The must-sees of Lebanon

Lebanon, discover this 5-day trip

Trip Description

Lebanon is a country that transforms its visitors! Located between the sea and the desert, its location has made it a country of refuge and shelter, but also a corridor crossed by the armies of all the civilizations of the Mediterranean basin over the millennia… Its archaeological remains recount this long and exceptional history, which has also shaped the spirit of its people: open-mindedness, faith, and tenacity. Five days in Lebanon are enough to discover and admire this small country and its people.

Accomodation

No accomodation information available

Stay program

day 1
Arrival
Arrival at Beirut airport. Discovery of the historic center of Beirut: Place de l’Étoile, the Roman baths, Martyrs' Square, Saint George Cathedral, and the Mohammed El Amin Mosque. Stop on the corniche, near the Pigeon Grotto. Check-in at the hotel and overnight in Beirut.
day 2
The Chouf and Sidon
This first day will be dedicated to discovering the Chouf Mountain, the historical core of modern Lebanon: visit of the Beiteddine Palace, built in the 19th century by Emir Bechir II Chehab, which houses a museum of Byzantine mosaics. Stroll through the small alleys of Deir Al Qamar, the capital of the Mount Lebanon principality during the Ottoman era: an open-air museum with its palaces, its caravanserai, and its places of worship such as the famous Fakhreddine Mosque and the Maronite church of Our Lady of the Hill. Drive to Sidon (the ancient Saida) and discover this prestigious Phoenician city: the Sea Castle, stroll through the old souks: Khan el Franj, the 17th-century caravanserai, the Audi soap factory, the Debbané Palace, and the Saint Nicholas Church. Overnight in Beirut.
day 3
Baalbeck and Anjar
Visit to the fertile Bekaa plain, the breadbasket of Lebanon. In Baalbeck (UNESCO World Heritage), discovery of the archaeological site and its majestic temples dedicated to Jupiter, Venus, and Bacchus, as well as the Roman quarry where the megalithic blocks justify the gigantism of the site without revealing all its mysteries! Route to Anjar (UNESCO World Heritage), this village located at the crossroads between Damascus and the Lebanese coast, between north and south. The Umayyads built a trading city there in the 8th century, whose ruins today bear witness to the architecture of this first Islamic dynasty established in Damascus. In the 1940s, Armenians from Alexandretta settled there and created the modern village with an Armenian flair. Visit to one of the wineries of the Bekaa plain and wine tasting. Overnight in Jounieh.
day 4
Les Cèdres, Qadicha, Byblos
Route to North Lebanon, for a short hike in the shade of the Cedars of the Lord, the country's emblematic tree which has featured on the flag since the creation of the State of Greater Lebanon in 1920. Discovery of Qadicha, the Holy Valley (UNESCO World Heritage), and visit to the Saint Anthony Qozhaya Monastery, a living witness to Maronite monasticism and the place where the first printing press in the Arab world was established in the 17th century. In the afternoon, visit Byblos, one of the oldest cities in the world, cradle of the Phoenician alphabet (UNESCO World Heritage). The archaeological site recounts 7000 years of history with the ruins of Neolithic houses, Bronze Age temples, and the medieval citadel. Then, let yourself be immersed in the city's souks and discover the Saint John-Marc church as well as the old port. Overnight in Jounieh.
day 5
Free time and departure
Transfer to Beirut airport for departure.