Byblos, Lebanon: travel guide
One of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world — a Crusader castle over Phoenician port ruins, an atmospheric souk, and a working fishing harbour, 40km north of Beirut.
- Country
- Lebanon
- Currency
- LBP
- Time zone
- Asia/Beirut
- Nearest airport
- BEY
Top places to visit in Byblos
Church of Our Lady of the Sea
chapel · 4.9 rating · about 0.3 h · check the fee at the gate
A small chapel by the harbour edge, a favoured spot for sunset photos of fishing boats against the old port.
Jeita Grotto
cave system · 4.7 rating · about 2 h · check the fee at the gate
A vast karstic limestone cave system with an underground river, roughly 20 minutes from Byblos and Beirut; one of Lebanon's most-visited natural sites.
Byblos Castle
crusader castle · 4.7 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate
A 12th-century Crusader castle built from Roman-era stone blocks, overlooking the ancient port; the entry ticket covers the whole archaeological site.
Byblos Wax Museum
wax museum · 3.8 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate
A small wax-figure museum depicting scenes from Lebanese history and folklore, near the old souk.
Byblos Souk
souk · 4.6 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate
A compact, restored stone-alley souk between the castle and the port, with jewellery, crafts and cafes.
Byblos Fossil Museum (Memory of Time)
natural history museum · 4.8 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate
A private museum of fossilised fish and marine life found in the limestone quarries around Byblos, some over 100 million years old.
Byblos Crusader Cathedral (St John the Baptist)
cathedral · 4.8 rating · about 0.3 h · check the fee at the gate
A 12th-century Crusader-built cathedral in the old town, still an active parish church, notable for its Romanesque arches.
Byblos Ancient Phoenician Port & Ruins
archaeological site · 4.8 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
The archaeological site around the working harbour, with Phoenician, Persian, Roman and Byzantine remains layered together — among the oldest continuously inhabited settlements on earth.
Byblos Fishing Port
harbour · 4.0 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate
A working harbour beneath the castle walls, ringed with seafood restaurants and fishing boats — the classic Byblos postcard view.
Obelisk Temple Ruins
temple ruins · 4.1 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate
Bronze-age temple ruins within the Byblos archaeological site, named for the cluster of stone obelisks found there.
Things to do
- Byblos Castle & Old Port Walking Tour Cultural · 2.5 h · from USD 30 per person
- Jeita Grotto Half-Day Excursion Nature · 4 h · from USD 45 per person
- Byblos Souk Shopping Walk Activity · 1 h
- Wax & Fossil Museums Combo Visit Cultural · 1.3 h · from USD 10 per person
- Byblos Seafood Harbour Dinner Walk Food · 2 h
Where to stay in Byblos
Hotels
- Byblos Sur Mer 5-star
- Monoberge Byblos Hotel 4-star
- Byblos Rest House 3-star
Where to eat
- Byblos Sur Mer Lebanese, Seafood · about USD 26 per person
- Feniqia Lebanese, Seafood · about USD 26 per person
- Bab El Mina Lebanese, Seafood · about USD 26 per person
- Chez Andrea Lebanese, Street Food · about USD 10 per person
Getting around
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.