Hotels in Soûr

Soûr: Phoenician Foundations on the Lebanese Coast

Soûr — known internationally as Tyre — sits on a peninsula jutting into the Mediterranean, roughly 83 km south of Beirut. Founded by the Phoenicians around 2750 BCE, it became one of the ancient world's great maritime powers, exporting purple dye and founding Carthage. The UNESCO World Heritage Site status, granted in 1984, covers Roman hippodromes, triumphal arches, and a colonnaded street that ranks among the best-preserved in the Middle East.

Where to Stay

Hotels cluster along the corniche and near the Al-Bass Archaeological Site, giving guests walking access to the hippodrome at dawn before tour groups arrive. The old fishing harbour neighbourhood offers guesthouses a few minutes from the Tyre Coast Nature Reserve, a nesting ground for loggerhead and green turtles between May and September.

Practical Tips

• Getting there: Shared taxis (service) from Beirut's Cola transport hub reach Soûr in roughly 90 minutes.
• Currency: Lebanese pound; US dollars widely accepted at hotels.
• Best season: April–June and September–October for mild temperatures and open archaeological sites.
• Entry to sites: The two main archaeological zones charge a combined ticket; carry cash as card terminals are unreliable.