Beirut, Lebanon – Different Than You Thought

I have to admit – I’m a Beirut firsttimer. But I have heard so much about Beirut and about Lebanon (the good and the bad) that I couldn’t wait finally getting my own views and opinions. I’ll certainly stay out of politics and religion – although these are two topics you could right books about. Let’s focus on what you should do in Lebanon: have fun!

Beirut

Beirut is facing a major reconstruction. The downtown area, Solidere is now finished and full of expensive high street shops and restaurants. Another area that’s coming up is Hamra with the American University of Beirut (AUB) just next door. Achrafiye and Gemmayzeh are old time favorites. I wasn’t too impressed by the Corniche. You can have a stroll and a look at the Pigeon Rocks, then rather head to La Plage. The St George Yacht Motor Club is up and coming again, however I wouldn’t necessarily recommend going beyond the Bay Rock Cafe. The Movenpick is no longer in an area you want to be in.

I can recommend the hotels we stayed in: Hotel Casa d’Or in Hamra and the Park Tower Suites in Achrafiye. Expect about double the price for the Park Tower, however you’ll get a spotlessly clean one bedroom apartment.

There are tons of restaurants, bars, nightlife. Listing anybody is almost unfair to all the others great places in town. I’ll add locations when I update this page.

Beyond Beirut

Jeita Grotto: One of the best caves I’ve ever seen. Well organized half-day tour from Beirut. Bring your own car – no need to do this with an organized tour from Beirut.
Jounieh: Although not recommended in basically all the travel guides that I’ve seen (Lonely Planet etc), I found it certainly to be a nice spot. Stroll through downtown and especially visit some of the beaches further south. Have a look at the Casino du Liban.

Byblos (Jbail): One of the highlights in Lebanon with a very nice port, a Crusader castle and restaurants. Great day trip from Beirut – or stay here as nightlife is picking up.
Bakaa Valley: Visit Baalbek for sure. Amazing ruins that match what you see in Italy or Turkey. I was a bit disappointed by Aanjar – rather spend time in Zahle. Zahle is a very nice little town in the hills before going back to Beirut. Stay here at least one night – lots of hotels and restaurants around. Don’t forget to visit the Ksara Winery which is close to Zahle.

Unfortunately we didn’t have enough time to visit other highlights like the Cedars, Tyre (Sour) or the Beiteddine Palace (Beit ad-Din). But Lebanon is full of surprises – some of the nicest people on Earth, great food, an amazing nightlife – and I’ll certainly be back soon.