A Saharan destination par excellence, since the fall of the charismatic and controversial Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has hit the headlines for its political instability and for the traffickers who ply its ancient caravan routes. Yet this fascinating ‘sea of sand’ holds within it priceless treasures from the various civilisations that have succeeded one another over time, from prehistoric to modern times. The current improved security conditions allow us to embark on this trip to Tripolitania, visiting three of its UNESCO World Heritage sites: Ghadames, Leptis Magna and Sabratha.

Libyan desert oasis and ancient caravan city, beautifully preserved in the heart of the Sahara, Ghadames enchants with its narrow arcaded alleys and traditional dwellings made of plaster and dried clay, a treasure trove of Berber eras and cultures of the past, and immersed in atmospheres suspended in a timeless dimension. The town was one of the most important trading hubs on the trans-Saharan routes, thanks to its strategic location, the abundance of water and the proverbial ability of its wealthy merchants who controlled a dense network of impresarios, making it a compulsory stop for the endless caravans of dromedaries, laden with goods that were bartered and sorted here along further routes. This made its glories and fortunes, of a city that prospered in spite of its desert isolation. Leptis Magna, as its name suggests, was the most important Roman settlement in Africa, and today is second in integrity of state of preservation only to Pompeii.

Its limestone buildings and monuments have been able to withstand the elements because they have been entirely buried by sand for centuries, arriving remarkably intact to the present day, despite having been despoiled of most of its decorations.

Also the ruins of Sabratha, of which the monumental theatre dating back to the Severan era is undoubtedly the most magnificent of its kind handed down to us by the Roman genius. In a beautiful position overlooking the blue waters of the Mediterranean, this splendid monument is visible from a long distance, a scenic suggestion that has made it famous not only for its undeniable architectural value.