Practical information about Lebanon:
Where to go in Lebanon:
Beirut | Raouche rock | Jeita | Harissa | Beit Edine | Musa Castle | Byblos | Aanjar | Baalbak | Tripoli | Zahle | Rivers and Lakes
Practical information about Lebanon:
Currency: Lebanese Pound (LL)
Dress code: No restrictions are imposed on tourists.
Time difference: GMT + 2 hours
Dialing code: 961
Climate: Lebanon has a Mediterranean climate characterized by a long, hot, and dry summer, and cool, rainy winter. Fall is a transitional season with a gradual lowering of temperature and little rain; spring occurs when the winter rains cause the vegetation to revive. The Bekaa Valley has hot, dry summers and cold, dry winters with snow, frost and cold winds. Lebanon experiences an average of 300 days of sunshine a year, the average annual temperature in Beirut being (21°C), with a range from (13°C) in winter to (28°C) in summer.
Where to go in Lebanon:
Beirut
The Modern Capital, Venerable Past 5,000 years ago, it is located along the southeastern shoreline of the Mediterranean Sea.Beirut, with its million-plus inhabitants, conveys a sense of life and energy that is immediately apparent. This dynamism is echoed by Capital’s geographical position: a great promontory jutting into the blue sea with dramatic mountains rising behind it.
Beirut has several nightclubs, resturants and other entertaining places, as souk Barghout, cinema, cornice where people can watch sunset at Pigeon rocks, and many other places.
City center – Solidere has succeeded in re-creating life in the heart of Beirut, making it once more the vibrant place where young and old from various countries and walks of life come together. With over 100 restaurants, cafes and clubs open in the city center; there is definitely a place for every taste. Whether your culinary preference leans towards French, Italian, Lebanese, Japanese, Chinese and other Asian, seafood, or global American; if you want something light, food to go, or just simply a drink; whether you are in search for a table with a view or candlelight for two: Beirut city center has it all. The possibilities of enjoyment are endless: strolling through cobblestone streets and landscaped gardens, biking or roller-blading on the waterfront along the Beirut Marina, playing basketball with friends, taking a break for a coffee or a treat at one of many sidewalk cafés, feasting on a culinary delight, shopping or window-shopping, admiring archeological sites or just simply enjoying the fabulous panorama. It's all happening in Beirut city center. And there’s a lot more, like concerts and theatre performances, a children's interactive museum, Beirut landmarks, chess tournaments, exhibitions, conferences, gala dinners, fashion shows, music festivals, shopping festivals, street markets, amusement parks, marathons and sports competitions, and more that can all be enjoyed in the Beirut city center.
Raouche rock
It is known for its upscale apartment buildings, numerous restaurants, cliff-side cafés and its wide seaside sidewalk, the Corniche, where strollers and joggers crowd the pavements in the evenings and weekends. Off the coast of Raouche, there is a natural landmark called the Pigeons' Rock (also known as the Rock of Raouche). Located at Beirut's western-most tip, the two huge rock formations, which stand like gigantic sentinels, are a popular destination for locals and visitors alike.
Jeita
Few caverns in the world approach the astounding wealth or the extent of those of Jeita. In these caves and galleries, known to man since Paleolithic times, the action of water has created cathedral-like vaults beneath the wooded hills of Mount Lebanon. Geologically, the caves provide a tunnel or escape route for the underground river, which is the principal
source of the Nar el-Kalb (Dog River). Located some 20 kilometers along the highway North of Beirut, a large sign indicates the right turn from Zouk Mickael village, just beyond the tunnel. The caverns are on two levels. The lower galleries, discovered in 1836 and opened to the public in 1958, are visited by boat. The upper galleries, opened in January 1969, can be seen on foot.
INSIDE THE CAVERNS:
In summer you can visit both the upper and lower galleries while enjoying the refreshingly cool temperature inside the caves. The lower section is sometimes closed in winter when the water level is high, but the extensive upper galleries are open all year.
Plan on about two hours for the tour, which includes a boat ride through the lower galleries, the visit to the upper galleries on foot and a film presentation.
The Lower Galleries:
This part of the cavern takes you to a beautiful underworld millions of years in the making. Both the 600-meter boat trip on a subterranean lake is only a sampling of the system that has been explored for almost 6,910 meters.
The first impression is the sound of rushing water and a sensation of clean cold. But the roar of the waterfall at the entrance gives way to profound silence as you glide deeper into the cave. An effective new lighting system illuminates expert rock climbers-and marvel at the columns and sculptures fashioned by those great architects-water and time.
The Upper Galleries:
The approach to these dry galleries through a 120-meter-long concrete tunnel does little to prepare you for the surprising world beyond. Formed several million years before the lower caverns, this section shows what the entire cave system was like before geological conditions displaced the subterranean river to its present level.
