Two Days in Lebanon – Beirut and Beyond
**NOTE: If, like us, you have been to Israel prior to this trip, do not try to hide this information when you arrive at the Lebanese border. The customs officer might ask you a series of questions and then will decide to allow you or not to enter the country. **
We are used to planning our vacation and weekend getaway in advance but visiting Lebanon was totally unexpected! Back in April, I was supposed to join my sister in Paris and from there, take the train towards Reims to visit the Champagne region. Due to the strikes, we decided to change our plans and to avoid using the train. We searched for good deals on Google Flights and we found cheap round-trip tickets from Paris to Beirut at 170 euros!
We jumped on this occasion without any hesitation and started looking for where to stay and what to do in Beirut. The city has a welcoming atmosphere, diverse food scene, and world-class nightlife. What makes Beirut even more interesting is its location. Less than two hours from the main Lebanese historical sites, Beirut offers a wide range of possibilities. To make the most of our time, we bought a 1-day guided tour on Viator including the cities of Baalbek, Anjaar, and Ksara. The next day, we spent our time visiting Beirut. Read on our experience to help you plan your own 48-hour itinerary to visit this vibrant city.
Day One in Lebanon
Located just a stone’s throw from the coastline, the luxury Radisson Blu Martinez Hotel is a stunning place to stay in the city. Even if we took Uber a couple of times, historical monuments, shopping, and nightlife all lie within a short distance.
We got up early in the morning to take a cool dip at the sumptuous indoor swimming pool before having breakfast at the hotel’s Olivos Restaurant located off the lobby. Surrounded by elegance and sophistication, the restaurant serves a variety of delectable local and international favorites. We tasted the Super Breakfast Buffet, which is available every morning and features among others labneh, rice-stuffed vine leaves, fresh fruits, and vegetables.
Right after the breakfast, the guide from Nakhal & Cie agency came to pick up us at the hotel’s reception. A few minutes later, we were on route to our first stop, the Umayyad city of Anjar founded in the early 8th century. Located in the Bekaa Valley, this fascinating complex is filled with ruined temples, arcades, and gates, many built in Hellenistic and Roman style.
Recognized as a World Heritage Site, we would admit that the arcades and the gates were impressive! While walking through the ruins, we were plunged back in time and were able to figure out how well organized was the life in this small city. Maybe because we love going to the spa, our favorite part of this site was definitely the thermal baths built on the Roman model.
When we arrived in Baalbek, we realized that Anjaar was just the appetizer! Known as Heliopolis during the Hellenistic period, the monumental complex of Baalbek is one of the finest examples of Imperial Roman architecture at its apogee.
The temple of Jupiter, principal temple of the Baalbek triad, is remarkable for its high columns and the gigantic stones of its terrace. At the opposite, the Temple of Venus differs in its originality of layout and its harmonious forms. That being said, the most spectacular temple of this site is certainly the colossal Temple of Bacchus with its rich and abundant decoration. Just being there and walking from temples to temples was definitely worth the visit.
After the lunch at Casino Arabi restaurant, we went to Ksara, home of the famous Ksara Caves. These ancient caves were discovered in 1898 and are now used by Chateau Ksara, Lebanon’s oldest wine estate. Unfortunately, the guided visit does not include a tour of the plantation. We briefly visited two rooms of the Roman caves, where the wines are stored and concluded with a tasting of a selection of four wines. The Sunset Rosé wine did not impress us but we really enjoyed the Château Ksara 2014 Red wine and the Moscatel White wine. If you want to have a glimpse of Château Ksara wines, note that few of them are available at the SAQ.
We were back in Beirut just in time to admire the sunset at the Pigeons Rock (also called Raouché) located off the coast of Raouché neighborhood. This natural landmark is formed of two huge rocks, which emerge above the water. According to the legend, the Pigeons Rock is claimed to be the remains of a sea monster the Greek hero Perseus killed to save Andromeda. Intriguing story! Whatever the legend says, this place is perfect to take stunning sunset pictures.
Few meters away from the Pigeons Rock stands the luxury Mövenpick Hotel & Resort, a calm oasis in the heart of the city. We extended our sunset experience at the Hemingway’s Bar & Lounge located on the hotel’s rooftop. While tasting a cozy Lebanese dinner, we took advantage of the stunning view overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. We ended up this lovely evening at the Iris nightclub in Beirut New Waterfront Seaside Pavillon where we hang out with some people we met during the guided tour earlier that day.
Day Two in Lebanon
On Sunday, we went to Boulevard Beirut for the brunch but we did not have access to the restaurant breakfast menu because we were sitting on the terrace area named La Plage, which has its own menu. We had the choice between a variety of cold mezze, salads, and fresh juices. The food was okay but what really attracted us to this place was the outstanding panoramic view.
Following the brunch, we reached Ashrafieh, which is one of the oldest districts of Beirut. We jumped off the Uber on Gouraud Street corner St Nicolas where stands L’Escalier de l’Art also named St Nicholas Stairs. It is the longest stairway in the Middle East where various exhibitions, festivals and open-air cinema screenings take place.
St Nicholas Stairs lead us to the sumptuous Sursock Museum, a symbol of Beirut’s renaissance, built in an extravagant mix of Ottoman and Venetian styles. This modern and contemporary art museum aims to produce knowledge on art practices in the region and support local art production. The highlights of our visit include the Salon Arabe for its marvelous decoration and the Engaged Art zone where are featured a series of works from Lebanese artists who use their talent to protest against political and social injustices.
When we left the museum, we stopped by Hannah Mitri to taste the best ice cream made in Beirut. I opted for lemon and my sister chose rose water, both are sorbets with no additives, no milk and no colorant added. This artisanal ice cream shop is truly a must try, don’t miss it!
We reached back the historical center where we visited the Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque, the Martyrs’ Square, the Saint Georges Greek Orthodox Cathedral, and the Roman Baths. At the mosque entrance, we were offered long vest with a cap to wear during the visit. It was the first weekend of the Ramadan so it was a little bit busy inside the mosque but we were able to do the tour of the woman area and to admire the stunning decorations.
On our way back to the hotel we ate excellent pita falafel sandwiches at Barbar restaurant located on Spears street. It was our last taste of Lebanese food since we were leaving very early the next morning. But before saying goodbye to Beirut, we celebrated our departure at the Four Seasons Hotel rooftop later that night.
Overall, we had a really good time in Lebanon while meeting friendly people, learning about their culture, and enjoying the beautiful scenery. Moreover, we felt completely safe as two black females visiting Lebanon by ourselves. French and English are widely used so we did not have any troubles to communicate. If you like this post, please feel free to comment or share on social media. You can follow this blog on Facebook, Instagram, and subscribe to our newsletter on the main page for monthly updates and make sure you don’t miss our next adventure 😉
