Sidon

PRIVATE GUIDED TOUR

The port of Sidon (also known by its Arabic name of Saida) is located 40 kilometres south of the capital Beirut.  Settled as long ago as 4,000 B.C., Sidon rose to prominence under the Phoenicians in the 14th and 15th centuries B.C., when it was famous for murex, a mollusc that produced an expensive and highly sought after purple dye that became known as the colour of royalty throughout the Mediterranean.  Highlights of your visit will be the dramatic 'Castle of the Sea' (pictured) built by the Crusaders in 1228 and connected to the mainland by a stone-built causeway, the Khan al-Franj, a 17th century caravanserai donated to the French by the Lebanese ruler Fakhreddine to encourage trade, and the bustling souk with its narrow alleys and traditional workshops and coffee houses.  If time permits, there may also be the opportunity to visit the interesting Musée du Savon (Soap Museum).

Includes private transportation, guide and entrance fees.