Benghazi
Benghazi is the second-largest city in Libya as well as the largest city in Cyrenaica, with an estimated population of 859,000 in 2023.
Benghazi is the second-largest city in Libya as well as the largest city in Cyrenaica, with an estimated population of 859,000 in 2023. Located on the Gulf of Sidra in the Mediterranean, Benghazi is also a major seaport.
Adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Worth seeing in and around Benghazi
10 places within 25 km that the world writes about, in the order of how widely: the ones a visitor has heard of first, then the ones only a local would name.
- 01University of Benghazi
The University of Benghazi, formerly known as Garyounis University, is a public university in Benghazi, Libya, the country's second-largest city as well as one of the most prestigious institutes of higher education in the country. It was founded as the University of Libya on December 15, 1955.
0 m · university in Libya · Wikipedia - 02Benghazi Cathedral
Benghazi Cathedral is a disused former Roman Catholic cathedral in the city of Benghazi, Libya. It is the see of the Apostolic Vicariate of Benghazi.
700 m · cathedral · Wikipedia - 03Benghazi International Stadium
Benghazi International Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Benghazi, Libya, also known as Sports City Stadium. It is a part of Benghazi Sports City, used mostly for football matches and also has athletics facilities.
1.7 km · A football stadium in Benghazi, Libya · Wikipedia - 04Atiq Mosque
The Atiq Mosque, also known as Al-Jami al-Kabir, is a Sunni Islam mosque, located in Benghazi, Libya. It is one of the oldest and best known in the city.
700 m · building in Benghazi, Libya · Wikipedia - 0523rd July Lake
The 23rd July Lake is a lagoon located between Benghazi's downtown, and the Mediterranean Port of Benghazi. It covers an area of approximately 100 hectares with a maximum depth of 5 metres.
1.4 km · lake · Wikipedia - 06Maydan al Shajara
Maydan al-Shajara, is a major town square in Benghazi, the second largest city in Libya. A large native Norfolk pine tree was located in the center of the square, giving it its name.
400 m · square in Benghazi, Libya · Wikipedia - 07National Library of Libya
The National Library of Libya is the national library of Libya, located in Benghazi. It holds 150,000 volumes.
400 m · national library · Wikipedia - 08Libyan International University
The Libyan International University is a for-profit private university established in Benghazi, Libya, with the purpose of teaching medicine. It is the first private medical university in Libya.
5.7 km · private university in Benghazi, Libya · Wikipedia - 09Benghazi Zoo
Benghazi Zoo or Al Fuwayhat is a zoo and tourist park in the city of Benghazi, Libya.
4.7 km · zoo in Benghazi, Libya · Wikipedia - 10Benghazi Military University Academy
Benghazi Military University Academy is a military academy in Benghazi in Libya.
800 m · military university academy in Libya · Wikipedia
Ranked by the number of language editions of Wikipedia with an article on each, from Wikidata; the sentences are the openings of those articles, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What Wikivoyage says to see
- 01Benghazi Cathedral
Constructed during the 1930s in a neo-classical style, the Benghazi Cathedral used to be one of the largest churches in North Africa.
- 02Atiq Mosque
This museum is the palace from which King Idris declared independence from Italy in 1951.
From Wikivoyage: Benghazi, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.
Where to eat
Anything. There is nothing that isn't acceptable to the western palate - the food can be quite spicy, although not excessively so. Traditional Libyan fare appears to be couscous, kebabs, spicy potatoes, salads, and nothing that you wouldn't find in London. There are a number of good restaurants. Although very basic by western standards, they do produce good meals.
From Wikivoyage: Benghazi, CC BY-SA 4.0. Not yet checked by us.
Getting to Benghazi
- Airports
- Benina (BEN), 19 km · Al Abraq (LAQ), 192 km
- Stations
- Port of Benghazi, 1.8 km
- Al Albraq → Benghazi2412 km · quickest by air, 10h 24m · MAD2,430–3,750
- Tripoli → Benghazi651 km · quickest by air, 5h · $200–300
- Souda → Benghazi526 km · quickest by road, 2h 39m · €9–12
- Plan a tripFrom anywhereThe planner compares every way there from wherever you are.
Road and air are today’s quick answer; timetabled trains, buses and ferries load on the results page from the operators’ feeds.
No local-transport research exists yet for Benghazi
Our researched notes are written from a sourced entry: every shared taxi, boat and village bus with its operator, its rule, its fare and the year we saw it, and what could not be confirmed. Nobody has done that work for Benghazi. What is above is what we hold from open sources; nothing here pretends to be more.
- Get aroundThey are either minibuses that travel round a predefined route or black and white cars (dead pandas) with taxi signs.
From Wikivoyage: Benghazi, CC BY-SA. Not yet checked by us; that article was last edited 2026-06.
- 01739 km
- 02763 km
- 03972 km
- 04983 km
- 051,033 km
If you know how people move in Benghazi – the stand, the rule, the fare – tell us, and the note gets an entry.
Next door to Benghazi
- Al-BerkaBasic People's Congress division in Benghazi District, Libya2.5 km
- Al-Fuwayhathuman settlement in Libya6 km
- Al-QuwarshaBasic People's Congress division in Benghazi District, Libya9.3 km
- Al-SalmaniBasic People's Congress division in Benghazi District, Libya2.4 km
- Benghazi al-JadidaBasic People's Congress division in Benghazi District, Libya5.2 km