Crafts
Furniture
The city of Tripoli is known for manufacturing wooden furniture. Workers in the market hand-carve wood with various designs and patterns, and their product is sold after.
Glass
The surroundings of Tripoli also produce several crafts. In the Beddaoui area, 4 km away from Tripoli, a glass workshop produces a particular glass that is slightly opaque and sprinkled with tiny air bubbles, thus reviving an ancient and forgotten technique. Today, there are very few craftsmen that still practice this art.
Pottery
The beginning of pottery manufacturing is lost in the haze of time. It is amazing to see the different shapes you can create with argile, such as plates, bowls and jars still used to preserve olives, vinegar or arak.
Potteries can be found in al-Mina seaside. The factory opens everyday from 8:00 AM to 17:00 PM except Sundays.
Crafted Copper and Brass
Al-Qalamoun, a village located 7 Km south of Tripoli, is famous for its crafted copper and brass industry. There you can visit the old Bahr Mosque (the Sea Mosque, 800 years old).
Soap
The traditional soap industry is one of the oldest in Tripoli. The main component of soap is olive oil that comes from olive orchards located on the hills surrounding the city. For years, many families had their own soap factories and produced handmade soap. These can be found in Khan El Saboun and Egyptians Khan.
Gastronomy
Samkeh Harra (Chili fish)
This dish consists of baked sea-bass topped with a special chili sauce.
Moghrabieh
Moghrabieh is a traditional Lebanese dish made of small dough balls cooked with lamb shanks or chicken and lots of shallot onions.
Grilled “kaak” with cheese
In the old souks of Tripoli, stop at one of the bakeries and ask for one of those toasted bread with cheese.
Meat pies with pomegranate sauce (Lahm b’ajeen)
These delicious savory pastries are perfect for a quick, filling snack.
Halawet el Jeben (Cheese dessert)
This dessert consists of a cheese roll stuffed with cream and topped with orange blossom flavored sugar syrup.
