Beiteddine Palace
Beiteddine is a restored 200-year old architectural masterpiece and highlight of the Chouf Mountains in Lebanon. It was originally built over a period of 30 years by Emir Bashir Chehab II, Ottoman-appointed governor of the region. After Lebanon’s independence from the French, the palace was declared a historic monument and the country’s first president proclaimed it his summer residence before it was returned to the government. Beiteddine is known to…
Zaitunay Bay
Located right around the Beirut Marina and the Meditarranean Sea, Zaitunay Bay is considered the city’s most prestigious stretch of coastline. Like a Phoenix, what was once thought of as an abandoned and wrecked site has risen from the ashes of the war to become an embodiment of the Lebanese dream – Zaitunay Bay is radiant and here to stay. The area is open to the general public and is…
Sursock Museum
Nicolas Sursock was a well-known member of the aristocratic Sursock family and an avid art collector. Following his death in 1952, his mansion became what is now the famous Nicolas Ibrahim Sursock Museum – a contemporary and modern art museum located in Achrafiyeh, Beirut. Much needed at the time, Nicolas’ motive was to endorse, support and promote Lebanese and International artists by exhibiting and showcasing their work in the space…
Baalbek
Located in Lebanon’s Beqaa Valley about 85 km northeast of Beirut, Baalbek is an ancient Phoenician city inhabited as early as 9000 BC. The area was a pilgrimage site where temples were constructed for the worship of the Phoenician gods Baal and Astarte. Until today, historians are baffled by the immense weight and mass of the stones used – the process of how the stones were moved, assembled and carved…
Jeita Grotto
Discovered in the 1870s, Jeita Grotto is located in the North of Lebanon and is a magical site attracting tourists and sightseers on a regular basis. Stretching 9 kilometers, the cave is made up of crystallized limestones that are naturally sculpted in different colors, sizes and forms. Looking back at its history, the cave received its name ‘Jeita’ in 1940 which translates to the ‘noise’ of water in Aramaic. The…
Harissa
Harissa, a lovely area located at the top of Jounieh is renowned as the home of the prominent pilgrimage site, The Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon. It is both a religious site and a popular touristic spot honoring a statue of the Virgin Mary with hands outstretched towards Beirut. One of the top attractions of Harissa is the Téléphérique, a gondola lift, that goes back and forth between Jounieh…
Saifi Village
Each country in the world has its own artistic corner where you can find creative galleries, antique shops, specialist boutiques and design studios. In Lebanon, that place is Saifi Village – a beautiful area with a contemporary concept nestled in the heart of the city. Although traditional, Saifi Village is still its very own unique character with colorful buildings that were renovated and inspired by French architecture after the war.…
Place de l’Etoile
Place de l’Etoile holds high importance in the Downtown area as the whole area was severely damaged by the war twenty years ago. However, now one can never guess that it was ever destroyed because of how excellent of a job was done in bringing it back to life. It has been rebuilt to such grace and set in pristine surroundings that it is now a testimony to how the…
National Museum of Beirut
When visiting a new country, we all like to see what history it hides and know more about its origins. The National Museum of Beirut is one of the most magnificent museums in the country. It has a spacious interior with perfect lights and a cozy atmosphere where you can actually spend a lot of time exploring all that is exhibited. Almost all exhibits are fully described in Arabic, English,…