Lebanon

If you’re looking for the real East-meets-West so talked about in the Middle East, you need look no further than Beirut. Fast-paced, fashion-conscious and overwhelmingly friendly, it's not a relaxing city to spend time in – it's too crowded, polluted and chaotic for that – but its energy, soul, diversity and intoxicating atmosphere make it a vital, addictive city. A couple of excellent museums are the key sights, but exploring the character of the different districts, strolling the waterfront and diving into the city's wonderful restaurant and nightlife scene are major attractions. As Lebanon is so small, and day trips easy, some travellers base themselves here for their entire visit.

Known as the Heliopolis or ‘Sun City’ of the ancient world, Baalbek’s ruins comprise the most impressive ancient site in Lebanon and are arguably the best preserved in the Middle East. The temples here, which were built on an extravagant scale, have enjoyed a stellar reputation throughout the centuries, yet still manage to maintain the appealing air of an undiscovered wonder because of their semi-rural setting. The town itself, which is 86km northeast of Beirut, is the administrative headquarters for both the Bekaa Valley and the Hezbollah party.

At time of research, Western governments were advising against travel to Baalbek: it is important to check the security situation before visiting.

Tripoli comprises two main areas: the city proper, which includes modern Tripoli and the Old City; and Al Mina, the rather enchanting port suburb, 3km west along the seafront. The geographical centre of town is Saahat At Tall, a large square by the clock tower.

The old city sprawls east of Saahat At Tall, while the modern centre is west of the square, along Rue Fouad Chehab.

Tripoli's major sight is its Crusader fortress, but visitors should be sure not to miss the compact and wonderfully atmospheric Old City to the citadel's northwest. Dating from the Mamluk era (14th and 15th centuries), this is a sizeable maze of narrow alleys, colourful souqs, hammams, khans, mosques and madrasas (schools for study of the Quran). It’s a lively and fascinating place where craftspeople, including tailors, jewellers, soap makers and coppersmiths, continue to work as they have done for centuries. The Souq Al Sayyaghin (the gold souq), Souq Al Attarin (for perfumes and spices), the medieval Souq Al Haraj and Souq An Nahhassin (the brass souq) are highlights.

Women should dress modestly in the Old City, and check with the custodian before entering mosques.

One of Lebanon's loveliest villages, the pretty Chouf settlement of Deir Al Qamar ('Convent of the Moon') was the seat of Lebanon’s emirs during the 17th and 18th centuries, and retains a number of handsome buildings from this time. It's a popular weekend escape for Beirutis. Beiteddine Palace is a few kilometres further down the road.

A pretty fishing port with an ancient harbour, medieval town centre, Crusader-era castle and atmospheric archaeological site, Byblos (Jbail in Arabic) is a wonderful choice for those wanting a night or two out of Beirut, but it's also an easy and enjoyable day trip. The seaside, good accommodation and eating options, and a lively party scene in the old souq make it a likeably hedonistic place that packs out in summer.

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. The simply extraordinary upper cavern, accessed via a cable car from the ticket office, has strategically positioned coloured lights that showcase the stalactites and stalagmites in all their crystalline glory. The flooded lower caves, reached via a tacky toy train, are explored by rowing boat and are closed when the flood levels rise too high.

The trip up to the mountain village of Bcharré takes you through some of the most beautiful scenery in Lebanon. The road winds along mountainous slopes, continuously gaining in altitude and offering spectacular views of the Qadisha Valley, a Unesco World Heritage–listed site that is home to isolated rock-cut monasteries, wildflowers and plenty of wildlife. Red-roofed villages perch atop hills or cling precariously to the mountainsides; the Qadisha River, with its source just below the Cedars ski resort, runs along the valley bottom; and Lebanon’s highest peak, Qornet As Sawda (3090m), soars overhead. With plentiful opportunities for hiking quiet valley trails or scaling isolated mountain landscapes, this is the perfect antidote to the urban mayhem of Beirut.

Set amid thick citrus and banana groves, the port town of Saida, also called Sidon, was once a rich and flourishing Phoenician city, with tight trade links to ancient Egypt and a globally renowned glass-making industry. Later the capital of the Persian satrapy, these days it's best known for its fresh fruit and its sweets (the local speciality is a crumbly cookie called senioura).

Traces of Saida’s rich history can still be found all over town, with many ancient remnants in the Old City. The history is very much part of everyday life, and while this means that options for accommodation and eating out are fairly limited, it also offers a stronger sense of DIY exploration than some of Lebanon’s busier destinations.

The local Sunni population is conservative, so dress and behave accordingly.

The storied city of Tyre, once famous across the known world for its purple dye made from murex sea snails (Tyrian purple), has a wonderful seaside location and extensive Roman ruins. It's a popular holiday destination for Beirutis, with excellent accommodation choices and what are Lebanon's best, cleanest beaches; you might even swim with turtles.

Tyre (called Ksour or Sour in Arabic), a predominantly Shiite town, is the power base of Hezbollah's Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and also home to the United Nations peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL). The town's foundations date back to approximately 2750 BC, after which it was ruled by the Egyptians and then the famous King Hiram, under whom it prospered. Later colonised variously by the Assyrians, Neo-Babylonians, Greeks, Seleucids, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Mamluks and Ottomans, the settlement began to languish from the 13th century onwards and, despite many attempts, never quite recovered its former glory.

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 country and has more than 250km of hiking trails. It's wonderful to see these beautiful trees in their natural environment, and the cool mountain climate makes a welcome change from the sweltering coast. There are several entrances, all with short-distance hiking trails to observe the cedars and access to longer trails.