Sights in Beirut
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Corniche
The Corniche is a favourite promenade spot. Families, couples and groups of dressed-up young people saunter along its length, stopping to greet friends or to have a coffee-and-nargileh break at one of the cafés along the route. While many locals say the Corniche starts at Ras Beirut on Ave de Paris in the east and ends at the St George Yacht Motor Club in Ain al-Mreisse to the west, others say it encompasses the entire waterfront area around to Pigeon Rocks to the south.
You'll see a great cross-section of Beiruti life on your walk, from backgammon-playing old men to teenagers dressed to impress, particularly on a Saturday night, when people bring their own plastic chair…
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Maghen Abraham synagogue
Tucked away to the north of the Grand Serail, between Rue France and Wadi Abou Jmil, are the remains of the once grand Maghen Abraham synagogue, which in the early 20th century served a thriving Jewish Beirut community. Though desperately in need of rebuilding, you can still make out the stars of David and Hebrew inscriptions adorning the synagogue's surviving walls.
This is not the only evidence of Lebanon's once open and active Jewish community. In Deir al-Qamar, the now disused synagogue remains intact; in Beirut and elsewhere there are several overgrown Jewish cemeteries. But today, most of Lebanon's Jews prefer to keep their religious identity closely guarded and no …
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National Museum of Beirut
Once situated on a strategically important intersection of the former Green Line, the must-see National Museum of Beirut has an impressive collection of archaeological artefacts, statuettes and sarcophagi. Every hour, between 09:00 and 16:00, the museum screens 'Revival,' a fascinating short documentary on how staff saved the collection from the destruction of the civil war and subsequently restored the museum to its former glory.
The easiest way to get to the museum is to either take a 15-minute walk from Sodeco Square along Rue de Damas (part of the former Green Line), or hail a service taxi and ask for Musee or the Hippodrome.
Inside, the exhibits are organised from p…
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Cilicia Museum
The gorgeous collection of Armenian religious and cultural artefacts at the Cilicia Museum is one of Beirut's best-kept secrets. And secrets play a major role in the history of this museum, as most of the collection was smuggled out of what was known as Turkish Armenia in 1915, by monks from the Monastery of Sis in Cilicia.
Given just several days to flee the genocide by the Turks, the monks removed as much of their treasure as they could and began their dangerous overland journey, eventually arriving in Aleppo (Syria). In 1930 they finally settled in Antelias, just north of Beirut.To get to the museum, take the LCC bus 6, or any minibus going north to Jounieh and Byblos …
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American University of Beirut
The American University of Beirut is one of the Middle East's most prestigious educational institutes, and its campus and the surrounding Ras Beirut and Hamra areas are a hive of activity during semesters. The university is privately owned, nonsectarian and teaches all classes in English - hence the local students wandering around the Hamra district conversing in English as often as Arabic. Both the museum and the campus grounds are open to the public and are definitely worth a look.
Spread over 28 hectares, the beautiful, tree-shaded campus runs from Rue Bliss down to the sea and even has its own beach club for the summer months. But the stately charms of the campus did …
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Sursock Museum
Lit up at night, so that the full glory of its colourful stained glass is on show, the Sursock Museum is truly an extraordinary sight.
Owned by the Sursock family, one of the country's most illustrious dynasties, the extraordinary and magnificent Lebanese-Italian architectural style of the building itself often overshadows the temporary exhibitions. The location of the museum, in a wonderful street of luxurious modern apartment blocks and beautiful Ottoman- and French Mandate-era mansions, makes a walk around the neighbourhood mandatory. The interior of the museum is equally grand with vast marble floors and wood panelling. Some of the rooms are decorated in the oriental …
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Pigeon Rocks
The natural offshore rock arches of Pigeon Rocks are the most famous, and indeed one of the only, natural features of Beirut. The stretch of the Corniche directly in front of the rocks is an excellent vantage point, but far more interesting is to take one of the tracks down to the lower cliffs. One track starts from the southern side of the rocks and, after a steep 100m, you find yourself down on the lower level of chalk cliffs.
