Tripoli

Drive towards the Green Square, and visit ‘Assraya Al Hamra’, the Red Castle that houses the National Museum to view exhibits dating from prehistoric times, through Libyan tribal history.

The Roman Gallery is the finest in the entire Museum and is divided in 3. One section is devoted to Leptis Magna with rows of statues and large mosaics. Another has its floor covered with a beautiful mosaic from Roman Oea and the final section is devoted to Sabratha.

In the medina, pass by the old hotels known as Khans, the quaint squares, traditional houses and a string of mosques, the largest and unquestionably most beautiful of which is the Ahmed Pasha Karamanli Mosque.

Visit Gurgi Mosque before arriving at the Arch of Aurelius; this majestic arch was erected in honour of the emperor Marcus Aurelius and it has quite miraculously managed to stay intact to this day.

Sabratha city was a permanent settlement from the 4th century BC, and grew during the Roman period. Like Leptis Magna, Sabratha began as a settlement to service the coastal trade of the Carthaginians.
< the most prominent features are the roman public arenas, the temples of liber pater, hercules, the forum, and public paths. ruins of the earliest phoenician settlements have been found beneath the roman town in the area between the forum, sea and 2 mausoleums, one of which was completely restored.

The main monument is the Theatre, used in modern times as a theatre and concert hall. There are a variety of public baths, temples and fountains, with many first class mosaics both on site and in the adjacent Museum.

Your scenic drive will take you across the Libyan countryside towards Leptis Magna, a magnificent site that was the birthplace of one of Rome’s emperors. Your tour of this imposing site commences at the Arch of Septimus Severus, erected in 203 AD to commemorate the visit of the emperor of the same name.

Proceed towards Hadrian’s Baths and the Palestra before visiting the Forum, bound by a 2-storey colonnade and boasting capitals that were embellished by the head of Medusa.

Continue to the most glorious structure of the site, the Roman Theatre, which is one of the oldest theatres of the Roman world. After this historically rich tour, you are invited to a traditional Libyan lunch at a local restaurant. Your tour draws to a close with a visit of the Amphitheatre of Leptis Magna, constructed in 56 AD, boasting unrivalled acoustics and accommodating up to 16,000 spectators in former times.

Head south of Tripoli towards the Jefara Plain to view Qasr al-Haj, which is one of the best examples of a fortified Berber granary dating back to the 12th century, built to store the harvest of the surrounding area. Enter the site through a passageway flanked by 2 alcoves leading to the impressive courtyard. This gives the feeling you are entering into a mini canyon, as the walls are completely surrounded by cave-like rooms.

Reboard the coach for a spectacular drive up the Nafusa Mountains. The Jebel Nafusa escarpment is heavily eroded by Wadis (dry valley) and this Berber heartland is one of the few areas in Libya where Berber culture still thrives. Continue onto Yefren, which is set high on a series of rocky bluffs, overlooking the flat coastal plain. Drive through Wadis and see old towns and houses stopping for a typical Libyan lunch in a hotel with a bird’s eye view on the surrounding plains.

After lunch head towards Gharyan to view its main attraction - the only surviving example of an underground house. On the way down the mountain you’ll stop for some shopping by the road side where you will find many pottery and ceramic sellers offering a wide selection of locally made art and craft.