Items | Private Sidon, Tyre & Maghdouche Day Tour from Beirut
Private Sidon, Tyre & Maghdouche Day Tour from Beirut
Beirut
About
Three of Lebanon's most extraordinary destinations — one private, unhurried day from Beirut. This tour takes you south along the ancient Phoenician coast to Sidon, one of the oldest cities in the world, then further to Tyre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Roman ruins of staggering scale survive by the sea, before climbing to Maghdouché — a hilltop sanctuary where Christian tradition holds that the Virgin Mary herself once waited.
In Sidon you will walk the medieval Sea Castle, explore the world's only soap museum, wander the old souks, and stand in the grand courtyard of Khan el Franj — the Silk Road caravanserai built for European merchants. In Tyre you will walk the length of one of t...
Highlights
8 hours
Offered in Arabic (العربية) & English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
8 hours
Offered in Arabic (العربية) & English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
What's Included
Private transportation
Bottled water throughout
Hotel pickup and drop-off in Beirut
Informative commentary at every stop
Private air-conditioned vehicle
English-speaking driver with local knowledge throughout
Lunch in Tyre (optional — at own expense)
Gratuities (optional )
Important Information
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Specialized infant seats are available
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Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
•
For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
•
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
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If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
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This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
•
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
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9:00 AM — Departure from Beirut
Your private English-speaking driver collects you from your Beirut hotel and heads south along the Mediterranean coastal highway — the ancient Phoenician road that once connected the greatest trading cities of the ancient world.
2
Crusaders Sea Castle
Begin at Sidon's most iconic landmark — a 13th-century Crusader fortress built on a small island just off the coast, connected to the shore by a narrow stone causeway. As you walk through its towers and vaulted halls, your driver-guide recounts the dramatic story of the Crusader occupation, the Mamluk sieges, and the Phoenician harbour that once made Sidon one of the most powerful trading cities of the ancient Mediterranean world. The sea views from the ramparts are among the finest on the Lebanese coast.
30 minutes
3
Sidon Souks
Wander the labyrinthine alleyways of one of Lebanon's most authentic traditional markets — still trading as it has for centuries, with spice vendors, coppersmiths, fabric merchants, and sweet shops spilling onto the cobblestones. Unlike the restored souks of Beirut, Sidon's old market is the real, living, breathing thing — a genuine window into daily Levantine life that most visitors to Lebanon never find.
15 minutes
4
Soap Museum - Saida
Visit the world's only museum dedicated to the ancient art of olive oil soap-making — a Sidonian craft practiced continuously for over a thousand years. Housed in a beautifully restored khan within the old city, the museum traces the full journey from olive grove to finished soap cake, with exhibits showing the traditional pressing, cooking, and cutting methods that made Sidon's soap famous across the Mediterranean and as far as Europe. A genuinely unique cultural experience found nowhere else in the world.
30 minutes
5
Khan al-Franj
Step into the grand 17th-century caravanserai commissioned by Emir Fakhreddine II to accommodate European merchants trading along the Silk Road. The wide arcaded courtyard, vaulted galleries, and carved stone facades make Khan el Franj one of the finest examples of Ottoman-era architecture in Lebanon — and one of the most photogenic spots in Sidon. Your guide explains the role this khan played in the commercial life of the Levant during Lebanon's golden age of trade.
15 minutes
6
Tyre Hippodrome
Arrive in ancient Tyre and step into the Roman world at one of the largest and best-preserved hippodromes of antiquity. At its peak this vast arena seated up to 20,000 spectators who gathered to watch chariot races thunder around the 480-metre track. Walking its full length today — past the original starting gates, turning posts, and spectator terraces — is one of the most immersive Roman experiences in the entire Middle East. Your driver-guide brings the roar of the ancient crowd back to life.
1 hour
7
Tyre Port
Stroll along the ancient port of Tyre — once the greatest maritime harbour of the Phoenician world, from which ships sailed to found Carthage and trade across the entire Mediterranean. Today the colourful fishing boats, the sea walls, and the relaxed waterfront atmosphere make it a perfect place to breathe in the history of this extraordinary city before lunch.
15 minutes
8
Tyre
Lunch in Tyre — optional
Enjoy a relaxed lunch at a local Tyre restaurant — fresh Lebanese mezze and seafood served steps from the Mediterranean, with the ancient city as your backdrop. A well-earned break before the day's final and most spiritual stop.
1 hour
9
Our Lady of Mantara
The day's final stop is the hilltop village of Maghdouché, where Christian tradition holds that the Virgin Mary waited in a cave while Jesus preached in nearby Sidon. The name Mantara means "the one who waits" in Arabic — and the cave sanctuary here has been a place of pilgrimage for centuries, revered equally by Christians and Muslims across Lebanon and the wider region. The Church of Our Lady of Mantara stands above the cave, and the panoramic views from the hilltop over the southern Lebanese coast and the mountains of the interior offer a fittingly serene and beautiful end to the day.
30 minutes
10
Beirut
Return to Beirut — approx. 5:00–6:00 PM
Drop-off at your Beirut hotel after a full day through three thousand years of Lebanese history — Phoenician, Crusader, Roman, and sacred — entirely at your own pace.
Private Sidon, Tyre & Maghdouche Day Tour from Beirut
Beirut
Select Date & Travelers
From
$75.00
Price varies by group size
About
Three of Lebanon's most extraordinary destinations — one private, unhurried day from Beirut. This tour takes you south along the ancient Phoenician coast to Sidon, one of the oldest cities in the world, then further to Tyre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Roman ruins of staggering scale survive by the sea, before climbing to Maghdouché — a hilltop sanctuary where Christian tradition holds that the Virgin Mary herself once waited.
In Sidon you will walk the medieval Sea Castle, explore the world's only soap museum, wander the old souks, and stand in the grand courtyard of Khan el Franj — the Silk Road caravanserai built for European merchants. In Tyre you will walk the length of one of t...
Highlights
8 hours
Offered in Arabic (العربية) & English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
8 hours
Offered in Arabic (العربية) & English
Free Cancellation
Mobile Ticket
What's Included
Private transportation
Bottled water throughout
Hotel pickup and drop-off in Beirut
Informative commentary at every stop
Private air-conditioned vehicle
English-speaking driver with local knowledge throughout