Located on the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, Libya is the state unspoiled by tourists. Perhaps, most of them prefer to travel to more accessible and developed countries. But if you are not afraid of difficulties and value the joy of new discoveries more than the high level of comfort and service, then rest in Libya could become one of the most brilliant pages of your travel career.

The capital, Tripoli, was founded by the Phoenicians under the name of Oea in the 7th century B.C. Today, this is a surprisingly beautiful city, often regarded as the 'Bride of the Mediterranean'. The old city still retains the form, typical of many cities in the Arab East. Most of the houses are low, with one or two floors and flat roofs. The sky is pierced with minarets of numerous mosques. There are a lot of colorful and bustling bazaars. A lot of ancient buildings are preserved in Tripoli and in other places. They were built by the Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans. Special attention of the tourists is always drawn to the Mosque of Ahmad Pasha Karamanli, one of the most attractive buildings in the city. Located at the entrance to the central market, it was built in 1711 by the founder of the dynasty Ahmad Pasha of Tripoli. The roof of the mosque is decorated with 25 domes. A separate room is designed for the tombs of Ahmed Pasha and his family, and above it there rises the octagonal minaret in typically Turkish style.

Gurgen Mosque, built by Yusuf Gurgen, is of interest to many tourists due to its elegant architecture, nine columns supporting the roof, and sixteen small domes. The minaret of the mosque is of octagonal shape. It is the tallest of all Tripoli minarets and has two balconies. The Mosque of Al-Jami, built by the Ottoman ruler of the country in 1640, is one of the acknowledged masterpieces of Oriental architecture. It is also called 'the Great Mosque of Tripoli'.

Leptis Magna is a perfectly preserved Roman city, located to the east of the city of Homs. It is possible that in ancient times it was a port of the Phoenicians on their trade route. The attractions of this city include the Arc de Triomphe Septima Sevres, the forum, the basilica with its original silhouette and numerous sculptures, and the semi-circular Nymphaeum. The impressive amphitheater, reaching 70-meter in diameter, overlooks the city in all directions. Its stage and the entrance openings remained virtually unchanged. The so-called circle of Rome, located on the east side of the city, is built in the shape of a horseshoe and closely follows the coastline.

Exquisitely decorated Hellenic Palace is the main attraction of the ancient city of Ptolemy. The building belongs to the 1st century B.C. This two-storey house with spacious rooms, mosaic floors and marble walls apparently belonged to a noble citizen. Street of Monuments, running across the northern part of this city, was the main artery of the settlement, and therefore its entire length is decorated with fountains, porticos, engravings and sculptures.

The city of Apollonia (Sousa) for a long time had been famous for its old city walls, but now it is in poor condition and is being destroyed. Within the city walls, there is a theater, the main street and the ruins of the Byzantine palace. Numerous churches are scattered around, including the Church of Double Walls, the Eastern Church and many others. In the old town center, there is a small museum, which exhibits some of the Byzantine mosaics and sculptures.

In the ancient city of Siren, there is an interesting temple of Apollo, one of the oldest buildings in the city. The building is interesting for its exquisite decorations, marble walls and floors, mosaics and the wonderful vaulted roof. Capitol Building, erected in the late Hellenistic period, was converted by the Romans to the church, with four graceful Doric columns at the entrance and many Greek inscriptions. On the same street, there is an elegant house of Jason Magnus, one of the priests of the temple of Apollo.

See the list of travel agencies in Libya to get professional assistance in preparing your tour. Libyan tour operators can come up with such offers as safe and comfortable hotels or local transportation.