Before anything else: this is one of the most sensitive places on any of these routes. Qalaat Chama, or Shamaa castle, stands on a hilltop in southern Lebanon, a few kilometres north of the border with Israel and inland from Naqoura, in an area that has seen repeated conflict, including heavy fighting in recent years, and that many governments advise against visiting under any circumstances. Damage to historic sites in the area has been reported, and conditions may have changed. Do not go without checking current official travel advice, and if in doubt, do not go at all.
The castle has a long history. It dates back to the Crusader period, when the Franks built a chain of fortresses to control the coast and hinterland of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, and it was later rebuilt and occupied by local rulers in the Ottoman period. Within its walls stands a shrine said to be the tomb of Shimon al-Safa, Simon Peter, the apostle, a site of pilgrimage for local people. The views from the hilltop over the hills of southern Lebanon to the Mediterranean coast are wide and beautiful.
The landscape of southern Lebanon is gentle and green, with olive groves, tobacco fields, and terraced hills dotted with villages, and in spring the hills are covered with wildflowers. The coast nearby is lined with banana plantations and beaches. Tyre, about twenty kilometres north, is one of the oldest cities in the world, with spectacular Roman ruins, including a hippodrome and a colonnaded street, listed by UNESCO, and a lively fishing harbour.
In normal times, the roads in southern Lebanon are narrow and winding, with checkpoints run by the Lebanese army and the UN peacekeeping force, UNIFIL, whose headquarters is in Naqoura. Traffic is generally light, but road conditions vary, and some areas may be closed. Fuel and services are available in Tyre and in larger villages. The food of the south is delicious: grilled fish, hummus, tabbouleh, and the sweets of Tyre. If and when peace allows, this region deserves to be visited, for its history, its landscapes and the warmth of its people.