For 650 meters you wind your way through different levels of the caverns, contemplating the flowing stone draperies and other formations. Perhaps the most dramatic sight is the yawning canyons and sink holes, some seen at a drop of over a hundred meters.
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Harissa
Is an important Lebanese pilgrimage site high above Jounieh, located at 650 meters altitude from the coast and 20 km distance from Beirut the capital city; the site is accessible either by a steep winding road or a nine-minute journey by a gondola lift, known as the "Téléférique". It attracts tourists who want to enjoy views of Jounieh.The main site is a huge 15-ton bronze (and painted white) it is known as Our Lady of Lebanon or Notre Dame du Liban/Harissa with her arms outstretched. The statue was made at the end of the 19th century and inaugurated in 1908. , A panoramic view is guaranteed at the top of the statue.
Beit Edine
A delightful example of early 19th Century oriental architecture, the palace was built by Emir Bechir el Chehabi II (1788 -1840). The Beiteddine palace complex, Lebanon's best example of early 19th century Lebanese architecture, was built over a thirty year period by Emir Bechir El Chehab II, who ruled Mount-Lebanon for more than half a century.
Musa Castle
The Lebanese traditions incarnated in " Moussa Castle" Located in the little town dominating the valley where flows a tributary of Damour river “Nahr el Damour”. It is the real place where we can touch the typical and traditional Lebanese customs gathered & protected all through the years. It was built by a man with a strange fetish for things medieval. Every room in the palace reflects the lives of the Lebanese community, family, their lifestyle, their professions….
Byblos
Byblos is one of the top contenders for the "oldest continuously inhabited city" award. Today Byblos (Jbeil in Arabic) on the coast 37 kilometers north of Beirut, is a prosperous place with glass-fronted office buildings and crowded streets. But within the old town, medieval Arab and Crusader remains are continuous reminders of the past. Nearby are the extensive excavations that make Byblos one of the most important archaeological sites in the area. To get a good view of this large, somewhat complex site, either climb to the top of castle or walk around the periphery from outside the wall to identify the major monuments. After visiting the archeological site, a quick and entertaining introduction to Lebanon's past can be found at the Wax Museum near the castle. The wax figures illustrate scenes from the history and rural life of the country. There is a modest entrance fee.With its many restaurants, snack restaurants, souvenir shops and hotels, Byblos is well prepared to welcome tourists.
Aanjar
UMAYYAD SITE OF LEBANON, 58 kilometers from Beirut, is completely different from any other archaeological experience you'll have in Lebanon. At other historical sites in the country, different epochs and civilizations are superimposed one on top of the other. Aanjar is exclusively one period, the Umayyad.
Lebanon's other sites were founded millennia ago, but Aanjar is a relative newcomer, going back to the early 8th century A.D.
Baalbak
The great temple at Baalbeck or Heliopolis has stood since the beginning of our era when it was one of the wonders of the world. Baalbak and the second temple, with its cellar almost intact, make up one of the most beautiful and famous of ancient monuments. Baalbeck is indeed a place where the visitor can still recapture the fascination and atmosphere of the past.
There are legends to explain its exceptional size, its gigantic proportions and huge blocks, particularly the three which each measure between 19-20 m. by 4.50 m. by 3.60 m. An even greater block still lies in the quarry. An archaeologist has declared that this block alone would make a visit to Baalbeck worthwhile. It is a place where east and west have met and merged, a crossroad where different influences and beliefs have come together in mutual understanding, as in Lebanon today. The Baalbeck International Festival is the oldest and most prestigious event in the Middle East. The Festival is an annual event which takes place in the Roman Acropolis during the two months of July and August each year.
Ever since 1955, the Festival's cultural activities have been organized within the Roman Acropolis. In 1956, the Association, managed by benevolent members, took its official name "Baalbeck International Festival".
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Tripoli
Known as the capital of the North (Trablus in Arabic), 85 kilometers north of Beirut, has a special character all of its own. It is divided into two parts: El-Mina (the port area and site of the ancient city) and the town of Tripoli proper. The medieval city at the foot of the Crusader castle is where most of the historical sites are located. Surrounding this is a modern metropolis which is occupied with commerce, banking and recreation. The area known as "At-Tall", dominated by an Ottoman clock tower (built in 1901/2) in the heart of down-town. Tripoli is the transportation centre and terminus for most taxi routes. Thanks to its historical wealth, relaxed lifestyle and thriving business climate, this is a city where modern and medieval blend easily into a lively and hospitable metropolis.
Sites in Tripoli:
The Citadel: Overlooking the city is the imposing Citadel of Tripoli known as Qal’at Sinjil (Saint Gilles) which has been renovated and changed many times during its history.
The Great Mosque:Begun in 1294 and completed in 1315. inside, you can still see elements of Western architecture from the old church, including the northern entrance and the Lombard style bell tower which was transformed into the minaret.
