Gharyan's old quarter is compact but worth an hour of wandering. The architecture is typical of the western Libyan highlands — flat-roofed stone houses, narrow lanes, and the occasional remnant of the older Berber building tradition. Some of the older homes are built partly underground, taking advantage of the limestone bedrock to stay cool through the brutal summer months.
The market area at the centre of town is where local life happens — fresh produce from the surrounding farms, the occasional livestock dealer, and the ceramics stalls. It's most active in the mornings and on market days. The Italian colonial era left a few administrative buildings in the centre of town that give it a slightly incongruous Mediterranean air alongside the older North African streetscape.