Find places in Libya

Must-Haves

• Tripoli Medina (Old City)
  The walled old town of souks, Ottoman mosques, consulates and courtyard houses is the heart of the capital.
• Martyrs' Square (City centre)
  The capital's main square, where families stroll, protests gather and celebrations spill out at night.

Fun for Everyone

• Tripoli Corniche (Waterfront)
  A long seafront promenade for evening walks, ice cream and watching the sunset over the harbour.

Off the Beaten Path

• Gharyan troglodyte houses (Gharyan)
  Underground Berber houses dug into the ground in the Nafusa hills, a day trip south of Tripoli.

Must-Haves

• Arch of Marcus Aurelius (Old City)
  A Roman triumphal arch from the second century, still standing at the edge of the medina.
• Red Castle (Assaraya al-Hamra) (Martyrs' Square)
  The great fortress by the harbour has watched over Tripoli since Roman and Spanish times.
• Gurgi Mosque (Old City)
  A nineteenth century Ottoman mosque with beautiful tiles, carved stucco and an octagonal minaret.
• Ahmed Pasha Karamanli Mosque (Old City)
  The grand eighteenth century mosque of the Karamanli dynasty, beside the Souk al-Mushir.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ottoman Clock Tower (Old City)
  The slender clock tower is a favourite meeting point and a handy landmark in the medina lanes.

Must-Haves

• Souk al-Mushir (Old City)
  The arched market by the medina gate for gold, copper, fabric and traditional Libyan dress.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Souk al-Turk (Old City)
  A covered lane of small shops selling everything from spices to perfume and household goods.
• Souk al-Jumaa (Souk al-Jumaa)
  The big eastern district market for produce, spices and everyday Libyan life.

Fun for Everyone

• Gargaresh Road (Gargaresh)
  The capital's busiest shopping street, lined with boutiques, cafés and fast food spots late into the night.

Fun for Everyone

• Janzour Beach (Janzour)
  The western seaside suburb where Tripoli families head on hot weekends.

Fun for Everyone

• Andalus district restaurants (Hay al-Andalus)
  An upscale neighbourhood full of family restaurants serving Libyan, Turkish and Italian food.

Must-Haves

• Medina macchiato cafés (Old City)
  Small cafés pour strong Libyan macchiato, a habit left from Italian rule, for locals at every hour.

Great for Date Night

• Gargaresh seafront cafés (Gargaresh)
  Sea view cafés where young Tripolitanians meet for coffee, juice and shisha in the evening.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Tea with peanuts at a medina stall (Old City)
  Try sweet Libyan tea with roasted peanuts floating on top, served from small stalls.

Must-Haves

• Corinthia Hotel Tripoli (Waterfront)
  The landmark twin tower hotel on the seafront, long used by business visitors.
• Radisson Blu Al Mahary Hotel (Waterfront)
  A large international hotel facing the sea, close to the old city.

Fun for Everyone

• Ramadan nights in the medina (Old City)
  After sunset in Ramadan, the old town fills with families, sweets and lights until late.
• Eid celebrations at Martyrs' Square (City centre)
  Crowds, fireworks and children's rides fill the square during the Eid holidays.

Fun for Everyone

• Evening shisha cafés in Hay al-Andalus (Hay al-Andalus)
  Nightlife in Libya means cafés, sweets and shisha, and this district is the liveliest after dark.

Must-Haves

• Old Benghazi Lighthouse (Old City)
  The old lighthouse by the harbour is one of the symbols of the city.
• Atiq Mosque (Old City)
  Benghazi's oldest mosque, rebuilt after damage in the conflict, sits in the restored old centre.
• Benghazi Cathedral (Old City)
  The domed Italian era cathedral, a city landmark being restored in the rebuilt centre.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ptolemais (Tolmeita) (Tolmeita)
  A huge Greek and Roman city by the sea, with a fine museum of mosaics.
• Qasr Libya Museum (Qasr Libya)
  A small museum of exceptional Byzantine mosaic panels found in a nearby church.

Must-Haves

• Souk al-Jreed (Old City)
  The long covered market for clothes, gold, perfume and household goods.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Al-Fuwayhat district shops (Al-Fuwayhat)
  A residential shopping area of bakeries, sweet shops and clothes stores.

Fun for Everyone

• Benghazi Corniche (Waterfront)
  The seafront promenade where families walk, eat ice cream and watch the sunset.

Off the Beaten Path

• Tocra (Teuchira) ruins (Tocra)
  Greek and Roman ruins and old city walls on the coast east of Benghazi.

Fun for Everyone

• Juliana Beach (Juliana)
  The city beach close to the centre, busy with families on summer evenings.

Low Cost and Authentic

• 23 July Lake (City centre)
  The lagoon in the middle of the city, ringed by walking paths and cafés.

Must-Haves

• Tibesti Hotel (City centre)
  The city's best known landmark hotel overlooking the lake.

Fun for Everyone

• Dubai Street restaurants (Dubai Street)
  A busy street of family restaurants, burger places and sweet shops.

Great for Date Night

• Lakeside cafés (City centre)
  Cafés around the lagoon serve coffee, juices and pastries into the evening.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Old city coffee houses (Old City)
  Traditional coffee houses where men gather over macchiato and dominoes.

Fun for Everyone

• Evening shisha terraces on the Corniche (Waterfront)
  Alcohol free nightlife means seafront terraces with tea, shisha and music.

