Next to Egypt, Tunisia and Argelia, this country stays in the shadow of his neighbours tourism, but it still has amazing sights to explore, like the old town of Ghadames, right in the triangle border with Tunisia and Argelia.
Ghadamès, known as 'the pearl of the desert', stands in an oasis. It has aound 7 mil habitants (berberes and tuarengues), and the old part of the city is Unesco's world heritage. Today, the habitants live in their new homes nearby but in summer they return to the town because the traditional architecture is better to stand the huge heat.
It is Lybia's Sahara capital, and
one of the oldest pre-Saharan cities and an outstanding example of a
traditional settlement. Its domestic architecture is characterized by a
vertical division of functions: the ground floor used to store supplies;
then another floor for the family, overhanging covered alleys that
create what is almost an underground network of passageways; and, at the
top, open-air terraces reserved for the women.
How to visit:
If you're on your own - Ghadames is 611km south of the capital Tripoli. There are buses coming
from Nalut, which is connected to Tripoli. The bus however may refuse
you as a foreigner due to security concerns. I highly recommend not
using the bus for this same reasons, you have a hight chance to be kidnaped, but you decide what's best for you. The best and safest way to Ghadames is to fly. Libyan Air
offers several flights a week which take just over an hour and $150.
Ghadames Old City consists of around 1600 buildings, which include 1250 houses, 21 mosques and 17 religious colleges. You can see Bab al-Burr (the main gate), Ghadames Old City Heritage Homes (There are roughly ten heritage homes open to foreigners and they have been kept in the exact original state), the Omran and Yunnis Mosque, the Tayibiyeh Sufi School, and gardens and public wells (here kids come for a swim
in the palm tree reservoirs and colourfully dressed women carry water
atop their heads).
If you're more of a tour person:
Happy journeys in Lybia!
