Sidon
Lebanon · Asia
About Sidon
Sidon ( SY-dən), or Saida, is the third-largest city in Lebanon. It is located on the Mediterranean coast in the South Governorate, of which it is the capital. Tyre, to the south, and the Lebanese capital of Beirut, to the north, are each about 40 kilometres (25 miles) away. Sidon has a population of about 80,000 within the city limits, while its metropolitan area has more than a quarter-million inhabitants.
The Phoenician name Ṣīdūn (𐤑𐤃𐤍, ṣdn) probably meant "fishery" or "fishing town". It is mentioned in Papyrus Anastasi I as ḏjdwnꜣ. It appears in Biblical Hebrew as Ṣīḏōn (Hebrew: צִידוֹן) and in Syriac as Ṣidon (ܨܝܕܘܢ). This was Hellenised as Sidṓn (Ancient Greek: Σιδών), which was Latinised as Sidon and entered English in this form. The name appears in Classical Arabic as Ṣaydūn (صَيْدونْ) and in Modern Arabic as Ṣaydā (صَيْدَا).
As a Roman colony, it was notionally refounded and given the formal name Colonia Aurelia Pia Sidon to honour its imperial sponsor.
During the crusades, Sidon was known in Latin as Sagittus and in Old French as Saete, Sayette or Sagette.
In the Book of Genesis, Sidon was the first-born son...
Sidon travel guide
Getting there
Take a bus or a car for a 1-hour drive from Beirut. A minibus from Beirut's Cola station costs 2000 L.L. per person. The buses arrive in the centre of the city, nearby the Sea Castle and other sights.
Getting around
Getting around in Sidon as in all Lebanon is best by taking a taxi. Cabs provide two services: 1. A taxi ride with a fare charge of 5000 L.L. around 3.25 $ and 2. "Service" is the word you use to permit other passengers to board and then the charge is 2000 L.L. around 1.25 $
See
1 Sidon Sea Castle. 9am-6pm. Sidon's main attraction. Built by the crusaders and with great views of the city and the harbor. LL3000. 2 Eshmun Temple. The ruins of the temple of the Phoenician God of healing, about 4 km north of the city centre. 3 Fishing port. Pleasant place. Watch the fishermen repairing their nets. Buy fresh fish. Djebel. A 50-metre-high and 375-metre-long hill of rubbish on the sea shore, south of the city. Nothing nice, but impressive.
Buy
In the old souks, facing the Sea Castle, you can buy traditionally made soap. For traditional sweets, go for the locals' favorites: 1 Groupy Sweets (Seaside road), 2 Baba Sweets (Eastern Boulevard), 3 Anwar Sweets (Siti Nafissi street).
Eat
The following restaurants offer traditional Lebanese food: 1 Zawat, 2 Al Arabi, 3 Al Mamlouk. For quick and cheap snacks: 4 Baba snack and Abu Rami's Falafel. Local restaurants and chains: 5 El Padrino, 6 Crepaway and 7 Sushi Bento. International chains are also available, such as: McDonald's, 8 KFC and 9 Dunkin' Donuts.
Drink & nightlife
Due to its more conservative nature, alcoholic drinks are not offered in the city's restaurants, cafes or supermarkets. However, delicious chunky fruit cocktails, julabs, Amar El Dine, tamarind juice and other types of traditional fruit juices are offered in the city's "juice shops".
Sleep
1 convent. Nice place providing a calm courtyard. Dynamic and friendly tender. Clean enough. Breakfast not included. It is located in the souk: from the port, when you face the Khan, follow the street on its left, then turn right up the street. The convent is on the right side on the street. dbl:LL20.000.
Go next
Tyre — an important coastal city located more south.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.