Nizar and Carolina

There are several areas to check out in the city of Beirut:

- Take a tour around Ashrafieh, then walk the streets of Gemmayze and Mar Mikhael for a pleasant stroll in the sunlight. Take a few more steps, and you will find yourself wandering in Saifi Village, a relatively small and elegant area (with charming coffee shops and boutiques).

- Head towards Downtown and walk by the fancy shops and restaurants in Beirut Souks. Check out the Roman Baths and Zeytouna Bay. You can visit the Mohamed Al Amin Mosque and the St. Georges Church located one next to the other, a symbol of the Muslims' and Christians’ coexistence in Lebanon.

It doesn’t end here!

- Next, go downhill to get to the seaside, and walk along the Corniche. Don’t stop till you’ve reached Raouche (it will not be a short walk!), the area named after the pigeon rock you most definitely will not miss in the middle of the sea.

Visit the Berdawni, the most popular attraction in Zahle along the river. Zahle comprises many wineries as well, the most popular being Chateau Ksara and Chateau Khoury.

You can get a view of Zahle from above, by climbing atop The Lady of Zahle and Bekaa, a concrete tower with a chapel at its base, that overlooks Zahle and the Bekaa valley. A little further is the city of Baalbek, which plays host to some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in Lebanon, including one of the largest preserved temples of the Roman Empire, called the Temple of Bacchus. The Sfiha Baalbakiyye is a delicacy that is not to be missed in Baalbek!

Begin in Byblos where you can wander in the Old Souk, visit the beautiful sea castle, and walk along the beach.

Continue over to Batroun for a walk around another Old Souk that will uncover many hidden gems, such as Georges Maalouf’s tasty seafood sandwicheria located on one of the corner streets, Lady of the Sea church overlooking the famous Phoenician wall, etc…

In the Batroun district, there is a town called Tannourine where you can drive to see the beautiful Balou’ Bal’aa sinkhole. In this area, there are plenty of wineries to choose from if you’re looking to relax while enjoying a spectacular view. Ixsir is highly recommended.

Stop by Douma for a quick coffee at Bent El Day’a Café and enjoy the lovely market.

Further north, the Bsharri mountain contains the great forest of Cedar trees, called Cedars of God.

Also, the Qadisha Valley is a gorge which became so upon being carved by a river during ancient times. It is filled with monasteries and other religious landmarks, which has rendered it a pilgrimage site, sought by many.

- Get the best Falafel from Falafel Sahyoun in Ras El Nabeh
- Get the best Shawarma from Joseph in Sin El Fil
- Sandwiches at Barbar in Hamra or Spears
- Get the best Sojok Shawarma from Mano in Borj Hammoud
- Get the best Lahm Ba’ajin from a bakery called Beaino in Jounieh

P.S: You might have heard of the famous Man’ouche. Unfortunately, no poll could ever determine which man’ouche is the best because there are just so many bakeries. To get your hands on one, go into any bakery, called “furn”, ask for a man’ouche and enjoy!

- Italian: If you’re craving Italian food, head to Tavolina and Tom and Mutz in Mar Mikhael, Mario e Mario in Gemmayze, Mama Jay in Achrafieh

- Burgers: For great burgers, go to The Bros in Mar Mikhael and Witty Bun in Badaro

- Indian and Thai: Jai in Clemenceau

- Japanese: There are many options including Kampaï, Le Sushi Bar and Clap in Downtown

- Mexican: Joe Peῆa’s in Mar Mikhael

- French: For the best French food in Lebanon, you have Le Montagnou in Faraya (highly recommended), Lola in Bikfaya, , Kaléo and Metropole in Downtown, Centrale in Saifi, to name a few. The restaurants listed above are more on the expensive side, so for more affordable options, you can go to Couqley or Swiss Butter in Gemmayze and Prune in Mar Mikhael.

Beirut has a reputation for being a nightlife hub, and we couldn’t agree more! You can get a drink at a bar, lounge or rooftop, then you can finish your evening off partying at a club till the morning light. Lebanon is also famous for many of its wineries.

However, it is worth noting that there is more to Beirut than partying, as you can opt for more culture-related outings, like visiting a museum, catching a play, seeing an art exhibition, etc.

During the summer, there is a variety of beaches along the entire Lebanese coastline that is open to the public either for free or for a fee.