Almost immediately, you can completely forget you are in the city. The way across the rocks is quite rugged and sensible shoes are a good idea, although you see local women teetering precariously across the cliffs in high heels.There are a number …
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AUB Museum
The AUB Museum, was founded in 1868 and is one of the oldest in the Middle East. On permanent display is its collection of Lebanese and Middle Eastern artefacts including weapons, tools, flints, figurines, pottery and jewellery, along with a fine collection of Phoenician glass and Arab coins dating from as early as the 5th century BC.
The museum runs monthly lectures throughout the year, hosts temporary exhibitions and children's activities, and is involved in ongoing excavations in Lebanon and Syria.
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Planet Discovery
One of the more educationally stimulating activities on offer can be found at Planet Discovery, an interactive science museum especially designed for three- to 15-year-olds. Adults will be unable to resist the soap bubble display, where bubbles big enough to encase their young charges can be blown. Puppet shows are also held at 16:00 and 17:00 most Fridays and Saturdays, which are an additional charge on top of the entry fee.
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Robert Mouawad Private Museum
The Robert Mouawad Private Museum is housed in Pharaon Palace, once the home of Robert Mouawad, a jeweller and collector of gorgeous objets d'art, including clocks, porcelain, jewellery, icons and watches. Like the Sursock Museum just down the road, it makes a beautiful respite from the city, with the palace itself every bit as sumptuous as the items on display.
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Ramlet al-Bayda beach
If you fancy a dip, this is the only public beach. Unfortunately, it's rather litter-strewn and predominantly male. A better option is one of the many private beach clubs. Though they're less about swimming and more about seeing-and-being-seen, they're convenient, well equipped (many with pleasant pools, bars, snack bars, dressing areas etc) and well maintained.
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Place des Martyrs
Place des Martyrs has been the location of some of the largest ever Lebanese public gathering, notably the March 14th demonstration held on the one-month anniversary of the murder of Hariri, which brought 1 million Lebanese - a quarter of the country's population - to the streets, resulting in the final withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.
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Grand Serail
The Grand Serail, a majestic Ottoman-era building that has been restored to its former grandeur and now houses government offices should not be missed. The roads around the Grand Serail, however, are largely blocked off at present in a tangle of tanks and razor-wire, so you may not be able to get as close as you'd like.
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Al-Omari Mosque
To the northeast of Place des Martyrs, don't miss the Al-Omari Mosque, originally built in the 12th century by the Crusaders as the Church of St John the Baptist of the Knights Hospitallers, and converted by the Mamluks into a mosque in 1291.
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Animal Encounter
If you or your kids are animal-lovers, don't miss Animal Encounter 17km from Beirut, a well-known and respected refuge for unwanted, impounded or abandoned domestic and wild animals.
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Horsh Beirut
The 40,000-sq-metre pine forest on the edge of Beirut at Horsh Beiru , newly opened to the public, is a cool, deliciously green respite from the city with a playground for children.
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Mohammed al-Amin Mosque
Downtown is the site of the impressive Mohammed al-Amin Mosque, which looks like a younger sibling of Istanbul's Blue Mosque, in which former prime minister Rafiq Hariri is buried.
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St George's Cathedral
St George's Cathedral, beside the Mohammed al-Amin Mosque, is worth a visit, being a Maronite church dating back to the Crusades.
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Sanayeh Public Garden
To let off steam somewhere green, the Sanayeh Public Garden has bike hire and paved paths perfect for in-line skating.
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AUB Beach
Though scruffier than the rest, this university beach has a great atmosphere in the summer, and admits nonstudents.
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Agial Art Gallery
Close to the AUB, this is a shopfront gallery that specialises in showcasing the work of local artists.
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Cardo Maximus
The Cardo Maximus, evocative remains of a Roman-era market area should not be missed.
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Galerie Alice Mogabgab
Specialises in modern art, including works by artists from abroad.
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