Walking Old Tripoli
Two self-guided walks — the Mamluk old city of souks, khans and the citadel, and the El-Mina seafront — with honest timing, effort and etiquette.
Tripoli holds the largest collection of Mamluk-era architecture in Lebanon, almost all of it packed into a dense old city that is still a working market, not a museum. These are two self-guided walks — one through the old city's mosques, khans and souks, one along the El-Mina seafront — written to be done at your own pace, on foot, for free.
One more landmark, away from these walks
The Rachid Karami International Fairground, designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, is a UNESCO World Heritage site (listed in 2023, and at the same time placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger). It sits south of the centre, not on these walks. Public access to the grounds has been limited and comes and goes, so check locally before making a trip to see it.
Before you set out
- The old city is people's home and livelihood
- The souks and lanes are where Tripolitans live, pray and trade every day. Move at their pace, ask before photographing people or inside shops, and remember nothing here is staged for visitors.
- Mosques: dress modestly and mind prayer times
- To enter a mosque, dress modestly (covered shoulders and knees; women a headscarf), remove your shoes at the threshold, and keep your voice low. Around Friday midday prayer, and at the five daily prayer times, mosques fill with worshippers — wait outside and visit at a quieter hour.