One of the definite highlights is the surprisingly good Tripoli Zoo, which you'll find south of the city centre in the 200-hectare An-Nasr Forest. Most of the enclosures are spacious and reasonably well kept and include elephants, lions, tigers, reptiles, monkeys, gazelle and waddan, among others. We're not quite sure what the Persian cats are doing there, but as our guide pointed out, they're exotic for Libyans.

The landscaped grounds come alive on Fridays when you'll struggle to find picnic space amid the Libyan families - a great time for your kids to make new friends. There are a few snack stalls scattered around the grounds.