Southern Lebanon

The important maritime cities of Tyre and Sidon and the Phoenician archaeological site of Echmoun make a rewarding day excursion from Beirut. Tyre was one of the great trading entrepots of early antiquity. Legend tells us that the Tyrians, under Princess Dido, sailed from here to Tunisia to found the colony of Carthage. The town’s fortunes were a product of trade, particularly the sale of a purple dye made from the murex shell – a colour called Tyrian purple. The city is now noted for its wonderful UNESCO World Heritage-listed Roman ruins. According to Encyclopaedia Brittanica, these are the harbour and an inland site that contains the city’s necropolis and one of the best-preserved hippodromes in the world. Nearby, on a precipice overlooking the Litani River, is the castle of Beaufort – the grandest and most wonderfully situated of the dozen Crusader fortresses in Lebanon.

To the north, Sidon was another of the great Phoenician cities. Its sailors were once renowned throughout the ancient world for their nautical prowess. Today, the city is noted for its extraordinary maze-like medieval-covered souqs – a highlight of any visit to Lebanon. However, the picturesque Sea Castle captures the eye’s attention for many. Built by the Crusaders in 1228 on an island 80m offshore from the port, the Sea Castle is connected to the land by a narrow causeway. It comprises two towers linked by a curtain wall.

On the outskirts of Sidon, amidst groves of citrus orchards, is the site of ancient Echmoun. The complex is much ruined and requires a high level of imagination to appreciate, but it is important as it is the only Phoenician site retaining more than its foundation walls. One of the most visible attractions is the Throne of Astarte, an oversized rock-hewn chair flanked by two sphinxes.