South Governorate offers three distinct themes to explore: the archaeological World Heritage Site of Tyre, the Audi Foundation’s Soap Museum in Saida and the Jezzine Waterfall. To help plan your trip, start by deciding what interests you most: taking a closer look at ancient architectural remains, learning about traditional soapmaking or focusing on a waterfall as a landscape feature. These interests lead to different areas of focus rather than falling under a single type of attraction.
Tyre: two separate areas of the World Heritage Site
The World Heritage Site of Tyre consists of two geographically separate areas. One is on the peninsula of the present-day city, and the other is the El Bass necropolis on the mainland. A necropolis is a burial ground; El Bass is therefore a distinct part of the site, separate from the city site. The city site’s archaeological remains include Roman baths, two palaestras, an arena, a Roman colonnaded street and a residential quarter. The description thus covers different types of structures, from baths and palaestras to a street and residential quarter.
The city area also includes the remains of a cathedral built by the Venetians in 1127 and sections of the walls of an old Crusader castle. These architectural remains extend the historical perspective beyond the Roman buildings. The second part of the World Heritage Site, Tyre El Bass, includes the remains of a necropolis and a broad monumental street, above which rises a Roman triumphal arch dating from the 2nd century AD. By comparison, the city site features several types of building remains, while El Bass is characterised by its necropolis, monumental street and triumphal arch.
Saida: soapmaking in a museum
Saida offers a different focus. In the Audi Foundation’s Soap Museum, visitors can learn about traditional soapmaking with old tools in a vaulted room. Exhibits on bathhouses are also on display. This brings together two specific perspectives: the craft process and its tools, and bathhouses as a distinct exhibition topic. If you are interested in traditional crafts as well as archaeological remains, you can include the museum as a focus in its own right. The emphasis is on a craft and the bathhouse exhibits in the museum, rather than another complex of ruins.
Jezzine: a waterfall as a landscape highlight
The Jezzine Waterfall is 904 metres above sea level. It is considered the fifth-highest waterfall in the world and the highest in the Middle East. The elevation indicates its location, while the ranking compares it with other waterfalls. Jezzine thus adds a landscape highlight to the archaeological and museum themes. The three themes offer different starting points for choosing what to explore: historic architectural remains, traditional crafts and a natural feature.
Search for hotels based on your interests
If you are looking for hotels in South Governorate, first decide whether archaeological remains, soapmaking or the waterfall should shape your stay. If several themes appeal to you, consider which one you plan to spend the most time on during your stay. Then compare accommodation options based on your own plans and the places you want to focus on.
Discover more destinations: Saida, Tyre, Saida, Mount Lebanon, South Governorate, North Lebanon, Mount Lebanon, Nabatieh.
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