Lebanon’s southernmost city, Tyre is one of those hidden gems that makes Lebanon a spectacular place to travel to. Though historically Tyre was one of Lebanon’s most significant cities, it has been overshadowed by cities like Beirut and Byblos in terms of tourism, giving Tyre a wonderfully undiscovered quality.
Like all of Lebanon’s coastal cities, Tyre has seen a myriad of passing armies, conquerors, civilizations, and eras. Tyre was a prosperous Phoenician city that was responsible for the founding of Mediterranean colonies, such as Carthage and Cadiz. The city’s production of purple dye, coveted by European nobility, made it the hub of commerce for centuries. Much of Tyre’s ruins come from Roman times, and roaming around the cities, traces of the fallen empire are strewn about.
Today, Tyre exudes a noticeably beachy vibe and visiting during spring or summer makes for a true vacation away from Beirut.
GETTING THERE
- By car: Follow the southern road down from Beirut, past Saida, until you reach Tyre. There is a large parking lot near the Tyre Port, and parking can easily be found along the public beach.
- By bus: Get a van from Jisr el Cola to Saida for 3,000 LBP. In Saida, you can transfer to a bus to Tyre for 2,000 LBP. The vans run every 20 minutes or so and the trip down takes around 2.5 hours in total. Once in Tyre, most sights are within walking distance and taxis or services are easy to find.