Must-Haves

• Leptis Magna (Al Khums)
  One of the best preserved Roman cities in the world, birthplace of Emperor Septimius Severus.

Off the Beaten Path

• Leptis Magna Amphitheatre (Leptis Magna)
  An amphitheatre cut into a hill east of the city, overlooking the sea.
• Severan Harbour (Leptis Magna)
  The silted Roman harbour, with its lighthouse base and mooring stones still visible.
• Wadi Lebda (Leptis Magna)
  The river valley beside the ruins, where the Romans built a dam to protect the city.

Must-Haves

• Arch of Septimius Severus (Leptis Magna)
  The richly carved four way arch that greets you at the entrance to the city.
• Hadrianic Baths (Leptis Magna)
  Vast imperial baths with pools, columns and marble that show how Romans relaxed.
• Severan Basilica (Leptis Magna)
  A huge basilica with pillars carved in vines, animals and mythical figures.
• Theatre of Leptis Magna (Leptis Magna)
  A Roman theatre facing the sea, where you can sit on the original stone seats.

Fun for Everyone

• Market of Leptis Magna (Leptis Magna)
  The old market with its stone counters and official measuring tables for traders.

Fun for Everyone

• Leptis Magna beach (Leptis Magna)
  The sandy shore beside the ruins is perfect for a swim after exploring.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Al Khums beachfront (Al Khums)
  The town beach where local families gather on summer evenings.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Al Khums town cafés (Al Khums)
  Stop for a macchiato and a pastry among locals before heading to the site.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Al Khums market (Al Khums)
  The local market for dates, olives, bread and everyday shopping.

Must-Haves

• Sabratha Roman Theatre (Sabratha)
  The three storey stage front of this theatre is one of the most beautiful in the Roman world.

Off the Beaten Path

• Zuwara beaches (Zuwara)
  Amazigh coastal town with some of the clearest water in western Libya.

Must-Haves

• Temple of Isis (Sabratha)
  A temple by the sea with columns framing the waves.

Off the Beaten Path

• Mausoleum of Bes (Sabratha)
  A tall Punic tomb, rebuilt from its fallen stones, older than most of the Roman city.

Fun for Everyone

• Basilica of Justinian (Sabratha)
  A Byzantine church whose superb mosaic floor now lives in the museum.

Fun for Everyone

• Sabratha beach (Sabratha)
  Golden sand and clear water right beside the ancient city.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Sabratha town cafés (Sabratha)
  Small cafés in the modern town for tea, coffee and sweets.

Must-Haves

• Cyrene (Shahhat)
  The great Greek city on the Green Mountain, founded in the seventh century BC.
• Apollonia (Susa) (Susa)
  Cyrene's harbour city, with Byzantine churches and a theatre beside the sea.

Must-Haves

• Temple of Zeus at Cyrene (Shahhat)
  A temple once larger than the Parthenon, partly re-erected column by column.
• Sanctuary of Apollo (Shahhat)
  Temples, a fountain and a theatre clustered on a terrace with views to the sea.

Off the Beaten Path

• Cyrene Necropolis (Shahhat)
  Thousands of rock cut tombs line the hills around the city.
• Slonta sanctuary (Slonta)
  A strange carved rock sanctuary with ancient Libyan figures, unlike anything else in the country.
• Qasr Libya (Qasr Libya)
  Byzantine mosaics on the road between Benghazi and the mountain.

Fun for Everyone

• Fountain of Apollo (Shahhat)
  The sacred spring that drew the first Greek settlers still flows from the hillside.
• Green Mountain (Jebel Akhdar) (Al Bayda)
  Juniper forests, farms and cool air make this Libya's greenest region.

Off the Beaten Path

• Wadi al-Kuf (Green Mountain)
  A deep green gorge crossed by a high bridge, with caves and walking trails.
• Ras al-Hilal (Green Mountain)
  A lovely cove where mountains meet the sea, with a small Byzantine church.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Al Bayda market (Al Bayda)
  The town market for honey, olive oil and mountain produce.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Shahhat town cafés (Shahhat)
  Small cafés just above the ruins for tea before or after a visit.

Must-Haves

• Ghadames Old Town (Old Town)
  The UNESCO listed oasis town of covered lanes, white walls and rooftop paths for women.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ras al-Ghoul (Outside town)
  A rocky hill and old fort with wide views over the oasis and desert.

Must-Haves

• Ghadames traditional houses (Old Town)
  Painted interiors in red, with mirrors and copper pots, show desert family life.

Off the Beaten Path

• Atiq Mosque of Ghadames (Old Town)
  One of the oldest mosques in the oasis, with simple whitewashed arches.

Must-Haves

• Ain al-Faras spring (Old Town)
  The ancient spring that gave life to the oasis and was shared by strict water rules.

Fun for Everyone

• Ghadames dunes at sunset (Outside town)
  The sand sea begins at the edge of town and glows at sunset.

Off the Beaten Path

• Ghadames palm gardens (Oasis gardens)
  Shady gardens of date palms watered by ancient canals.

Must-Haves

• Ghadames Festival (Old Town)
  Every autumn the old town comes alive with Tuareg music, crafts, camel races and traditional dress.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Ghadames leather and crafts (Old Town)
  Embroidered leather slippers and woven goods are local specialities.

Low Cost and Authentic

• Tea under the palms (Oasis gardens)
  Sweet green tea poured from a height in the palm gardens.