The first thing I noticed on arrival in Libya was that everything was green. Well everything that is except for the landscape. Green flags, green signs, Green Squares but then of course Muammar Qadhafi, the so called pariah of North Africa, came to power through the Green Revolution of 1969. But the rhetoric of 30 years ago has moderated and I quickly found a country of world class heritage sites, beautiful and varied landscapes, an easy pace of life and wonderfully gentle people unaffected by the impact of tourism which sets it apart from its neighbours.
My all too short trip started in Tripoli from where we explored the ancient ruins of Oea, Sabratha and Leptis Magna the three ancient cities of Tripolitania. While each of them is fascinating, arguably the most famous and "a must see" is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Leptis, one of the most extensive and best preserved Roman sites in the world. The view from the entrance at the Severan Arch, across the city towards the sea is quite remarkable and better still I had the place to myself because, despite the interest in Libya, few people have actually been there.
Leaving the coastal city of Tripoli, I then ventured southwest up into the Jabal Nafusa Mountains. Driven on excellent roads and in good modern vehicles, the journey was really comfortable. In the heart of the mountains I came across ancient tribal settlements, a series of villages and towns made up of mud huts and caves in the ground. Qasr al Haj contains a huge old granary in which the villagers used to store their food to keep it safe during times of drought and shortage. I spent the night high up on a plateau at Ruyhaybat in a small guest house, converted from these original troglodyte caves. Run by Hussein and his wife, I shared their home and ate some of the most delicious home cooked Libyan cuisine available.
Returning to Tripoli I caught a short, 1 hour flight to Benghazi, the capital of Eastern Libya in the province of Cyrenacia. From here it was a 3 to 4 hour drive to the ancient Greek sites of Appolonia and Cyrene with some interesting stops en-route. During the journey we drove through the Green Mountains (named this time for their colour!) and caught glimpses of the most lovely coastal scenery below. I thought Cyrene was absolutely magical and if I had the opportunity I would return here time and time again. Sitting high up on a hill, overlooking the coast, the position is quite amazing and parts are so well preserved you can truly project back in time and imagine the incredibly opulent lifestyle in which the people lived.
A visit to Libya is not without its limitations with the prohibition of the sale and consumption of alcohol and the slow development of tourism which has resulted in low grade hotels. However I really got a sense that Libya is on the up and up. An exciting new project pioneered by our partners in Tripoli is El Khan, a gorgeous, boutique riad style hotel opening in October this year. Located right in the heart of the old town this very comfortable, traditional hotel will be an excellent base from which to explore Tripoli and the surrounding sites while in the evenings you can spend time enjoying excellent, traditional Libyan cuisine and relaxing on their roof terrace or by the pool.
There is most definitely a real buzz in Libya, behind the scenes lots of new and interesting projects are on the go which can only indicate the very beginnings of a thriving tourism industry. Whether you are a lover of classical ruins or are merely curious of a country that has been in relative isolation for many years, Libya is now most definitely open and ready for business.
