Backpacking To Tyre, Lebanon

Traveling to Tyre

Lebanon’s southern city of Tyre has everything that would have rich tourists from around the world flocking to their shores. With gorgeous white-sand beaches, Roman temples and arenas, and Mediterranian terracotta villages, Tyre offers a lot of the same things that have travelers throwing down thousands of dollars to see in Italy. With few tourists, the immersive open-air museums will have you feeling as if you are stepping back into the past. With so much to offer, one can’t help but wonder why Tyre is such an overlooked paradise on the Mediterranean.

Lebanon as a whole has been struggling to pull itself out of the years of civil war, conflict with their southern neighbors, and spill-over war with Syria. With Beirut as its crown jewel, Lebanon’s capital was once hailed as the Paris of the East. Many of the other historical and breathtaking sea-side towns also saw their fair share of tourists laying out towels on the beaches and gawking at the colossal ruins left by the Romans. While all the wonders and splendor of Lebanon remain, it is the decades of unrest that have made the shores and temples abandoned.

Thinking about heading to Sidon first? You can read my take on traveling to Sidon here!

Is Traveling to Tyre Safe?

South Lebanon is a complicated region which is often the battleground between the Arabs and Israel. Being in a contested area, cities such as Tyre and Sidon are usually the first to come under fire whenever a conflict arises. Although it has been years since the last attack, the scars can still be felt throughout the region. Tyre and the rest of South Lebanon is also a stronghold for the armed political group known as Hezbollah. While some consider them heroes who liberated Lebanon from the occupying Israeli forces, just as many consider them a terrorist organization. So then you must ask yourself, “Is Tyre safe to travel to?”

Although you will find Palestinian refugee camps and flags of the militant Hezbollah throughout Tyre, you will also find Dunken Doughnuts and McDonald’s. These western fast-food chains would probably be the last thing you would expect to see in a war-torn country, and their presence further highlights the complexity of the region. The only way you will be truly afraid when traveling to Tyre is if you psyche yourself out on the bus ride over. As the saying goes, “there is nothing to fear but fear itself.”

Needing more advice about if you should travel to Lebanon? You can find my complete review here!

Tyre Port

Once you get over the initial jitters about traveling to Tyre you can start planning on what to explore in this Mediterranean city. Tyre is best done on a day trip from either Sidon or Beirut. Being such a small country you can easily get from the capital to Sour (Tyre) is just a matter of hours. Also with the lack of accommodation, it is best to base yourself out of either one of these other major cities.

It is best to see if you can’t spend the night in Sidon, even if you are coming from the Cola Intersection in Beiruit you will still have to transfer in Sidon to get to Tyre. The bus from Beirut to Sidon costs anywhere between 2,000 LBP – 3,000 LBP (1.30 –  2.00 USD), the bus onwards to Tyre costs another 2,000 LBP. The total journey from Beirut to Tyre just takes about 2.5 hours depending on traffic.

The bus in Tyre will drop you off right in the heart of the bazaar, within walking distance of many of the famous sites in the city. The life and crowds of the market are sure to be the first thing that attracts your attention. The chance to get up close to a more candid look at the people of Tyre is not an opportunity you would want to pass up. On the other side of the bazaar, you will notice the crowds begin to die down as you enter the Christian Quarter and Tyre Port. Although the sunbaked buildings and terracotta roofs will give you that romantic Mediterranean feel, it lacks the energy of the bazaar.

To really see traditional Arab culture come alive you will have to check out the livestock market in Nizwa, Oman!

Al-Mina Ruins

The closest ruins you will find from the city of Tyre is the Al-Mina complex. These Roman columns and Byzantine Murals have a history stretching back over a millennium. Situated on the coast, it is not only the ancient arena, crumbling temple, and elaborate baths that you will find outside of Tyre. But the stone path leading from this majestic city drops down to the tranquil blue waters, hiding an ancient harbor under its waves.

The ruins of Al-Mina are just as extensive and beautiful as anything you could find in Italy. The major difference is that you will find hardly any tourists snapping pictures in the regal courtyards and in the halls of the dilapidated temple. The ticket price to enter Al-Mina is 6,000 LBP (4 USD) and considering you will have free rein over the entire ruins without having to find that crowds, you can consider this quite the steal.

Another gorgeous seaside town in Lebanon is Byblos. You can read more about traveling to Byblos here!

The Tyre Necropolis

Surviving thousands of years of being exposed by the elements and the falling of bombs during the Lebanese Civil War, the Tyre Necropolis and Hippodrome still stands as a monument to the glory of Rome. With a wide cobblestone laid leading through an arch of triumph, you can almost see toga donning citizens of ancient Tyre strolling down the street on the way to the circus. Complete with an aqueduct bringing water into the city, it is easy to imagine what life may have been like thousands of years ago.

Just off of the main Roman highway, you will find the Tyre Hippodrome. Noted as being one of the most well-preserved race tracks in all of the bygone Roman world, you can practically hear the roar of the fans from the stands and the sound of chariots making a sharp turn in the oval. Being such a high-intensity sport, that chariots crashing into crowds was a common occurrence. The price to visit the Hippodrome is also 6,000 LBP (4 USD), but since the complex is located in a wide-open field in the suburbs, it is quite easy to wander onto the ruins without coming across the ticket booth.

Wanting to get off the beaten path in the Middle East? Check out Akre in Iraqi-Kurdistan!

A Trip to Tyre

As the sound of shell blasts begins to die down, one can only hope that Lebanon’s cultural heritage and scenic beauty will once again be in the spotlight. There are few countries in the world that are blessed with such diversity as Lebanon. From skiing resorts to white sand beaches, this small country is literally swimming in natural and architectural wonders. Other countries would base their entire tourism industry around just one of these breathtaking sights.

Unfortunately, the bullets have not all been dug out of the walls of the historic villas and romantic Mediterranean cottages just yet. It will still take some time for the wounds to heal and for Lebanon to be seen, once again, as a center of beauty and creativity. Along with many of the other cities in Lebanon, Tyre leads the way by casting off any preconceived misconceptions of the country and dazzling travelers with its crystal clear waters and ruins which transports tourists to a time that laid the foundation for the modern world.