Tripoli

Visas will be required, which may be obtained via embassies or consulates. Roughly US$50–150, you need secure the visa ahead to arrival and be prepared to get your hands on a lot of information; it’s better to call first for the most up-to-date criteria, since they change on a regular basis. Visitors on business or with the necessary ‘connections’ may be able to get a visa on arrival. The fee is 100 Dinar, however the procedure might be lengthy. This amount must be paid in Libyan Dinar. If you do not have Dinar, you must travel to the area following baggage reclaim to exchange money (minus your passport). The security guards will let you back in, but make sure they watch you depart.

Leaving Libya necessitates the proper stamps in your passport. Your hotel is obligated to give your passport to the authorities, who will stamp your visa. Make sure you clarify this with the hotel before checking out, otherwise you may face a fine or worse while passing through immigration.

Make advantage of the business class lounge at Tripoli Airport (LYD 30 if you are not a first/business traveller), where the restroom facilities are clean, but the regular lounge’s are not.

The nation’s largest airport, Tripoli International Airport, is located in the town of Ben Ghashir, 34 kilometers (21 miles) south of Tripoli’s city center. It served as a hub for Libyan Airlines, Afriqiyah Airways, and Buraq Air before closing during the Libyan civil war in 2011. It was previously operated by Libya’s Civil Aviation and Meteorology Bureau, but it is now managed on an ad hoc basis.

Many well-known international carriers, including British Airways, Lufthansa, KLM, Emirates, and Alitalia, were flying to the Libyan capital prior to the outbreak of armed conflict and the closure of the airport in mid-2011.

When NATO imposed a No Fly Zone (NFZ) over Libyan airspace in 2011, scheduled civil aviation flights were halted. International and domestic planes had previously left from the airport’s main international passenger terminal. The terminal’s original capacity was 3 million passengers per year. Within the following several years, two more terminals will be developed, raising the airport’s total capacity to 20 million passenger movements. The first new terminal was supposed to open in March 2011, however the airport is now undergoing substantial renovations. A NATO air attack in late August 2011 severely destroyed the radar system. Several commercial planes were destroyed, and the airport infrastructure was damaged, as a result of the fighting at the airport.

The airport now has a single main terminal building that serves as both the international and domestic terminals. The present dual-use terminal is a five-story structure with a 33,0002m2 footprint. The check-in area is located on the ground level. The first level has the departure and duty-free stores. A lounge and prayer room, as well as a restaurant on the fourth level, were originally featured in the terminal.

On October 11, 2011, the Tripoli International Airport was reopened to civil aircraft operations for the first time.

Several airlines currently provide flights to international destinations from Tripoli International Airport. Flights to Benghazi are provided by Libyan Airlines and Afriqiyah Airways.

Mitiga International Airport is roughly 8 kilometers (5 miles) east of Tripoli’s downtown area. It was founded in 1995 and is a public airport. When NATO imposed a No Fly Zone (NFZ) over Libyan airspace in 2011, scheduled civil aircraft flights to Benghazi and Misrata, as well as international service to Istanbul, Turkey (Aleppo), and Syria, were halted. At the time of the airport’s cessation of civil operations, it was home to Buraq Air’s headquarters. Prior to June 1970, Mitiga International Airport was known as Wheelus Air Base and was utilized by the United States Air Force (USAF). The facility was renamed Okba Ben Nafi Air Base, a Libyan People’s Air Force (LPAF) installation, after that. During the civil conflict in Libya in 2011, it was damaged by NATO airstrikes and combat between ground forces, most of it as a result of an assault on August 21, 2011, by forces hostile to the Libyan government.

Turkish Airlines resumed limited service from Mitiga International Airport to Istanbul-(Ataturk) in late 2011 before returning to Tripoli International Airport. On January 8, 2012, they would build a cargo facility at Mitiga.

Libya currently lacks a railway network, however the nation plans to establish one between the east and west coasts. This project is still in the planning phases, but a Chinese contractor has already been hired.

Tourists used to go to Tripoli by road from Tunisia, which is closer than the other border from Egypt; the trip took around three hours from the Tunisian border. This trek should only be undertaken during daytime hours, since it is very perilous at night, when a large number of sheep, camels, cows, and, of course, shepherds prowl the roadways and are difficult to notice. Because there have been reports of bandits operating along this road, it is essential to inform others of your trip intentions.

From the island of Malta. This was the favored route of entry into Tripoli prior to the lifting of sanctions in 1999 and 2003. The only other option was to travel to Tunisia and then drive to Tripoli.

