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Explore Beirut – ‘Paris of the East’
One of the most vibrant and fascinating cities in the Middle East. The Lebanese capital sits beside the Mediterranean Sea and was once known as the ‘Paris of the East’. Today, the city has a very modern in outlook, while at the same time offering many beautiful Ottoman and French Mandate period buildings at its heart. Beirut has always been sophisticated and chic and is known for its cafes, fine restaurants, nightclubs, and luxury hotels. The city’s National Museum contains a superb collection of antiquities, as does the nearby Robert Mouawad Museum. Beyond all else a stay in Beirut is fun, and a great way to experience some of the finer aspects of modern Middle Eastern life and culture.
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Amazing Ancient Temples
Delve into the past and explore some of Lebanon’s wonderful and well preserved Greek and Roman sites complete with colonnaded streets, and triumphal arches. The finest sites include Baalbeck, Tyre, Byblos and Aanjar. Lesser known attractions include the Phoenician site of Echmoun, the intriguing Hermel Pyramid, and the small temple of Niha which is dedicated to the god of Oranges!
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Wine Tasting
A 5,000 year old tradition of viticulture that dates back to the Phoenicians still thrives in Lebanon. Vineyards including Ksara, Massaya, Chateau Musar and Kefraya produce wines worthy of the attention of any sommelier. Whether you are interested in a short introduction to Lebanese wines, or basing a week long tour around wine tasting we would be happy to put something together. The best season for wine tours is between late March and the end of October. Grapes are generally harvested in September.
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Mighty Stalactites and Stalagmites
The enormous caverns of Jeita, a short drive from Beirut, contain one of the magnificent stalagmites and stalactites in the world. A visit to the grotto is breathtaking. The upper caverns contain the most impressive calcite formations and are the highlight of the Jeita. Provided water levels are not too high the lower caverns can be explored on a short boat ride.
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Wander though Medieval Souqs
Savour the experience of wandering through the maze of narrow alleys that comprise the souqs of Tripoli, Sidon and to a lesser extent Byblos. Here the streets echo to the cry of vendors touting a bewildering array of goods from their brightly coloured stalls. Exotic spices, artisan soaps, fruit, vegetables and everyday household goods are all for sale amidst an authentic atmosphere that is closer to the 15th century than the 21st.
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Gastronomic Indulgence
Lebanon’s kitchen is rightly famous around the world and has been called the “mother-ship cuisine”. The range of dishes available within Lebanon itself is hard to equal. Beirut is particularly rich in wonderful upmarket Lebanese restaurants and also has a rich selection of excellent French and Armenian venues too. Outside the city, memorable meals can be had beside Byblos’ pretty fishing harbour, up in the the hills of Brummana, or by the Birdawni river in Zahle where the mezze is said to be some of the best in the country. We would be delighted to advise on dining while in Lebanon and make restaurant reservations on your behalf.
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Lebanese Cooking Classes
Choose your menu, then learn to prepare some of Lebanon’s wonderful culinary delights under the careful direction of a Lebanese chef. Private cooking classes can be arranged in Beirut on Monday to Thursday afternoons. Enjoy the mouth-watering taste of authentic home cooked Lebanese cuisine and experience the thrill of preparing it yourself! This is great fun for couples, friends and families.
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Walking and Natural Beauty
Lebanon’s attractive and verdant countryside offers some wonderful hiking and walking opportunities. The beautiful Qadisha Valley in the north of Lebanon presents many opportunities for walking. A particularly memorable route is along the valley floor visiting the UNESCO World Heritage listed monasteries along the way. Other goods spot for walking and stunning scenery are the lovely Afqa Grotto in central Lebanon, or the Cedars of Barouk in the Chouf Mountains.
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Enjoy Luxury and Boutique Hotels
Beirut is blessed with several wonderfully comfortable and sophisticated hotels. The luxurious Four Seasons Hotel is unabashedly modern and soars skywards above city and sea on the edge of the Mediterranean. In the heart of modern Beirut, Gordon CampbellGray’s Le Gray Hotel is a contemporary boutique luxury property that is “as stylish as the city itself”. Nearby, on a quiet side street is the beautiful Albergo Hotel – a lovely old style character property dating from the beginning of the 20th century and managed by Relais & Chateaux.
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Crusaders Castles
Along the Lebanese coast are several striking Crusader castles including the very well preserved Castle of St Gilles, once the seat of the Crusader Counts of Tripoli. The castle of Byblos has a fine keep and is built with many enormous stones that were cannibalized from Roman buildings, but perhaps the most attractive castle in Lebanon is the Sea Castle at Sidon which stands in the harbour on a small island connected to the shore by a narrow causeway.
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Visit the birthplace of Khalil Gibran
The town of Bcharre in northern Lebanon’s scenic Qadisha Valley was the birthplace of Lebanese-American author Khalil Gibran. The author, who is the third best selling poet in history and is best known for his work The Prophet, chose to be buried here, and his grave together with a museum dedicated to his life, are now housed within a 19th century monastery overlooking the town. The museum has a large collection of Gibran’s paintings, drawings and gouaches, as well as some of his manuscripts.
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Take to the Ski Slopes?
Perched high above the Mediterranean, Lebanon’s Cedars and Faraya Mzaar ski resorts are both places of striking natural beauty, and during the season (January to March) offer the possibility to combine skiing with sightseeing! There are eight ski lifts at the Cedars at altitudes at ranging between 2000 – 2700 metres. Faraya Mzaar is at an altitude of between 1900 – 2460 metres, has 18 ski lifts and is generally better equipped.
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Buzzing Bars and Clubs
Beirut is known for its lively and sophisticated nighlife. Start the evening by dressing up and a drink at your hotel; then following dinner, head to one of the numerous trendy bars in the suburb of Gemmayaze. Some time after midnight continue on to one of the ‘in’ nightclubs which feature cool décor, and DJs spinning the latest dance music through to dawn. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are the most popular nights to go out. During the day in the summer months the Beach Clubs of Beirut, Sidon and Byblos are the happening places to be seen.