A note from Holiday Architects
A quick update: We’re not currently offering holidays to Lebanon. We absolutely loved our time designing trips here, so we’ve kept this article live for anyone interested in learning more about this fascinating country. If you’re looking for somewhere we can currently take you, have a look at our holidays to... Jordan – for Roman cities, ancient history, brilliant food and dramatic landscapes.Oman – for mountains, wadis, culture and a more adventurous Middle East trip.
Egypt – for the heavyweight history and archaeology.
Introducing Lebanon!…
Lebanon is a melting pot of religions, cultures and ancient civilisations, and we loved our time designing holidays here. And that’s before we even start raving about the food. With Mediterranean influence colliding with Middle Eastern at every turn, despite its small size, the country is hugely culturally diverse. Its capital, Beirut, is a centre that boasts more than 5,000 years of recorded history and well-preserved Roman ruins on every corner. Throw in the delicious Lebanese cuisine, the first-class wine, stunning hiking and wonderful people, and you’ll be counting down the days until you can visit. We were so excited to add Lebanon to our growing portfolio of destinations. HA travel specialist Emma fell in love with the country and wanted to share these eight reasons why Lebanon is the best place you never thought to visit… (even if we can't arrange a visit for you right now!)
HA's Emma, enjoying one of the many hiking trails to country has to offer
Lebanon has had a complicated recent history
There’s no getting away from the fact that Lebanon has been through some incredibly difficult periods. A devastating civil war tore through the country between 1975 and 1990, and years of political and regional instability have continued to shape both life in Lebanon and how the country is perceived from the outside. When our experts travelled through Lebanon, what struck them was just how much there was to discover beyond the headlines. Ancient ruins, mountain villages, brilliant food, a fascinating mix of cultures and communities, and some of the warmest welcomes they encountered on their travels. We’re not currently offering holidays to Lebanon, and anyone considering travelling there independently should always check the latest FCDO travel advice before making plans. But we’ve kept this article here because our experts loved exploring the country, and the experiences and stories they brought home are still well worth sharing. We really hope it'll be firmly back on the holiday list before too long.It’s a food lovers’ heaven
Even if you haven’t considered visiting Lebanon (yet), chances are you’ve come across its cuisine. The deliciousness of the Lebanese food cannot be over-exaggerated and is highly renowned the world over.
It’s all about the mezze (small plates) in Lebanon, which is great because you get to try a bit of everything - trust us, this is never a bad thing with Lebanese food. The Lebanese people treat eating like a national sport, so be prepared to loosen your belt buckle a few notches after a visit here.
From the fragrant and spicy eggplant and tahini dip (known as moutabal ), to the succulent stuffed vine leaves, flatbreads, tabbouleh, hummus and delicious shawarmas – the rich and varied flavours are to die for. Whether you’re a meat eater or a veggie, you’ll find plenty to tempt you in Lebanon.
Food was one of our favourite ways to get to know Lebanon when our experts travelled there. From cooking in the mountains with a Lebanese grandmother to sampling the street food of Beirut, some of our best memories of the country happened around the table.
The wine is delicious
Lebanon isn’t just for the foodies. If you’re partial to the odd tipple of the grape variety, you’d love it here. The beautiful Bekaa Valley is home to some exceptionally rich agriculture and most importantly – a lot of wine.
The vineyards in this area are so picturesque and the climate makes for the most delicious flavour. With long dry summers followed by wet winters and a constant flow of fresh water running off the mountains, the grapes really flourish here.
The Bekaa region is home to plenty of wineries, with Château Kefraya being a particular favourite from our experts’ time there. We can think of worse ways to spend a few days!
Lebanon is home to some of the best-preserved ancient civilisations on earth
If ancient history is your thing, Lebanon is home to some of the most impressive and well-preserved Roman ruins in the world. The ruins at Baalbek are some of Emma's favourites she visited. The Jupiter temple is particularly staggering, being one of the largest Roman temples on the planet. You need to spend some time walking around to get a true feeling for the vast size of it.
With countless ancient civilisations leaving their mark on this Middle Eastern gem, you could be eating dinner in a local restaurant and dining next to genuine Roman columns. There really is history to be found everywhere in this country.
Byblos is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. With inhabitants dating back as far as 7700BC, this was the place where the first ever inscriptions that contained references to what then became the Western alphabet were discovered. Emma loved wandering the ancient streets, soaking in the clashes of civilisation and glimpses of a history so ancient that the word ‘Bible’ is said to have come from ‘Byblos’.
Beirut is one of the most interesting and diverse cities in the Middle East
Mediterranean one way you look, Middle Eastern the other, this merging of influence makes Beirut the truly dynamic and diverse city that it is. Over its long and fascinating history, Lebanon has been ruled by Romans, Arabs, Mamluks, Egyptians, Assyrians, Persians, Umayyads, the French and the Ottomans. This might go some way to explaining the sheer expanse of its cultural and architectural diversity that can be found across the capital – and further afield.
With cosmopolitan cafes and trendy neighbourhoods aplenty and mosques and churches frequently seen standing side by side, Lebanon is an extraordinary place to explore.
Lebanon has sweeping landscapes to excite even the most adventurous
If you’re outdoorsy; a hiker, cyclist or keen kayaker, Lebanon has something for you.
The heart-shaped Qadisha Valley is a real hikers’ paradise. Whether you’re after a serious 22km trek or an easy, level stroll that rewards you with breath-taking views, you don’t need to exert much energy before the Lebanese landscape will congratulate you for your efforts. Travel specialist Emma is an avid hiker and told us the trekking in Lebanon was one of the highlights of her trip.
The coast at Batroun is the perfect place to hire a bike and spend the morning riding along the scenic coastline. You don’t have to pedal far before you come across beach bars and seafront restaurants nestled up against the sand. If you catch it on a good day, tables are often dragged out onto the beach with locals dining whilst the waves lap at their feet.
The people are wonderfully welcoming
The Lebanese people are friendly – and then some! Wherever Emma went, she found herself engaged in conversations, connecting with locals and even invited for coffee by a stranger. Their hospitality shines through at every opportunity. With a clash of identities and cultures throughout the country, the Lebanese are a truly accepting nation showing a true resilience and love of life. What’s more, the Lebanese are renowned as a nationality that really knows how to have a good time.You can spend the morning skiing and the afternoon on the beach in Lebanon
If all of this isn’t enough to convince you that Lebanon is really is a destination worth visiting when the time is right – then how does skiing in powder white snow before lunch and spending the afternoon by the ocean sound? Lebanon really does have it all.
If you visit the country around Springtime, you could wake up and hit the slopes in the Mzaar region before hopping in a car and taking a walk on the beach at Batroun after lunch. (If you’re really lucky with the weather you might even be able to fit in a spot of water skiing, or just enjoy a drink in one of the many beach bars.) There aren’t too many places in the world that offer this much diversity within just a short two-hour drive.
