Tripoli Travel Guide

  View of the clock from Al Manshieh Park
by mikey_e
  • View of the clock from Al Manshieh Park
      View of the clock from Al Manshieh Park
    by mikey_e
  • In the old souq area
      In the old souq area
    by mikey_e
  • Central square
      Central square
    by mikey_e
  •   Tripoli
    by Matyas
  •   Things to Do
    by mikey_e

Pro

maykal profile photo

 Well preserved old city with a nice seaside suburb 


Con

RblWthACoz profile photo

 More conservative compared to Beirut. 


In a nutshell

RblWthACoz profile photo

 Buy some soap and eat some sweets. Then move on. :-) 

 

Explore Tripoli

Things to Do  

Mina Souq

Mina Souq, Tripoli

 mikey_e Says:  The Mina, or Port, is part of old Tripoli and its economic importance. Today, the port facility has garnered a bit of a bad reputation (it is a port through which weapons are all too frequently smuggled towards Syria) and it does not have sort of bustling atmosphere that is... 

Al Manshieh Park

Al Manshieh Park, Tripoli

 mikey_e Says:  This park, in the centre of the city and across from the Ottoman Clock Tower, is a popular gathering spot for the residents of the city. It is flanked by benches and ambulant vendors selling coffee, drinks and snacks. It's not uncommon to see groups of men standing around... 

The Clock Tower

The Clock Tower, Tripoli

 mikey_e Says:  The Clock Tower is one of Tripoli's most popular attractions. It is a tribute to the city's importance in the Ottoman world, as it was constructed in 1906 in order to mark 30 years of Sultan Abdulhamid II's reign, and as were similar constructions in other cities throughout... 

The Great Mosque of Al Mansouri

The Great Mosque of Al Mansouri, Tripoli

 MM212 Says:  Located in the heart of the Old City, the multi-domed Great Mosque of Tripoli was built in 1294 AD. It was commissioned by the Mamluke ruler al-Mansour Qalawun soon after he liberated the city from Crusader hands. The location chosen for the mosque had been the site of the... 

Buy traditional sweets from Hallab & Son

Buy traditional sweets from Hallab & Son, Tripoli

 chizz Says:  Abdul Rahman Hallab and Son are famous in Lebanon for making traditional sweets since 1881 that are very tasty indeed. The business originated in Tripoli but has several branches in Lebanon and they even have a shop at Beirut Airport.I visited the El Mina Road branch,... 

Khan Al Saboun - Soap Souq

Khan Al Saboun - Soap Souq, Tripoli

 chizz Says:  As you wander through the souqs in Tripoli with their wide array of fish. meat, vegetables, fabrics, clothes and homewares to name but a few wares, you will come across the Soap Souq next to the gold souq. Here you will find several small shops still selling soap made in the... 

St Gilles Citadel - Tripoli

St Gilles Citadel - Tripoli, Tripoli

 chizz Says:  Tripoli is Lebanon's second largest city and had managed to retain its old character with its medieval centre, Mameluke and Ottoman period monuments and its ancient souqs. It is also more conservative than Beirut and has a distinct Arab feel to it.Overlooking the centre atop... 

Madrassa al-Qartawiya

Madrassa al-Qartawiya, Tripoli

 MM212 Says:  Built in 1325 AD, al-Qartawiya is thought of as the most beautiful madrassa (theological school) in Tripoli. It was commissioned by the governor of Tripoli, al-Qaratay, whose tomb lies inside. The edifice has a highly ornate portal with beautiful muqarnas half dome and... 

Uwaysiyya Mosque

Uwaysiyya Mosque, Tripoli

 MM212 Says:  A late Mamluke-period mosque, Uwaysiyya was built in 1460 AD. It is difficult to see from the narrow alleys of Old Tripoli, but the mosque has an oversized cupola and a round minaret with muqarnas decorations. The minaret was added during the Ottoman period. In fact, an... 

al-Burtasiyyeh Mosque

al-Burtasiyyeh Mosque, Tripoli

 MM212 Says:  Although serving exclusively as a mosque in recent history, al-Burtasiyyeh Mosque was originally built as a madrassa. It is thought to have been completed a little before 1324 AD, when its builder, Isa ibn Omar al-Burtasi, died. The mosque is one of the most interesting in... 

