Lost Cities of the Roman Empire

From Tripoli to the Desert Oasis
In Tripoli we visit the excellent museum housed in the great fortress that was once the HQ for Arabs, Ottomans and Italians. Turning south we head into the arid Nafusa Mountains winding up the escarpment to a simple guesthouse. Pausing at old Berber granaries, we then head through the desert to reach Ghadames, a classic oasis town, where the mud alleys of the old town are shaded by giant palms. On our way back to Tripoli we spend a night at the berber town of Yefren and also explore the impressive complex of Sabratha.

Uncovering the Greek Cities
A short flight takes us to oil rich Benghazi. From here we head to the 'Green Mountains' and the coast. From our base at Susa we'll take our time to visit Ptolemais and the mosaics of Qasr Libya and to wander among the fantastic temples of the Greek city at Cyrene and her port of Apollonia that once traded in gold and wild animals. Brilliantly preserved by the climate, the ruins are still quite overgrown making this an exciting place to uncover the past. A visit to the WWII cemeteries at Tobruk provides us with a stark reminder of Libya's more recent history.

Entering Leptis Magna
Returning by flight to Tripoli, we visit Libya's most impressive ruins, Leptis Magna. We have plenty of time to soak up the atmosphere and explore this amazing ruined city founded 3,000 years ago by the Phoenicians and conquered and embellished by the Romans. The pink marble of the baths and temples, the fine theatres and sculptured friezes are hauntingly beautiful.