Sidon

Sidon (Arabic: Saida صَيْدا) is a city in Lebanon. The people (population: 100,000) are largely Sunni Muslims. The main attraction of Sidon is its Sea Castle, built by the Crusaders in the 13th century.

The Sea Castle, on the harbor

Get in

Take a bus or a car for a 1-hour drive from Beirut. A minibus from Beirut's Cola station costs 2000 L.L. per person. The buses arrive in the centre of the city, nearby the Sea Castle and other sights.

Get around

Getting around in Sidon as in all Lebanon is best by taking a taxi. Cabs provide two services: 1. A taxi ride with a fare charge of 5000 L.L. around 3.25 $ and 2. "Service" is the word you use to permit other passengers to board and then the charge is 2000 L.L. around 1.25 $

See

• 1 Sidon Sea Castle. 9am-6pm. Sidon's main attraction. Built by the crusaders and with great views of the city and the harbor. LL3000.  
• 2 Eshmun Temple. The ruins of the temple of the Phoenician God of healing, about 4 km north of the city centre.  
• 3 Fishing port. Pleasant place. Watch the fishermen repairing their nets. Buy fresh fish. 
• Djebel. A 50-metre-high and 375-metre-long hill of rubbish on the sea shore, south of the city. Nothing nice, but impressive. 

Buy

In the old souks, facing the Sea Castle, you can buy traditionally made soap.

For traditional sweets, go for the locals' favorites: 1 Groupy Sweets (Seaside road), 2 Baba Sweets (Eastern Boulevard), 3 Anwar Sweets (Siti Nafissi street).

Eat

The following restaurants offer traditional Lebanese food: 1 Zawat, 2 Al Arabi, 3 Al Mamlouk.

For quick and cheap snacks: 4 Baba snack and Abu Rami's Falafel.

Local restaurants and chains: 5 El Padrino, 6 Crepaway and 7 Sushi Bento.

International chains are also available, such as: McDonald's, 8 KFC and 9 Dunkin' Donuts.

Drink

Due to its more conservative nature, alcoholic drinks are not offered in the city's restaurants, cafes or supermarkets. However, delicious chunky fruit cocktails, julabs, Amar El Dine, tamarind juice and other types of traditional fruit juices are offered in the city's "juice shops".

Sleep

• 1 convent. Nice place providing a calm courtyard. Dynamic and friendly tender. Clean enough. Breakfast not included. It is located in the souk: from the port, when you face the Khan, follow the street on its left, then turn right up the street. The convent is on the right side on the street. dbl:LL20.000. 

Stay safe

It has sometimes been unsafe to visit the Ein el-Helweh Refugee Camp due to armed conflict, so check current conditions if you want to go there. The rest of the city is normally safe.

Go next

• Tyre — an important coastal city located more south.