[GTT Feries] operates a new ferry line that runs three times a week between Sfax, Tunisia, and Tripoli, Libya. The one-way journey costs about $30 and takes 10 hours at sea.

Walking is the greatest method to explore Tripoli; there are many of wonderful guides (books) out there to assist you, as well as some half-useful Libyan versions. The folks are welcoming and curious. However, if you’re a westerner or stand out like a sore thumb in comparison to a native, be cautious. Don’t go out late at night by yourself. Taxis are also convenient, although they might be costly for westerners.

MARKET / SUPERMARKET

RESTAURANTS

ENTERTAINMENT

CLOTHES / SHOES

Alhamra Museum of Assaraya (Red Castle Museum). Libya’s national museum, which spans 5,000 years of history. Located on the fringes of the medina, in a large palace complex with multiple courtyards that dominates the city skyline. Several Ottoman-era classical sculptures and fountains can be seen around the castle.

A growing number of palaces (particularly during the Karamanli era) are being renovated and made public. The medina’s fundamental street design was established during the Roman era, when the walls were built to defend the city from invasions from the interior of Tripolitania, and is considered well-planned, maybe even better than current street patterns. A sea-facing wall was erected to the city in the eighth century.

Bab Zanata in the west, Bab Hawara in the southeast, and Bab Al-Bahr in the north wall offered access to the ancient town.

The city walls remain intact and may be scaled for excellent views of the city. Fine jewelry and clothing may be bought in the local marketplaces, and the bazaar is especially noted for its traditional crafts. Libya’s national museum is housed in a beautiful contemporary structure in the Red Castle. Many artifacts from the country’s Roman and Greek eras are on display, including gems from the World Heritage sites of Leptis Magna and Sabratha, as well as politically charged exhibits like Gadaffi’s Volkswagen Beetle automobile from the 1960s.

Martyrs’ Square is located in the heart of the city. Green Square was the previous name for this area. This is a well-liked meeting spot. The historic city walls may be seen from here. Some of the retail streets begin here as well. The plaza is often utilized for rallies (mostly against the Syrian administration) and as a display area for motorcyclists. There is little to see in the plaza itself.

Prior to the 2011 hostilities, the city had a reputation for being an excellent spot to get away from the stresses of contemporary life. It may be prudent to wait until things have restored to some kind of normalcy before stepping out, although there are beautiful beaches within driving distance, as well as the Old City and the Museum, which may be explored for hours. The nightclub on the 3rd level of the downtown tower complex’s third story could be worth a try for the daring. It only opens at 11 p.m., just like any other real nightclub. A non-alcoholic drink will cost you back a small price, and there is a fee to sit at a table, much as in Italy and Paris.

There are a few gyms strewn throughout Tripoli; one downtown, near Omar Mukhtar Street, with a good selection of free weights and aerobics courses. In addition, the Sultan Gym on Gorgi Road features a large free weights area as well as a women-only area.

All of the city’s 5-star hotels include gyms, with monthly memberships ranging from LYD 200 to 300.

Tripoli’s cuisine is of high quality and, by Western standards, reasonably priced. The food is largely Arabic, so don’t anticipate a lot of variation. The odds of acquiring food sickness are small, but watch out for the fish. If you do feel compelled to taste the sea’s bounty, just look at how clean the port and beaches are.

The Corinthea hotel has an Oriental restaurant, while Gargash has another. Brush up on your Arabic; most wait staff do not speak English, so finding one to serve you at your table might be difficult.

In Tripoli, there are various cafés and bistros, most of which are situated along the Gergaresh strip, which runs all the way to Seyaheya. 02, W Cafe, Veranda, Caracalla, Cacao, Halaweyat Sharkiya, and Caffe Casa are just a handful of the most popular locations.

The majority of these cafés are also restaurants, with a mix of western and Middle Eastern foods. All are well-liked by Tripoli’s foreign residents.

Marks and Spencer, Mango, and H&M are among the well-known stores in Tripoli. In compared to the United Kingdom, prices are comparable.

Clothes The greatest clothes stores are located around Martyrs Square and stretch up to the old cathedral. Shoes and the normal knitwear, which looks to be of decent quality, are among the bargains to be found here. There are also several great stores in the Gargarish and Benashour areas.

Furniture Gargarish Road, which runs near Hay Andulas, is a great place to go if you need any furniture, office supplies, or printing materials.

Electronics In addition to the computer stores in Aldahrah, the greatest electronics businesses are located on Gargarish Road. For computer equipment, proceed to the Fatah Tower in the downtown commercial zone, where there are a few of shops.