Lebanon

Overview

Lebanon ( Arabic : لبنان , French : Liban ) is a country in the Middle East , on the Mediterranean Sea. Rich in diversity and history, Lebanon has hosted the Roman Empire, the Crusades, the Ottoman Empire, and was, for a period of time, controlled by France . The majority of Lebanese are Arabs, as are most of the Palestinians and Syrians living there, but there are also small communities of Assyrians, Armenians and Kurds. Lebanese cuisine is among the most famous of all Middle Eastern cuisines .

The Republic of Lebanon is marked by two mountain ridges that run parallel to the Mediterranean coastline. The Mount Lebanon ridge is close to the sea, and is cut across from north to south by transverse valleys and canyons. The landscape is mostly mountainous and sometimes very rugged, with steep cliffs and gradients. Streams are frequent and provide ample resources for cultivation and natural vegetation.

Lebanon has a long and complex history since the Neolithic age. The most important Phoenicians cities ( Byblos and Tyre among others) were founded here and have been thriving since then. The area was under the sphere of influence of Egyptian, Mesopotomian, and Persian ancient civilizations. Lebanon has a rich heritage of Hellenistic and Roman monuments, including among others the temples of Baalbek and Tyre. After the Byzantine and Umayyad rule (which left behind the ruins of Anjar), the area of today's Lebanon was conquered by the Crusaders and the Mamluks, with many significant monuments (fortresses and places of worship) scattered over the country, and notably in Tripoli .

Places to explore

Many cities in Lebanon have names in English which are significantly different from their official Arabic or French names; the Romanised versions of the Arabic names for some cities are given in parentheses below. Note that signs in Lebanon are in Arabic or French only, and so spellings in Latin script can differ from how a place can be spelled in English.

Sights and landscapes

Lebanon is a country rich in natural scenery from beautiful beaches to mountains and valleys. Lebanese people take pride that Lebanon is one of the few countries that gives you the opportunity to go skiing in the morning and going to the beach in the afternoon (although it is impossible to actually do that because of traffic). This is only possible for a few days in the year, usually in the few days when winter shifts to spring and/or summer shifts to autumn.

Beirut Downtown Visitors from all around are astonished by its beautiful downtown. At Place de l'Etoile, tourists can enjoy a delightful meal or a cup of coffee at the outdoor cafes. In addition to those, the capital provides other restaurants and hangouts that people of all ages can enjoy. There are also many nightclubs, bars, cafes, and restaurants, catering to a diverse amount of styles and budgets.

Al Bass Archaeological Site , Tyre, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the largest and best preserved Roman archeological sites in the world. The site is made up of a huge Necropolis, a massive monumental arch leading to a Roman Road, alongside which there is an excellent example of an aqueduct as well as the largest and best preserved Roman Hippodrome found to date.

Experiences

The Lebanese people have had to adapt to the political turmoil. Lebanon is easily the party capital of the Middle East. Beirut features a range of distinct nightlife neighbourhoods, such as Gemmayze district, mostly full of bars and restaurants, or the Monot Street which features nightclubs and bars. Lebanon is also known for its open-air nightclubs such as Sky Bar, White, and Iris. Greater Beirut is a sleepless city, as the great majority of it open 24 hours a day.

Lebanon also has a huge beach party scene having exquisite beaches and beach resorts including Sporting Club, Oceana, Laguava or Edde Sands and Janna Sur Mer. However, these places can be very expensive, especially for the budget traveller.

Lebanon has six ski resorts with groomed slopes, catering to skiers and snowboarders of all levels. Beyond the ski-able domains await you kilometers of cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails waiting to be explored; Lebanon has something for everyone. Each of the ski resorts has a different flavor.

Lebanon has some of the oldest sites of wine production in the world and today enjoys a burgeoning industry producing award-winning wines for worldwide export, though mainly in the UK, Europe and the United States. Wine tasting is an absolute must with any visit to Lebanon. Below are some wine producers in Lebanon for you to keep an eye out for:

Culture and food

Lebanon fosters exquisite cuisine ranging from a mezza of vegetarian dishes such as tabouleh , fattoush , and waraq ainab to delicious dips like hommos and moutabal .

Lebanese "fast food" is also available as sandwiches offered in roadside shops, such as shawarma sandwiches (known in other countries as doner – or gyros in Greece). Shawarma is rolled in Lebanese thin bread. Various barbequed meat sandwiches are also available, and even things such as lamb or chicken spleen, brains, lamb bone marrow or lamb testicles can be served as sandwiches.

Breakfast usually consists of manaeesh which look like folded pizza, the most common toppings being zaatar (a mixture of thyme, olive oil, sesame seeds), jebneh (cheese), or minced meat (this version is more properly referred to as lahm bi ajin ).

Planning your route

A trip from Tyre to Beirut will easily take you 1½ hours, depending on traffic and security conditions. This is not to say that it's entirely safe — Lebanese roads are not in perfect condition and drivers aren't known for being very cautious. Still, travelling by car is your best bet.

Travel guide text compiled and adapted from Wikivoyage article (contributors). Sections were selected and reordered for this guide. Text is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. Check current arrangements with your travel consultant.