Byblos Old Souk and Artisan Quarter
Wander the charming old souk of Byblos where narrow stone lanes are lined with antique dealers, artisan workshops, and the fossil fish shops that have made Byblos famous among collectors worldwide.
- 1
Souk Entry Lane
Enter the old souk through the narrow lane from the harbor where the first antique dealers display their goods, the eclectic mix of Phoenician pottery fragments, Ottoman coins, and Lebanese crafts characteristic of this ancient trading town.
- 2
Fossil Fish Shops
Browse the fossil fish shops where specimens from the extraordinary Cretaceous limestone deposits of the Lebanese mountains are displayed and sold, Byblos being famous for the quality and diversity of its fossil fish discoveries.
- 3
Antique Dealers
Explore the antique shops where dealers in Lebanese traditional objects, old maps, coins, jewelry, and archaeological-looking pieces crowd the shelves of stone-vaulted storerooms in medieval buildings.
- 4
Artisan Workshops
Visit the artisan workshops where jewelry makers, potters, and textile artists create traditional and contemporary work in the small studios opening onto the souk lanes, Byblos craft market attracting buyers from Beirut and internationally.
- 5
Traditional Restaurant
Eat at one of the old souk restaurants where traditional Lebanese mezze is served in stone-vaulted rooms or courtyard gardens, the setting in 500-year-old buildings adding to the pleasure of the grilled fish and fresh vegetables.
- 6
Harbor View Cafe
Sit at a harbor-view cafe at the edge of the old souk where the ancient port is visible while you drink Arabic coffee, the view unchanged in its essential geography for thousands of years of continuous human habitation.