Second in importance only to Leptis Magna, Cyrene is a must see. It ranks as the best preserved of the Greek cities of Cyrenaica, with its temples, tombs, agora, gymnasium and theatre originally modelled on those at Delphi. Apart from the spectacular Greek ruins, its location high on a bluff overlooking the sea is stunning.The city covers a huge area and is still only partly excavated. It's not often you find world-heritage sites still in this rather romantic condition: mosaics can still be discovered underfoot, and priceless statues often lie covered with creepers. Enough of the city has been resurrected to give the visitor an impression of how it originally looked but without the over-restored look that detracts from so many classical archaeological sites. Cyrene still has very few visitors and correspondingly few facilities. Pack a meal, and you could easily spend a day or several wandering and exploring.

North of Benghazi is the Jebel Akhdar, an extremely beautiful stretch of mountains that are sure to resonate doubletime with anyone fresh out of the desert. Also known as the Green Mountains, this part of Libya is indeed green and a great deal wetter than other parts of the country. Geographically, it resembles Crete, and much of the high jebel (mountain) is given over to agriculture. It was a key area for food production during Italian colonisation, and the simple, low-built farmhouses from the 1930s still stand today amid fruit and cereal farms. The whole area has a charming, rustic feel to it.The Greek city of Tocra, 70km northeast of Benghazi along the coastal road, was founded around 510 BC. The new village is pretty much devoid of interest to visitors, but the ancient Greek port and surrounding area are well worth a peek. Further east along the coast is Tolmeita, which is also home to Greek ruins and sports a couple of nice beaches to boot. Inland a bit and farther east, Al-Bayda is right at the heart of the jebel, close to the ancient sites of Cyrene, Apollonia, Gassr Libya and Slonta. It's a pleasant place, with a number of visitor facilities and lovely Italian-era buildings, and there are also a few great beaches within a short drive.The tiny village of Slonta, inland from al-Bayda, is not too interesting in itself, but it is the site of the only significant pre-Islamic Libyan artefact yet discovered. The ruins were obviously a place of worship, but no one knows much about its particular cult. Closer to the coast, the ancient city of Apollonia is the most rewarding of Libya's Greek cities after Cyrene, with a small museum and a number of well-preserved relics and ruins. At the far end of the Jebel Akhdar area, the town of Derna is situated around the outlet of an extremely attractive wadi, the steep sides of which are filled with lush vegetation. The town itself is worth a stroll, especially the old quarter and the covered souq. And if the beaches aren't enough of a watery wonder for you, an hour's hike from town brings you to a waterfall (a rare sight indeed in Libya) that flows almost all year round.