tour of Tripoli and Batroun. The tour began in Tripoli with a visit to the Taynal Mosque, which was built in the 14th century. We then proceeded to the Tripoli Citadel and walked downhill from the citadel through the Tripoli Souk. Lunch followed at the classical Hallab restaurant before moving to Batroun. In Batroun, we visited several churches, a small brach, the Phoenician Wall, Hilmi's lemonade, and more. Our guide, Rita, was very knowledgable about historical and contemporary happenings in both places and made the tour an enriching experience. The driver, Nasser, was also extremely friendly and hospitable. I highly recommend this tour for three reasons: (1) it presents a good balance of Christian, Muslim, and secular history; (2) Tripoli is, in many ways, very different from other places in Lebanon than I have seen, thus providing a different perspective on Lebanon; (3) the Tripoli souk is fascinating, large, and diverse.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sebastian_b
May 3, 2023
Perfect Tour - It was a wonderful tour. Thanks to the driver and the tour guide, i'm always felt welcome. We had great conversations and explanations about the tour but also about current Situations in lebanon and the whole world.
I felt very understood and in good hands.
I can recommend the tour
Review provided by Viator
Irum
Apr 15, 2023
Incredible Trip with this Incredible Company 🙌 - I have planned many trips before with various travel companies and i must say they are truly the best agency i have ever interacted with. Very reliable and professional. I booked around 5 tours with them plus airport pick up. Mr Abdullah, owner of the company personally came to pick us up from airport. There services are worth every penny. My guide was George, for all 5 tours, he was very courteous, helpful and kind.
I enjoyed my lebanon tour alot.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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