Must-see attractions in Lebanon

  • The Temple of Bacchus at Baalbek in Lebanon.
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    Temple of Bacchus

    Baalbek

    Baalbek's Temple of Bacchus is often described as the most beautifully decorated temple in the Roman world, and it's certainly one of the best preserved…

  • The Temple of Bacchus Roman God of Wine in Baalek.
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    Baalbek Ruins

    Baalbek

    Dominating the centre of modern Baalbek, this wonderful Roman temple complex is one of the Middle East's major archaeological highlights. The monumental…

  • The Beirut National Museum, Lebanon.

    National Museum of Beirut

    Beirut

    Located on the former Green Line, this is Beirut's major cultural institution. Its impressive, magnificently displayed collection of archaeological…

  • Cedars growing at 6,000 feet in the Shouf Biosphere Reserve in Lebanon.

    Shouf Biosphere Reserve

    Lebanon

    The largest of Lebanon’s three natural protectorates, comprising an incredible 5% of the total land area, this is the largest natural cedar reserve in the…

  • Al Bass archaeological site in Tyre, Lebanon.

    Al Bass Archaeological Site

    Tyre

    This sprawling site lies 2km east of the centre, entered off the highway. Just past the entrance is a vast funerary complex, with hundreds of ornate…

  • Celestine, Beirut Mineral Museum exhibit, Lebanon.

    MIM

    Beirut

    Under the St Joseph university, this atmospheric and beautifully designed museum presents an extraordinary collection of exquisitely selected and…

  • The main square in Deir Al-Qamar, Lebanon.

    Main Square

    Lebanon

    The main square is a showcase of fine Arab architecture, including the Mosque of Emir Fakhreddine Maan, built in 1493, and, behind it, a cobbler's souq…

  • Al-mina port in Tripoli.

    Al Mina

    Tripoli

    An enticing blend of tradition and modernity, the web of narrow streets of Tripoli's port quarter makes for wonderful strolling. The Phoenician city stood…

  • St George Crypt Museum

    Beirut

    When a bomb fell on the Orthodox cathedral in 1975, the only silver lining was that it revealed these ruins beneath. Though the area is small, an…

  • Saida Souq

    Saida

    Along with Tripoli's, Saida's old city is Lebanon's most characterful and authentic souq area. It's a delight to wander the narrow lanes, ducking into…

  • Beiteddine Palace

    Beiteddine Palace

    Lebanon

    Sitting majestically on a hill surrounded by terraced gardens and orchards, Beiteddine Palace is one of the highlights of the Chouf Mountains. This…

  • The Jeita Grotto in Lebanon is a system of two separate, but interconnected, karstic limestone caves.

    Jeita Grotto

    Lebanon

    One of the Middle East's greatest natural wonders, the stunning Jeita Grotto cave system extends around 6km into the mountains 18km, northeast of Beirut…

  • Temple of Jupiter, Baalbek, Lebanon.

    Temple of Jupiter

    Baalbek

    This temple was built on a monumental scale and is one of the largest Roman temples known. Dedicated to Jupiter Heliopolitanus, it was built from the 1st…

  • Byblos Crusader Castle, Lebanon.

    Crusader Castle

    Byblos

    A restored 12th-century Crusader castle surrounded by a 10m-wide dry moat is located just inside the entrance to Byblos' atmospheric archaeological site…

  • Khan al-Franj, Sidon, Lebanon.

    Khan Al Franj

    Saida

    A highlight of the souq area is the Khan Al Franj (Inn of the Foreigners), the most beautiful and best preserved of all the limestone khans built by…

  • Ixsir Wine Bottles in the cellar, Batroun, Lebanon.

