There are a few sites where if you want to visit, timing is important. Tyre is one of these sites because its so close to the Lebanese Israel border and comes into play during any conflict. Its no secret that Hezbollah (Party of God) controls this part of Southern Lebanon and often the region is close to travel. After the last conflict with Israel in 2006, Southern Lebanon was closed to tourists for a few years due to dangers from unexploded ordinance and the roads being bombed out.

Nonetheless, the situation has calmed down and there is a window of opportunity and I made it there last month in April 2010. The drive down the coast is so pretty and idyllic but you know immediately when you are close to Tyre because the roads would be lined with the Hezbollah yellow flags and there are banners of Iranian mullahs everywhere. Also you see many UN troops in their blue helmets guarding intersections.

Beyond those signs, everything else seems perfectly normal. In fact when we had lunch in a seaside inn, the owner encouraged us to return in the evening because he transforms the dining area into a bar with rock music etc. Not as conservative as you would expect.

Tyre was founded by the Phoenicians and they prospered as sea faring traders. The commerce that made Tyre famous was that they could harvest a certain seashell called Murex that produced a purple dye used by royalty across the Mediterranean. Unfortunately it takes 10,000 shells to produce 1 gram of dye and the Romans and to pay for it with 3X its weight in gold. Not surprisingly, the shells were over harvested and the industry went away.

Aside from the Hippodrome, there is a wonderful necropolis that should not be missed. Its a little morbid but the necropolis is in great shape and there are so many forms of burial that you can see. There are many stone sarcophagi with carvings, columbaria with multiple chambers etc.

Hopefully peace and prosperity continues in Lebanon and tourism flourishes, but in this part of the world its always volatile. So go when you can.