Debbane Palace is an 18th-century merchant mansion tucked into the old town, restored and operated as a small museum of Sidon's history. The architecture is the highlight: marble fountains, painted wooden ceilings, intricately carved doorways, and a central reception hall (qa'a) decorated in the style of a prosperous Ottoman-era Levantine family. It is one of the best-preserved examples of domestic architecture from the period anywhere in Lebanon.
The historical displays trace Sidon from antiquity through the Ottoman centuries and into the modern era. Don't skip the upper floors and the small terraces, which give unexpected views over the surrounding souks. The palace is privately run by the Debbane family foundation and admission is modest.