Madrassa an-Nasiriyya

Madrassa an-Nasiriyya, Tripoli

 MM212 Says:  Yet another mamluke-period madrassa in old Tripoli, an-Nasiriyya dates from around 1360 AD. It was named after the Mamluke Sultan al-Malik al-Nasir Hasan, son (or grandson?) of the famous Qalawun who liberated the Levant from Crusader hands. The Madrassa's architecture is... 

al-Mashhad

al-Mashhad, Tripoli

 MM212 Says:  This beautiful Mamluke-period mausoleum ("mashhad") is adjacent to the Great Mosque of Tripoli. Little is known of its history or of the identity of the person buried within. The craftsmanship of the architecture, though, is astounding. The entrance has a typical muqarnas... 

Old Tripoli

Old Tripoli, Tripoli

 MM212 Says:  Right below the Crusader Castle lies Old Tripoli. The narrow meandering alleys of this part of town boast some amazing examples of Mamluke architecture from the 14th - 16th centuries and a few remnants of Crusader structures. Within those narrow, partially-covered alleys... 

Tahhan Mosque

Tahhan Mosque, Tripoli

 MM212 Says:  A tiny mosque, Tahhan was built over a set of shops in the souk of Tripoli. The mosque dates from either the late Mamluke period or the early Ottoman period (probably between 1500 and 1600 AD), but is entirely Mamluke in style with its octagonal minaret and alternating black... 

Al Mina

Al Mina, Tripoli

 MM212 Says:  Al Mina is the seaside half of Tripoli. It is built on the site of the ancient city, Tripolis, but unfortunately little or no ancient traces remain for the city has been destroyed numerous times during its long history. Al Mina today is a pleasant and relaxed part of Tripoli... 

The Souk

The Souk, Tripoli

 MM212 Says:  For an exotic and authentic Middle Eastern experience, allow yourself to get lost within the meandering labyrithine alleys of old Tripoli and to be absorbed by the mesmerising souk (bazaar), amid beautiful 14th-16th century Mamluke architecture. You are guaranteed to... 

Hotels  

Quality Inn Tripoli

 1 Review and 14 Opinions  There is not much choice of good quality hotels in Tripoli, so the Quality Inn it had to be. It was... 

Restaurants  

Rafaat Hallab & Sons: The oh so famous sweets of Tripoli

Rafaat Hallab & Sons: The oh so famous sweets of Tripoli, Tripoli

 RblWthACoz Says:  Tripoli is very well known for it's sweets and Rafaat Hallab & Sons is the best place to experience them. With multiple locations - the one nearest Tell Square the easiest to find - you'd be selling yourself short if you did not try it out. Grab some coffee or tea and pick... 

Chopsticks: if you fancy Chinese food while in Tripoli.....

Chopsticks: if you fancy Chinese food while in Tripoli....., Tripoli

 chizz Says:  Chopsticks Restaurants were founded in 1998 and the company has several branches in Lebanon, offering tasty Chinese food at reasonable prices. There's the usual array of starters such as spring rolls, won-tons and dumplings as well as soups and salads from LL3 250-11 750,... 

Local Customs  

Soap from Tripoly (Trablous)

Soap from Tripoly (Trablous), Tripoli

 sarrahh Says:  The family of Hassun are from the few families in Tripoli, which maintained the soap until today and took Khan to a soap. Working in the Khan Badr Hassun and his nine children, to preserve the legacy of the family. Khan soap teeming tourist and visitors. All that the... 

Favorites  

Medieval City

Medieval City, Tripoli

 iwys Says:  Tripoli's old city, with its medieval streets, hammams, madrassas and mosques, is a fascinating place to wander around. Most of it dates from the Mameluke construction period in the 14th and 15th centuries. 

Comments

Map of Tripoli