Libya. Warm sun, warm hearts. A great country with a great history, a country of breathtaking beauty. High mountain chains are just one of the beauties of its fabulous landscape with green fields and sun-drenched Mediterranean beaches. The desert, watered by magnificent oasis, extends far into Africa. Fabulous villages and cities scattered amongst meadows, with oasis everywhere. Historical monuments forests, towering mountains... and a warm Libyan Arab welcome. Libya's strategic, geographical position and profound history make it a vital link between the eastern and western parts of the Arab world, and between Europe and Africa. The country has known its ups and downs, but the historical monuments are a testimony of the great Libyan civilization of old. Look at the engravings of the AKAKUS mountains, the drawings in the MATCHANDOUSH caves.

The cities of JARMA, ZAKAKRA, and SABHA' in the south, and the historical city of GHIRZA in the centre. Libya has played host to many civilizations, and has enriched civilization in its turn, with writings, drawings and engravings in the caves of TADRART mountains, and archaeological treasures from ATAFT. The Phoenician, Roman, and Byzantine ports of TRIPOLI, SABRATAH, LIBDAH, SHAH'HAT, SUSAH, TUKRAH, and TALMITHA. The old Islamic cities such as SIRT, DARNAH, and AJDABIYA, and other cities in the heart of the desert,
including GHADAMES, ZUWAYLAH, JALU, OJLA, GHAT, and FEZZAN. Not forgetting the places and fortresses of GHARYAN, MIZDAH, AL-QARYAT, YIFRAN, JADU, NALUT, MISALLATAH, and AWINAT. The first site most tourists visit is TRIPOLI, Libya's biggest city, the queen of the seas.

It is an historical site. the city of Islamic civilization, Arab art and handicraft, where every monument tells a story. TRIPOLI has changed little
since its foundation in the first millennium BC: it is still a lush garden filled with olive trees, palms, grapevines, and orange groves. The city has a wealth of old and new monuments. Travel east or west, to nearby LIBDAH or SABRATAH, and soak up all the history.

Shopping is a great pleasure, especially in the popular markets where you can buy a great variety of Libyan handicrafts such as traditional clothes, carpets, handmade gold and silver jewellery, copper and silver dishes, leather goods, and pottery. Every kind of aquatic sport is practised in the resorts along the coast, where you will also find the port of BENGHAZI, which combines magnificent buildings with large, open spaces.

In nearby SULUQ stands the mausoleum of OMAR MOKHTAR, hero of the Libyan Resistance during the Italian occupation. Take the highway east to the magnificent cities of the Green Mountain: DARNAH with its falls and splendid coast; AL BAYDA', a quiet city high up in the mountains; ancient SHAH'HAT (Cyrene) and beautiful SUSAH (Apollonia), TULMAYTHAH, TUKRAH, RA'S AL HILAL.... Libya offers you two thousand kilometers of splendid beaches, and some beautiful small cities each with its typical architecture and special characteristics, like AUWARAH, TUBRUQ, MISRATAH, AZ ZAWIYAH, AL-KHUMS, and ZLITAN. Explore Libya's desert in WADI ASH SHATI, the plain of AWAYNAT, BRAK, MURZUQ, and the oasis of AL KUFRAH, ZALLAH and BAZIMAH. Then cool off in AL BAYDA' or near AL MARJ, or on the plain of DARNAH.

As you go further and further into the desert, all you meet are waves and waves, "the great sand sea", but then there are the refreshing oasis. The history, the monuments and tales told by the locals make this place unique. It is a feast for the senses.. The jewel of the desert is GHADAMES, a mélange of natural beauty, important monuments and a distinctive architectural style for which it is famous. Libya may be the land of ancient civilizations, but it also looks to the future. It is a country of peace. Libya, a land touched by history. 

Benghazi
Situated on the eastern edge of the Gulf of Sirte, Benghazi ranks as the second largest city in Libya and a major commercial center.

Benghazi at night

The city today displays little of its ancient heritage, as it was pretty much pummeled into ruin during WWII. Benghazi makes a great base for exploring the lush Green Mountain area and the numerous Roman ruins along the coast, and there are good bathing beaches within a quick drive.

With a good pair of walking shoes, you can cover central Benghazi easily on foot. The covered souqs are open daily, but they really come alive on Friday morning, when the whole city seems to convene for a shopping spree. The main covered market, the Souq al-Jreed on Sharia Omar al-Mukhtar, sells all manner of clothes and household goods, while not far off the street becomes a pedestrian precinct or small shops and cafes.

Old Roman cities are fairly well represented all over North Africa, but it proves difficult to find any better site of Greek ruins than Cyrene (east of Benghazi). Not only does it have a fantastic setting, at the beginning of the beautiful Akhdar Mountains, looking out in direction of the
Mediterranean Sea, but the site is deliciously only partly excavated. Adding to the delight is the surrounding landscape, with green and fertile valley below, and a forest on the hill above.

WEATHER

SHOPPING

Shops in Benghazi usually open at 9:00 and close at about 20:00, many good shops can be found in Dubai street, Alwahda Al Arabia or 20th street, Al Hadaeq area, and famous Benghazi traditional Souq is called Souq Al Jareed.

Benghazi has a wealth of old and new monuments. Especially in the old Soak (Soak Al Jareed) which is popular markets where you can buy a great variety of Libyan handicrafts such as traditional clothes, carpets, handmade gold and silver jewellery, copper and silver dishes, leather goods, and pottery.