Benghazi
Benghazi reigns usually are more attractive to its visitor than Tripoli. Some will find Tripoli a bit dull. There might not be much more happening in Benghazi, but there is activity to watch, or even join. Not night life! Afternoon life and early evening life. For both sexes, all ages. Benghazi has more of the relaxed attitude Arab cities in other countries are known for. People hang around, look at one another, talk and enjoy life.Benghazi is a big city, with nearly 1 million inhabitants. But it remains architecturally attractive, overlooking the sea and a marina, and many beaches make up the coastline. Most of Benghazi is modern buildings, but the old city is good, with covered alleyways. It's especially crowded on Fridays, when people fill the streets, shopping. This should be your leading star when staying in Benghazi, follow the crowd shopping.
Jabal El Akhdar (The Green Mountain)
There are two natural conditions that have been most attractive to travelers to Libya, the vast desert and its oases, and the Akhdar Mountains, which is Arabic for "Green Mountains". The name is just, and this is one of the very few areas which have for Westerners a pleasant summer climate.In ancient times, the Akhdar Mountains became the corn chamber for old Greek, therefore all the many Greek colonies here. During the Italian colonization, it was a farming region, and this period has left many Italian style houses all around the mountain area. Modern Libya has been developing the agricultural potentials, particularly through the tremendous Great Manmade River, which pours large portions of its water into the farms of Akhdar Mountains.
Despite this, the region has a fair amount of annual rainfall, 300 mm, which is a lot for a country like Libya.The scenery of this region comes as a great surprise to most visitors, few knew of this pearl before coming here. The nature shifts between soft and smooth mountain landscape, occasionally cut by a gorge or some wild rocks. Traditional Libyan architecture is easier to come across here, and few travelers would have problems filling at least one week of round trips here. Of important places to visit here, Cyrene, Apollonia, Tulmaytha, Slonta, and Derna springs immediately to mind.
Wadi El Kuf
Wadi al-Kuf in the Akhdar Mountains stretches for about 8 km, falling from west to east. As you descend, the cliffs rise higher and higher above you. There are plenty of caves; many have been used by man throughout history, sometimes during war, like in 1927 when locals resisted Italian occupation of Cyrenaica.The nature of the valley is stunning considering how Libyan is elsewhere. At times you feel that you're in Europe.
Tukra (Taucheira)
While Tukra originally was founded by the Greeks around 510 BC, it is the Roman ruins, the Byzantine church, and the Turkish fort that makes Tukra worth the detour. In total, Tukra doesn't reach up to the same level as the other ancient sites around Akhdar Mountains. As it could be included on your itinerary, Tukra must be seen as an example of the more modest city, not built on wealth. Therefore Tukra is a better representative for understanding how the majority of ancient urban dwellers lived. Unfortunately, large parts are still unexcavated, and I think that will remain the situation for still long time.The old village centre is worth the visit, it is charming, and comes very much alive during market day.
Tulmaytha (Ptolemais)
As other ancient sites in Cyrenaica, Tulmaytha has a beautiful setting, making the most out of the plains meeting with the sea. This site has, however, most its potentials still underground. Tulmaytha was established by Ptolemais in 4th century BC, and its importance continued during the Roman period, but with the arrival of the Arabs in the first half of the 7th century AD, it fell into decline.There are enough things excavated here to make a visit to Tulmaytha worth while. The best thing here is the basilica from 5th century AD. Other structures excavated, include a Hellenistic palace, the forum, statues and plenty of fountains. A visit to the museum is nice, and it has a good collection of everyday articles. Look out for the depictions of lions and tigers, which once lived in this area.Discovering Tulmaytha involves quite a walk, and afterwards it will be tempting to jump into the sea, from one of the excellent and almost deserted beach just a couple of hundred meters to the west.
Qasr Libya
As other ancient sites in Cyrenaica, Tulmaytha has a beautiful setting, making the most out of the plains meeting with the sea. This site has, however, most its potentials still underground. Tulmaytha was established by Ptolemais in 4th century BC, and its importance continued during the Roman period, but with the arrival of the Arabs in the first half of the 7th century AD, it fell into decline.There are enough things excavated here to make a visit to Tulmaytha worth while. The best thing here is the basilica from 5th century AD. Other structures excavated, include a Hellenistic palace, the forum, statues and plenty of fountains. A visit to the museum is nice, and it has a good collection of everyday articles. Look out for the depictions of lions and tigers, which once lived in this area.Discovering Tulmaytha involves quite a walk, and afterwards it will be tempting to jump into the sea, from one of the excellent and almost deserted beach just a couple of hundred meters to the west.
