Undoubtedly, Libya is, first of all, historical tourism. Despite the large coastal strip, beach holidays and diving are completely unorganized here. Among outdoor activities, the most popular is a jeep safari through the majestic Sahara Desert. According to Itypeusa, the cultural heart of Libya is its capital city of Tripoli. Translated from the local dialect, it is called the “Bride of the Mediterranean”, this is the most beautiful city in the region, in the old areas of which ancient buildings have been preserved, created by the hands of the Romans, Phoenicians and Carthaginians. The central objects of Tripoli are the Ahmad Pasha Karamanli Mosque, built in the 18th century and having 25 domes, as well as the Al-Jami Mosque with incredible frescoes. Both of them are recognized as real masterpieces of Arab art and architecture. From a historical point of view, such Libyan cities are also interesting, like Leptis Magna of the Roman period with a Hellenic palace, Tolomei (Ptolemy) of the 1st century BC, Siren with a temple dedicated to Apollo, as well as Sabratha, Sirte and Gdames. Of the natural attractions, in addition to the well-known Sahara desert, one cannot fail to note the volcanic field of Wau an Namus, which includes a conical volcano and a caldera with three salt lakes of incredible shades.
National cuisine of Libya
Gourmets around the world say that the national cuisine of Libya is the best among the North African countries. The basis of most of the first and second courses here are lamb, poultry and vegetables (potatoes, eggplant, pumpkin). Pork is completely absent, as in most cuisines of Muslim countries. Among the most popular and famous dishes of Libya, one cannot fail to note couscous: wheat porridge with spices, meat or poultry. Ruuz is also popular here – rice with meat, bureki – pies with a variety of savory fillings, as well as baklava, shish-kebab and samsa. A solemn dish served at weddings and other important events is “meshui” – a roasted whole lamb or goat. Libyan cuisine is characterized by a combination of tastes unusual for a European, whether it be sweet chicken meat in caramel or salted orange jam. In addition, the Libyans do not spare spices, they especially love harissa, which looks like undersalted adjika. The sweets of Libya are the topic of more than one article, because like no other Arab country, Libya is rich in an abundance of desserts. Delicious Libyan tea is drunk here with halva, honey gingerbread, marmalade, various pastries, meselmen cookies, shebakkiya (similar to brushwood), date jam and many others. Alcohol in Libya, as in a strict Muslim country, is not consumed, except for tea, the favorite drink of Libyans is kefir. Most often it is drunk with dates. Eating out in restaurants in Libya is not common and is quite expensive. marmalade, a variety of pastries, meselmen biscuits, shebacchia (similar to brushwood), date jam and much more. Alcohol in Libya, as in a strict Muslim country, is not consumed, except for tea, the favorite drink of Libyans is kefir. Most often it is drunk with dates. Eating out in restaurants in Libya is not common and is quite expensive. marmalade, a variety of pastries, meselmen biscuits, shebacchia (similar to brushwood), date jam and much more. Alcohol in Libya, as in a strict Muslim country, is not consumed, except for tea, the favorite drink of Libyans is kefir. Most often it is drunk with dates. Eating out in restaurants in Libya is not common and is quite expensive.
Transport
Cars and buses are the main way to travel in Libya, paved roads make up 47.6 thousand kilometers here. Most of the settlements are interconnected by bus service, and you can meet both comfortable air-conditioned buses and old ruins on wheels. The railway in Libya is under construction. The country also has three international airports in the cities of Tripoli, Benghazi and Sirte. Domestic flights are operated by Lybian Arab airlines and Al-Buraq Air between the cities of Benghazi, Ghat, Al-Jawf, Khun, Al-Kufra, Sebha and Ghadames.
Visa to Libya
Citizens of the Russian Federation are required to obtain a visa to visit Libya. A tourist visa can be issued at the Libyan Embassy in Russia or obtained when crossing the border if you are a private member of a tourist group. To apply for a visa, in addition to the standard requirements, you will need to make a certified translation of your foreign passport, which should be located on any of its free pages. To obtain a visa, it is also necessary to have medical insurance. A tourist visa worth about 3,500 rubles makes it possible to stay in Libya for up to 30 calendar days, it is issued from 1 to 7 days. Attention! Holders of an Israeli passport, as well as those who have a stamp in their passport about visiting Israel, are prohibited from entering Libya. In addition, Russian-Libyan relations are tense, it is recommended to clarify the current situation before the trip.