    IXSIR

    Lebanon

    Producing a range of wines made with grapes from its three vineyards (one at Basbina in the hills above Batroun, one in Jezzine and another in the Bekaa…

  • Deir Qannoubin

    Qadisha Valley

    From where the Qadisha road meets the valley floor, it's a 5km (1½-2 hour) walk to the serene still-working convent of Deir Qannoubin, probably the oldest…

  • Great Omari Mosque

    Saida

    Facing the northern tip of the harbour, the Omari (Great) Mosque is said to be one of the finest examples of Islamic religious architecture of the 13th…

  • Khan Al Khayyatin

    Tripoli

    One of the most beautiful buildings in the old city, this semi-open vaulted-roofed khan was formerly a Crusader hospital and is today a beautifully…

  • Byblos Archaeological Site

    Byblos

    A well-restored Crusader castle dominates Byblos' atmospheric archaeological site, which incorporates Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Greek and Roman ruins –…

  • Sursock Museum

    Beirut

    This privately owned contemporary-art museum is housed in a 1912 mansion located in one of Achrafiyeh's most attractive streets. After a major facelift…

  • Mleeta Resistance Tourist Landmark

    Lebanon

    An intriguing mix of memorial, museum and theme park, this resistance monument at Mleeta, on Mt A'mel near Nabatieh, celebrates and commemorates Hezbollah…

  • Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque in Beirut, Lebanon; Shutterstock ID 658207393

    Mohammed Al Amin Mosque

    Beirut

    Now the city's major landmark, this huge, striking amber-coloured blue-domed mosque near Martyrs Sq was opened in 2008 and has four minarets standing 65m…

  • Luna Park

    Beirut

    Luna Park is a rickety old amusement park, with all the attendant charms and nuisances, at which most Western tourists turn up their noses. Bypass the…

  • Beautiful sunset on Raouche, Pigeons' Rock. In Beirut, Lebanon.Sun and Stones are reflected in water.dense clouds in the sky.; Shutterstock ID 706503574; Your name (First / Last): Lauren Keith; GL account no.: 65050; Netsuite department name: Online Editorial; Full Product or Project name including edition: Beirut Guides app update

    Pigeon Rocks

    Beirut

    These limestone outcrops just offshore are prime selfie territory and a Beirut landmark. They are impressive; one has an archway eroded through it. A…

  • Temple of Echmoun

    Saida

    About 3km northeast of Saida, this is Lebanon’s only Phoenician site boasting more than mere foundations. Begun in the 7th century BC, the temple complex…

  • Robert Mouawad Private Museum

    Beirut

    The world would be a poorer place if it didn't host idiosyncratic cultural institutions such as this one. Conceived and funded by jeweller and collector…

  • Citadel of Raymond de Saint-Gilles

    Tripoli

    Towering above Tripoli and the river, this Crusader fortress was originally built during the period from 1103 to 1104. Burned down in 1297, it was partly…

  • Al Mina Archaeological Site

    Tyre

    Dating from the 3rd millennium BC, these atmospheric ruins cover a large area leading down to an ancient submerged harbour. Highlights include a street…

  • Gibran Museum

    Qadisha Valley

    According to his wishes, the body of poet and artist Khalil Gibran (1883–1931), author of the much-loved The Prophet (1923), was interred in the chapel of…

  • Hammam Al Jadid

    Tripoli

    While certainly not new – Hammam Al Jadid was built around 1740 – it was in use until the 1970s and is very well preserved. It was donated as a gift to…

  • Madrasa Al Qartawiyya

    Tripoli

    Attached to the east side of the Great Mosque is Madrasa Al Qartawiyya, which was built by a Mamluk governor of the same name in the early 1300s, over the…

  • Qadisha Grotto

    Qadisha Valley

    Extending around 500m into the mountain, this small grotto contains some impressive limestone formations. Though not as spectacular as Jeita Grotto near…

  • Temple of Venus

    Baalbek

    Opposite the entrance to the main ruins is the exquisite Temple of Venus, which preserves a section of a circular building with fluted columns. During the…

  • Serail of Youssef Chehab

    Lebanon

    On the main street opposite the main square is this beautiful 18th-century palace, which now serves as the town hall (look for the two carved lions above…

  • Musée du Savon

    Saida

    Located in a beautifully restored stone-vaulted soap factory dating from the 17th century, this is a museum of what has traditionally been an important…

  • Aïshti Foundation

    Beirut

    The Aïshti Foundation is a combination of seemingly strange bedfellows. On one hand, it’s a high-end mall aimed at people who have a few grand to spend on…

  • Khan Al Misriyyin

    Tripoli

    Believed to date from the 14th century when it was used by Egyptian merchants, this dilapidated khan is home to several friendly soapmakers, including,…

  • Early Settlements

    Byblos

    Head to the archaeological complex's most modern building – a rather lovely 19th-century house – to inspect its oldest. Just south of the house, you can…

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