May 15, 2019 Saida South Lebanon Lebanon Middle East

Walking in Saida: The City of a Million Stories. (Enjoy Hundreds of Photos)

Set amid thick citrus and banana groves, the port town of Saida, also called Sidon, was once a rich and flourishing Phoenician city, with tight trade links to ancient Egypt and a globally renowned glass-making industry. Later the capital of the Persian satrapy, these days it's best known for its fresh fruit and its sweets (the local speciality is a crumbly cookie called senioura).

Traces of Saida’s rich history can still be found all over town, with many ancient remnants in the Old City. The history is very much part of everyday life, and while this means that options for accommodation and eating out are fairly limited, it also offers a stronger sense of DIY exploration than some of Lebanon’s busier destinations.

The local Sunni population is conservative, so dress and behave accordingly.