Underrated Beirut and Lebanon, your guide.

One of the world’s most underrated destinations.

When a friend suggested we meet in Beirut for a couple of days I said yes without hesitation (as I always do) then suddenly realized I didn’t know a whole lot about the city or Lebanon in general. I knew the food was famously delicious, and I knew that I was probably going to like it as much as I did most other middle eastern countries I had been to, but other than that had no real perception or expectation of what kind of place Lebanon would be.

What I discovered blew me away.

Byblos

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It unveiled itself as the perfect blend of diverse cultures and religions, incredible food, beautiful weather, interesting architectural wonders and a long and fascinating history. Top this off with there being very few tourists and many welcoming locals- I can safely say that Lebanon was one of the most underrated places I had ever been to. I loved it so much I ended up going back a second time for a much less luxurious and much more down to earth back-packing visit through the country, when I got horrendously sick with food poisoning… But that’s a story for another day - this one is all about the highlights…

By writing this I feel like I am about to share with you a secret, sacred spot left unspoiled by dreary tourists. Dig in.

Stay

Hotel Albergo

With individually styled rooms Hotel Albergo is the kind of place you want to stay again and again just to experience the opulent and beautiful kind of luxury each room offers. The hotel definitely caters for Beiruts “cool kids” with a modern rooftop swimming pool and restaurant overlooking the city. The rooftop restaurant is the ideal place for a shaded indulgent breakfast surrounded by geraniums and greenery while overlooking Beirut, or for a romantic al-fresco candlelight dinner in the summertime. It’s one of those hotels you would struggle to leave if they city itself wan’t so exciting.

We were placed in this gorgeous pink suite fit for a princess. It had huge comfortable bed, small balcony over looking the street and plenty of room for two. With carefully thought out decor and amenities you can tell that care goes into everything they do. From the Rose Petal Bath salts made with salt from the dead sea held in beautiful handmade glass jars to the fresh fruit basket replenished daily and the delicious mini cookies left for turndown service, the staff went above and beyond to provide an exceptional luxury service equal to the opulent décor.

Go

PRIVATE

While there we asked the hotel to recommend a private guide to show us the highlights of Lebanon. This meant we could explore at our own pace, without having to worry about taxis and ride shares. Our local guide was incredibly knowledgeable about both the archaeological aspects of where we explored and about the modern general knowledge and history of Lebanon. As well as this he introduced us to some cheap, delicious local delicacies and suggested a wonderful restaurant we would have never found on our own. It also took the stress out of the long drives as he knew the roads and how to avoid the notorious traffic so we could snooze in the back seat! I would highly recommend Daniel as an invaluable addition to your Beirut or Lebanon visit. You can contact him on dakvdak@hotmail.com or +961 76 398 685

TAXIS

Taxis are aplenty and easily found in Lebanon. You can choose from a shared taxi called “service” where the cost is divided among the passengers or a private taxi. Let the driver know which you would like when getting in the taxi. A taxi around anywhere in the city should not cost you more than 10,000 LBP

Do

Temples of Baalbek

I’ve been to a lot of ancient temples in my travels, and this was undoubtedly one of the most surreal experiences yet. Baalbek is an ancient Phoenician city about 85 km from Beirut with archeological history that dates back 11,000 years, encompassing significant periods such as Prehistoric, Canaanite, Hellenistic, and Roman eras. It is home to the temples of Jupiter and Bacchus and some of the largest noble Roman and temples ever built. The temples are also among the best preserved in the world with breath-taking detail and 20metre high columns still intact. The large temple site where a triad of Heliopolitan deities were worshipped is truly tear-inducingly beautiful. The only thing that is possibly more impressive than the ruins themselves was the fact there were NO tourists here, I could literally count on one hand the number of other people we saw which meant we had this monumental, jaw-dropping piece of history all to ourselves. If you ever make it to Lebanon, this is a a sacred site not to be missed.

Chateau Ksara

This was a great little stop on our way to the Temples of Baalbek. The Ksara winery offers guided tours of its huge underground roman caves followed by a tasting. Ksara have been making wine consistently since 1857 and is the country’s oldest winery. Honestly, not the best wine, but a nice little break and a pick me up for the long drive to Baalbek.

Jeita Grotto

I have done the blue grottos in Italy, and the Waitomo caves in NZ. Yet nothing could have prepared me for the gargantuan incredible caves of Jeita. At a height peak of 120m the caves located 25km from Beirut were in the finalist for the new 7th wonders of the world and came in at 14th place- yet it appears no one has ever heard of it! It contains the world's largest stalactite at 8.2 metres high and spans an overall length of over 9km. Again, there were sections of it where we were the only ones around and you couldn’t help but imagine what it would have been like for the first people who discovered this magnificent natural beauty. It truly feels as though you are entering a lost world. Unfortunately, I was not able to take photos in the caves and images from the internet really do not do it any justice. You just have to see this for yourself.

Byblos

40 km north of Beirut lies Byblos, a popular getaway location for Lebanese locals and tourists alike. This coastal ancient world heritage UNESCO town is possibly the oldest continually inhabited one in the world, being occupied since 5000bc. Not only is it packed with archaeological artefacts and beautiful ancient ruins but it has a great bar and restaurant scene where you can sip rose’s and eat fresh seafood al fresco. The central town is surrounded by beautiful well kept medieval walls while the beaches are the perfect spot for soaking up the sunshine and imagining what life used to be like here a few thousand years ago. I can recommend Chez Pepe for delicious seafood and authentic Lebanese dishes. Sunsets from here are also pretty magical.

While you are there make sure you also check out the stunning Crusader castle and harrowing Armenian Memorial Museum

Sursock Museum

This small and quiet museum had a great collection of modern art and some interesting history about the building itself. My favourite part was a fascinating little section devoted to early European travellers exploring Lebanon and Syria which to me was truly captivating.  It provided a little glimpse of travel before the days of blogs, Instagram, Google Maps or even telephone lines. They have guidebooks from the early 20th century talking about how to travel in Syria & The Middle East and which hotels to stay in – a peep into a very fascinating and different past. At the front of this museum, there is also a delightful little gift shop and outdoor café which is great to sit in the sun and drink delicious Lebanese rose.

Halabi Bookshop

After originally opening as a grocery store in the 1950s with his father, Abdallah has been welcoming customers in his shop with the same friendly service for years. Over time Abdallah’s passion for collecting books grew to overtake the groceries, and now he runs one of the most famous and well-loved bookshops in Beirut. Make sure you pay him a visit and take up his offer of a coffee while he shows you photos from the good old days. It’s a perfect little taste of sweet nostalgia!

Explore the city by foot

From modern skyscrapers on billion dollar harbours to abandoned buildings littered with gunshot holes, Beirut is a city filled with architectural surprises. Make the most of this very walkable city where you can easily find yourself stumbling from street side felafel shop to seaside bar.