South Lebanon Discovery

Begin your morning with a visit to the Sidon Sea Castle, built by the Crusaders, followed by a walk on the city’s seaside corniche. Head inland just a few meters away to walk through the bubbly old souks of Sidon, rich in scents, sounds and colors. The Soap Museum or Khan Al-Saboun in Arabic will impress you, so will the old inn known as Khan El-Franj or Caravanserai that rests majestically in the heart of the souks. In the afternoon, take a stroll to the Debbané Palace, an old mansion that was restored to its former glory. In the evening head back to Tyre where dinner and an overnight stay at a cozy boutique hotel awaits.

Embrace the morning with a visit to Tyre’s world-class archeological treasures to admire the remains of several civilizations from the past, including Phoenician, Greek, Roman and Venetian. Enjoy lunch and a walk by the beach, considered one of Lebanon’s most beautiful. The afternoon will take you to Maghdoushe, which in Syriac and Hebrew mean holy. Indeed, Christianity holds that the Virgin Mary waited on a hill that’s today Maghdoushe for Jesus to return from a visit to nearby Sidon. She slept overnight in a cave that has been known ever since as Mantara, which roughly translates from Arabic to “waiting point”. A return to Beirut in the afternoon follows this very special visit.