Best Tourist Places to Visit in Derna, Libya, Tripoli, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Derna, Libya, Tripoli, Africa

Derna is a Libyan city, situated in the eastern part of the country, around 1300 km east of the national capital, Tripoli. It belongs to the Derna district in the Cyrenaica region. Derna is a city with diverse geographical features like beaches, desert and mountainous areas. Derna geographically coordinates with 32°46′ N latitude and 22°38′ E longitude. Derna is a popular tourist destination with numerous manmade and natural attractions like Byzantine Church, Ras Tin Beach, Derna Waterfall and Jewish Synagogue.

History of Derna:

Derna is called by different names in different languages, Darnis and Darne in Greek, Darnis and Derna in Roman and Derneh and Terneh in Arabic languages. In its long and grand history, Derna came under the rule of many European powers, including the French and the Greek.

Connectivity to Derna:

The closest major airport to Derna is Al Abraq International Airport in Bayda. The airport is located around 90 km west of Derna and operates flights from Tripoli, Tunis, Istanbul, Alexandria and Jeddah.

There is a direct road link from Derna to Bayda, which is served by regular buses and minibuses. Derna’s road connectivity also extends to the national capital, Tripoli.

The local transportation of Derna is catered by buses, taxis, rental vehicles like cars and taxis.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Derna:

Derna is a perfect example of genuine Islamic Architecture with many renowned historic mosques and squares. The city is also home to many prominent football clubs, including Al Afriqi and Al Shallal.

Derna is home to an old market, where handicraft products are colorful and cheap. Derna also houses many traditional and modernized restaurants.

Things to do in Derna:

Exploring beaches
City tours
Visiting churches

Tourist Attractions in Derna:

Mosques in Derna:

As a Muslim dominated city, Derna houses numerous historical and modern mosques that are spread up all around the city. Al-masjeed al-ateeq is the oldest mosque in Derna and another notable mosque in the city is Masjeed AZ-zawiyah.

Churches in Derna:

Like the rest of Libya, Derna also witnessed the rule of many European powers in the past. There are many churches in the city dating from that period that are still good condition and most important of them are Byzantine Church and Catholic Church.

Maydan Assahabah:

Maydan Assahabah is the most important square of three major squares in Derna. This square is mainly used for demonstrations and is also one of the most important landmarks as well as tourist attractions of Derna.

Ras Tin Beach:

Ras Tin Beach is one of the recommended places to visit in Derna. It is a spectacular beach on the Mediterranean coastline offering a wide range of water sport activities, including swimming. There are also many restaurants and cafes serving beach.

List of other places of interest in and around Derna include:

Sahhaba Graveyard
Old Medina
Souq al Kharraza
Dark Souq
Attiq Mosque
Souq al Farda and Khidra
Piazza Derna
Jewish Synagogue
Piazza Hamra
Ibrahim Istaa Omar
Derna Valley
Omar Faiek Shennib Street
Piazza Attair

Best time to visit Derna:

Generally during the months between December and May is best to enjoy the tour of Derna in Libya.

Hotels in and around Derna:

There are hotels limited in number in Derna, so below is provided hotels in Al Bayda (around 90 km) and Benghazi (around 280 km). Visitors are advised to hire a car to travel between these cities as buses are irregular.