Travel advisory · LibyaGovernments advise against all travel to Libya.Advice depends on your passport. Read your own government's advice before you book.Official advice
- Benghazi · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, France
- Sirte · avoid non-essential travel · Spain, France
Also named by one government: Beni Walid (Spain), Cirenaica (Spain), Derna (Spain), Fezán (Spain), Ghadames (Spain), Ghat (Spain), Misrata (France), Sebha (Spain), Southern border zones with Chad, Niger, Sudan, Algeria and southern Tunisia (Spain), Tripoli (UK), Tripolitania (Spain), Ubari (Spain)
| Government | Advice | Updated | Read the advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (FCDO) | advises against all travel | – | Read the advice |
| United States (State Dept) | Level 4: Do Not Travel | Aug 31, 2026 | Read the advice |
| Canada (Global Affairs) | AVOID ALL TRAVEL | – | Read the advice |
| Germany (Auswärtiges Amt) | Reisewarnung: vor Reisen nach Libyen wird gewarnt | Oct 13, 2026 | Read the advice |
| New Zealand (SafeTravel) | Do not travel (level 4 of 4) | – | Read the advice |
| France (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs) | Formellement déconseillé (le reste du pays, y compris Tripoli) | – | Read the advice |
Checked daily from the governments' published advice; last checked Nov 2, 2026. RoamLedger summarises official advice; it is not advice from any government.
Sabratha is a Roman-era port on Libya's Mediterranean coast, about 70 km west of Tripoli. The town began as a Phoenician trading post and grew rich under Roman rule, and most of the ruins you see today date from the 2nd century CE. The best-known sight is the theater, built close to the shoreline, with a stage building decorated with columns and sculpture.
The wider site includes temples, a forum, bath complexes and houses with mosaic floors. Expect a lot of walking with little shade, and plan for the heat in summer, when the sun is strong on open stone. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons. Allow half a day for the main ruins, or a full day if you also want to see Tripoli. Most visitors come by car as a day trip. Check the current government travel advice for Libya before you plan.
Sabratha in five
- Get a Libyan visa before you bookMost visitors need a visa issued before arrival. Apply through a Libyan embassy or consulate, and confirm the current requirements with them before you pay for flights.Visas and entry
- Arrange a driver for the day tripSabratha is about 70 km west of Tripoli, so most visitors go as a day trip by car. Book a driver and, if you can, a guide through a Tripoli agency before you travel.Tours and tickets
- Carry dinars in cashPlan on cash in Libyan dinars, and keep the receipts from any bank exchange.
- Insure for medical evacuationCover medical evacuation in your policy, and check that the exclusions do not rule out Libya.Travel insurance
- Check your government's advice before you leaveLibya's security situation can change quickly, and some areas may be off limits. Read the current travel advice from your government the week you travel, and follow it.
Need to know
- Currency
- Libyan dinar (LYD)
- Entry
- Visa needed for most visitors; apply through a Libyan embassy before arrival
- Emergency
- Confirm police and ambulance numbers with your embassy before you travel
- Tipping
- Ask locally before you tip
- Time
- UTC+2, no daylight saving
Weather by month
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryCool, wet
- FebruaryCool, wet
- MarchMild, spring
- AprilMild, clear
- MayWarm, clear
- JuneWarming up
- JulyHot, dry
- AugustVery hot
- SeptemberWarm, sea
- OctoberWarm, calm
- NovemberRain returns
- DecemberCool, wet
Right now in Sabratha
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
20
- Feels like
- 17°
- Humidity
- 47%
- Wind
- 18 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Sabratha
11:56 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today24°17°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 24°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue23°17°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 23°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed25°16°3%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 25°, Low 16°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Thu25°18°5%Thursday: Cloudy. High 25°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 5%.
- Fri24°18°3%Friday: Cloudy. High 24°, Low 18°. Chance of rain 3%.
- Sat24°17°20%Saturday: Cloudy. High 24°, Low 17°. Chance of rain 20%.
- Sun27°14°5%Sunday: Cloudy. High 27°, Low 14°. Chance of rain 5%.
Updated 10:39 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 6.428 LYD
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Day trips by train
- Tripoliabout 1 hour by roadPair the Red Castle and the old market with Sabratha in one day.Read the guide
- Leptis MagnaCheck drive time on a mapA large Roman city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, worth a day of its own.
- GharyanCheck drive time on a mapA hill town in the Jebel Nafusa, higher and cooler than the coast.
Before you go to Sabratha
Rules for Sabratha, checked
- Most visitors need a visa issued before arrival. Confirm the requirement and the current application form with a Libyan embassy or consulate before you travel.
- Alcohol is banned in Libya. Do not pack it in your luggage.
- Do not photograph checkpoints, military sites or security posts. Ask people before you photograph them.
- Read your government's travel advice before you book and again before you leave. The UK page is at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/libya.Source
Plan around Sabratha
Regions, travel safety checks and the main sites outside Tripoli
Read the guideVisas and entryHow to apply for a Libyan visa and what to bring
Read the guideMoney and cardsCarrying dinars, where cash is used and what to budget
Read the guideGetting aroundDrivers, transfers and the drive from Tripoli to Sabratha
Read the guideWhere to stayTripoli bases for a day trip west to Sabratha
Read the guideTravel insuranceCover for medical evacuation and what to check in the policy
Read the guideSabratha FAQ
Is Sabratha worth visiting?
Yes, for a day. The Roman theater and the coastal ruins are the main reasons to go.
How do you get from Tripoli to Sabratha?
By car, about 70 km west of Tripoli along the coast road. Most visitors hire a driver for the day.
Do I need a visa for Libya?
Most visitors do. Apply through a Libyan embassy or consulate before you travel, and confirm the current requirements with them.
How many days do you need in Sabratha?
Half a day covers the main ruins. Add a night in Tripoli if you want the Red Castle and the old market as well.
Can I use cards in Sabratha?
Plan on cash in Libyan dinars, and keep receipts from any bank exchange.
Is alcohol allowed in Libya?
No. Alcohol is banned in Libya, so do not bring it into the country.