Taynâl Mosque: This important mosque was built in 1336 by Saif ed-Dine Taynâl on the site of a ruined Crusader Carmelite church. The adjoining domed mausoleum holds the tomb of the founder. Some elements of the original structure were re-used in the mosque, for example, the two rows of granite columns with late Roman capitals which stand in the middle of the first prayer hall. The entrance of the second prayer hall is a unique example of the architectural decoration in Tripoli during the Mamluke era.Al-Muallaq Mosque: The name means "hanging mosque", possibly because it is on the second floor.
This small mosque, built in the middle of the 16th century, has a plain whitewashed interior with steps leading down to an attractive courtyard garden.
The minaret is octagonal and unadorned.
Burtasiyat Madrassa-Mosque: The beautiful Burtasiyat Madrassa-Mosque was built during the first quarter of the 14th century A.D.
This domed structure has a square minaret erected above the entrance arch and is ornamented with double windows which have black and white stone arches.
The dark stone portal is decorated with stalactites and the mihrab is covered with an ornate golden mosaic.
Hammam 'Izz ed-Dîne: This public bathing-house was given to the city by its Mam-luke governor 'Izz ed-Dîne Aybak. The governor, who died in 1298, is buried in a mausoleum beside the hammam. In building these baths, he used choice remains from the Crusader church and hospice of Saint James. The front portal is decorated with an inscribed fragment between two Saint-James shells, and the inner door is surmounted by the pas-chal lamb. The Hammam 'Izz ed-Dîne was in continual use until recently and it is now under restoration.
Hammam Al Jadid: Built around 1740, and called the “New Bath”, this is by far the largest “hammam” in the city, although it has not been in operation since the 1970’s, its faded grandeur still stirs the imagination.
Souk Al-Haraj: A unique sight, this covered 14th century bazaar has a high vaulted ceiling supported by granite columns which may have originally been part of Roman or Crusader structures. A total of 14 granite shafts can be seen along the north, south and east sides. Today this space is occupied by sellers of floor mats, pillows and mattresses.
Lions' Tower: While most of the numerous coastal towers and fortifications which protected Tripoli during Mamluke times have disappeared or been encroached upon by modern buildings, the mid-15th century Tower of the Lions is still remarkably preserved. It was given this name in the 19th century because of the lions carved in relief that once stood above the entrance. The tower is actually a fortress two stories high with lofty vaulted ceilings. the west portal is in the typical Mamluke black and white stone pattern. From the outside you can see how the builders placed Roman columns horizontally in the wall reinforcements.
Zahle
The Bride of the Beqaa is known as "Arouss El-Beqaa", a red-roofed town set among the eastern foothills of Mount Sannine, Zahlé enjoys a prime location in the Beqaa valley. Snowcapped mountains tower above it in winter, while in summer its 945-meter elevation keeps the air light and dry. The city center spreads along both banks of the Bardouni River, with the older section of town on the upper elevations of the west bank and the shopping district on the east bank. At the northern end of town is the Bardouni river valley known as Wadi el-Aarayesh (Grape Vine Valley) – the site of Zahlé's famous outdoor restaurants. Zahle was founded about 300 years ago.
Zahlé's Bardouni Restaurants: The Bardouni is a river that flows out of Mount Sannine and down through Zahlé. It is also a name synonymous with Lebanon's famous mezze and the delights of outdoor dining. The Bardouni restaurant tradition began over a hundred years ago with a few simple riverside cafes. The Bardaouni is just as popular in the evenings where dinners can become quite festive.
The Serail: The restored Serail or government house in the old part of town dates from 1885. This beautiful building, whose architecture reflects the European and Arab influences of the Ottoman period, will soon house the offices of the municipality and a museum illustrating Zahlé's history. A walk in the hills overlooking Zahle leads you to Iron and Bronze age tombs. In Wadi El Arayesh are Byzantine and Roman sarcophagi.
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Rivers and Lakes
The country is well watered and there are many rivers and streams. Most rivers in Lebanon have their origins in springs, which are often quite large. These springs emerge from the permeable limestone strata cropping out at the 915- to 1,524-meter level in the Lebanon Mountains. Whatever their source, the rivers are fast moving, straight, and generally cascade down narrow mountain canyons to the sea. The Biqa Valley is watered by two rivers that rise in the watershed near Baalbek: the Orontes flowing north (in Arabic it is called Nahr al Asi), and the Litani flowing south into the hill region of the southern Biqa Valley, where it makes an abrupt turn to the west and is thereafter called the Al Qasmiyah River. The Nahr Barada, which waters Damascus, has as its source a spring in the Anti-Lebanon Mountains. The only permanent lake is Buhayrat al Qirawn, about ten kilometers east of Jazzin. There is one seasonal lake, fed by springs, on the eastern slopes of the Lebanon Mountains near Yammunah, about forty kilometers southeast of Tripoli.