Batroun is a city 30 minutes from Tripoli, North Lebanon.

Understand

Batroun is one of the oldest cities in the world. The city is first mentioned in the Amarna tablets, a set of tablets consisting of correspondence between the Egyptian administration and its representatives in Canaan and Amurru, during the 14th century BC The city was ruled by first the Phoenicians and then the Romans. Batroun was controlled by the Crusaders between 1104 AD and 1289 AD.

Get in

You can take any bus that travels along the coastal highway. You alight the bus at Batroun bus stop, and walk to the tourist attraction.

Get around

Walking is the obvious option within Batroun itself, most streets are very narrow and the distances are not too great.

See

The harbour in Batroun, with fishing boats and St Stephen's Cathedral in the background.

• 1 Saint Stephen's Cathedral (كاتدرائية مار إسطفان). (updated Oct 2021)
• 2 Saint Georges Church. Orthodox church. (updated Oct 2021)
• 3 Phoenician Seawall. (updated Oct 2018)
• 4 Our Lady of the Sea Church. (updated Oct 2018)
• The Prince's Seat Rock (Maqaad el Meer). (updated Oct 2018)
• 5 Mseilha Fort (قلعة المسيلحة) (In village of Hamat, 3 km northeast of the city). Fort built by Emir Fakhreddine II in the 17th century to guard the route from Tripoli to Beirut. (updated Oct 2021)

Sleep

• 1 Fouha Hotel, ☏ +961 3 333860. Small boutique hotel in the heart of the old town. (updated Dec 2023)