On Location Oct 06 – Egypt and Libya

Leptis Magna, Sabratha, and Cyrene are some of the most evocative and tantalising names in the history of antiquity. Combine them with Siwa and Alexandria in Egypt and you have the makings of a fascinating journey. I flew with my eldest son (a classicist and therefore translator of all inscriptions Greek and Latin) to Libya at the end of August in order to explore this portion of the north African coast.

We spent the first 2 days in Tripoli, the ancient site of Oea, the third of the three Tripolitanian cities staying at the very comfortable Corinthia Bab Hotel. From there we explored Sabratha and Leptis Magna with Yousef, the most charming, knowledgeable and amusing guide I have experienced for a long time. Both these sites are spectacular and perhaps even more so as only a fraction of what lies there has been uncovered. Established around 300 BC, enriched by Rome, destroyed by an earthquake in 365AD, recycled by the Byzantines, ignored by the Arabs, covered by sand and eventually excavated in the 30s by the Italians - little has been done since.

Following the coast we drove to Benghazi with nights in Zliten and Ajdabiya on the way. From Benghazi we explored Tulmaytha, a Ptolemaic port with the largest Roman cistern in North Africa and then to Susa to explore the Greek ruins of Apollonia and Cyrene, the latter arguably being the most beautiful site in Libya.

A further night in Tobruk, which has nothing to recommend it, and another 2 hour drive took us to the border. Chaos rained, customs officials trying to check minibuses piled high with luggage, bicycles, children and carpets.

We drove east for an hour or so and then turned south driving 200 miles across flat desert, a 360 horizon punctuated by the odd herd of camels. After 5 hours the landscape suddenly changed to dry river beds and eroded hills. Quite abruptly the road dropped through the desert floor and lying in front of us was the fabled oasis of Siwa with its lakes, date palms and olive groves. Famous for its oracle which was consulted by Alexander the Great in 331BC (the temple is still there), and for the Persian army which vanished in the desert when they set out to destroy it, the oasis sits right on the edge of the Sahara.

We stayed in the Adrere Amellal Hotel on the shores of the lake. Built entirely of local materials, without electricity and only serving food that is grown locally, it is a remarkable example of sustainable tourism. The conservative and traditional Berber town is a joy and a wonderful place to people watch.

Another 8 hour drive via the battlefield and museum of El Alamein and we arrived in Alexandria. Stayed in the Cecil which was, in its time, one of the grand hotels of the city.

12 days of people, sites and sand - we returned home enriched.