Ras El Hilal
Ras al-Hillal occupies a delightful location, on a rocky peninsula. The main attraction here is the Christian basilica, one of few remains of a past when it was an important port of the region, together with Apollonia, serving Cyrene and the rest of the region.Of the church there is little but the base left, but some of the floors are highly decorative. Unfortunately for visitors out here, mosaics have been moved to the museum at Apollonia.About 14 km from the peninsula, there is the Shallal Ras al-Hillal, a tiny waterfall, which is quite impressive in one respect: It flows all through the year! Remember where in the world you are!
L'Atrun
This is a spot of great supply of water; the Byzantine built the town of Eythron here.There are two basilicas, the Western Church which is noted for its white columns. Look out for the fine mosaic paving. Over a hill, some 150 meters away, lay the Eastern Church, which is less attractive.Nearby there are numerous small caves, which may have been tombs of even summer homes.
Apollonia
The old Greek port of Apollonia has both the ruins and the village of Susa, as attractions. While modernization of Libya has reduced the number of traditional settlement, Susa still holds a lot of the past. Much of Apollonia has disappeared, due to landslides. Apollonia served as the port of Cyrene, and the landscape between the two sites would alone defend the detour out here. Apollonia is a Greek settlement that is very much formed according to the topography, with a beach cut by rugged rocks, inland from it there are hills, all giving Apollonia a very nice setting. Apollonia has several churches, a small theatre carved into the rocks, public baths. Best preserved of Apollonia, are the walls. The museum of Apollonia is small and friendly, but there will be more exhibited here when excavations of Apollonia are more completed. Still the acropolis remains unexcavated. There are also underwater ruins, which can only be explored by getting a trip with a local boat.
Cyrene
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. Not only does it have a fantastic setting, at the beginning of the beautiful Jabal al-Akhdar, looking out in direction of the Mediterranean Sea, but the site is deliciously only partly excavated: Chances are more than theoretical that you can come over priceless items, like mosaics and statues, under the sand. The feeling of actually discovering something, so easily lost when walking around ancient sites complete with dustbins and multi linguist guides, survives all through your visit at Cyrene. Intended or not from Libyan authorities, one of the most perfect settings for an ancient site, is here, below the forests of eastern Libya.
Much of the history of Cyrene has survived, and the legend on the formation of the place is a gem. Battus went to the oracle of Delphi to seek advice. The oracle told him that he should people with him, and settle in Libya. Battus so did. But he and his expedition landed on a small island. Dissatisfied with this island, Battus returned to the oracle, only to be told that he had not yet arrived in Libya. Once again Battus had to set out, and he did arrive in Libya. 6 years later the colonists moved to the site of Cyrene, and in the centuries that followed the place prospered. How much of this is actually true, we cannot know. But Cyrene was a colony, and one believes that the colonists came from the island today known as Santorini. The years that followed saw close relations between the Greeks and the Libyans, and some generations of intermarriage brought made the two peoples into one. However, new groups of Greeks continued to come, so it never really lost its Greek touch.
How much of this is actually true, we cannot know. But Cyrene was a colony, and one believes that the colonists came from the island today known as Santorini. The years that followed saw close relations between the Greeks and the Libyans, and some generations of intermarriage brought made the two peoples into one. However, new groups of Greeks continued to come, so it never really lost its Greek touch. The entire site is about 1,300 times 1,300 meters, but much of it has grown together with the village of Shahat, and agricultural fields around it. Of main interest the Temple of Apollo stands out. It was built as early as 7th century BC, but rebuilt 3 centuries later. About 50 meters from the temple, the Fountain of Apollo is situated, of which the water was considered curing. Inside it one can still see the seats where people sat while treated. Near the temple and the fountain, still inside what was the sanctuary of Apollo, the Great Baths are. Parts of these are in exceptional conditions, and inside the Grand Hall, the pipes leading water from the Fountain of Apollo, are still very much visible.
At the extreme north-west, the theatre is located. This is Roman, though it is believed that that the foundations are Greek. The style is partly Greek. The setting right here is stunning, right behind the stage the hills fall, and offers a dramatic view over the landscape that stretches out to the sea. In the centre of Cyrene, on the Agora (the town square), the Tomb of Battus is located, giving some substance to the stories of the origin of Cyrene. There is slightly less to see here, though the Forum of Proculus is in good condition. Around Cyrene, the Necropolis has taken up an unbelievable size, an estimated 10 km². There are still hundreds of tombs cut into the hills, and many have the shape of mausoleums or temples.