• Beirut - 9:00 AM — Hotel pickup
  The driver will meet the group at the Beirut hotel and proceed south along the Mediterranean coastal highway towards Sidon.
• Crusaders Sea Castle - Sidon Sea Castle — Crusader fortress on the water
  This 13th-century Crusader fortress is situated on a small island just off the coast, connected to the mainland by a narrow stone causeway with open sea on both sides. Phoenician traders utilized this harbor 3,000 years before the Crusaders constructed here. The driver will share the full layered history from the castle ramparts — from Phoenician port to Crusader fortress to Mamluk conquest — at your own pace.
• Sidon Souks - Sidon Old Souks — authentic, not renovated for tourism
  Stone-vaulted alleyways where spice merchants, goldsmiths, and artisan workshops have traded continuously for centuries — not curated, not renovated, just operating as it always has. The driver will navigate with local knowledge and highlight what makes Sidon’s market unique compared to other souks in Lebanon.
• Soap Museum - Saida - Soap Museum — the only olive oil soap museum in the world
  Sidon has been producing olive oil soap for over a thousand years — and this museum, the only one of its kind globally, tells the complete story from olive grove to finished bar. It is housed in a beautifully restored khan in the old city. A stop that most travelers did not realize they wanted until they are inside it.
• Khan al-Franj - Khan el Franj — where the Silk Road met the Mediterranean
  A 17th-century caravanserai built by Emir Fakhreddine II for European merchants trading along the Silk Road — featuring arcaded courtyards, vaulted galleries, and carved stone facades. One of the finest Ottoman buildings in Lebanon and a fitting conclusion to Sidon before heading south.
• Al-Bass Archaeological Site - Al-Bass Archaeological Complex — expert local guide joins here
  Arrive in Tyre and meet an expert local guide — someone who has spent years studying this site and who knows its Roman and Phoenician layers in depth that visiting guides cannot match. Enter through a triumphal arch still standing after two thousand years. Walk a colonnaded street flanked by ancient sarcophagi from the Roman necropolis. Reach the Tyre Hippodrome — one of the largest in the Roman world, built for 20,000 spectators on a 480-meter track, with starting gates and turning posts still in place. The guide will place every structure in its full historical context — ensuring you leave knowing what you actually saw.
• Tyre - Lunch in Tyre — optional
  Enjoy fresh Lebanese mezze and seafood at a local Tyre restaurant — with the Mediterranean right there and the ancient city as a backdrop. This is optional and at your own expense. The driver will recommend the best local spots.
• Basilica of Our Lady of Mantara - بازيليك سيدة المنطرة - 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 in a cave on this hilltop while Jesus preached in Sidon below — a place of pilgrimage for two millennia, revered equally by Christians and Muslims. The Basilica stands above the ancient cave, offering panoramic views over the southern Lebanese coast. A quiet, unexpected close to a day that covered 5,000 years of history along the way.
• Beirut - Return to Beirut — approx. 5:30–6:30 PM
  Drop-off at your Beirut hotel. Experience Sidon’s Phoenician-to-Ottoman layers, the Roman world of Tyre with a local expert, and the pilgrimage sanctuary of Maghdouché — south Lebanon explored thoroughly.

• Knowledgeable English-speaking driver
• Private air-conditioned vehicle exclusively for your group
• Soap Museum — world’s only olive oil soap museum
• Sidon Sea Castle visit
• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Beirut
• Expert local guide at Tyre Al-Bass archaeological complex
• 30-minute walk through Sidon Old Souks

• Gratuities (optional)
• Lunch in Tyre (optional — at own expense)

South Lebanon is often overlooked by first-time visitors, yet seasoned travelers to Lebanon often express regret for not visiting sooner. This exclusive day trip encompasses three destinations that collectively represent 5,000 years of Phoenician, Crusader, and Roman history. Explore at your leisure with a knowledgeable local guide at each significant site.

Sidon: Discover a 13th-century Crusader sea castle, the unique olive oil soap museum, a vibrant medieval souk, and a Silk Road caravanserai.

Tyre: Visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site featuring the Al-Bass complex, which includes a triumphal arch, a colonnaded necropolis street, and a Roman hippodrome designed for 20,000 spectators. An expert local guide will provide insights into every detail.

Maghdouché: Experience the hilltop sanctuary of Mantara, meaning “the one who waits” in Arabic, where the Virgin Mary is believed to have waited while Jesus preached in Sidon below. This site is revered by both Christians and Muslims for two millennia.

Travel in a private vehicle throughout the journey. Tickets are payable on site.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.