Only an hour-long drive away from the city, Byblos is one of the best places to visit near Beirut if you are a fan of history and archaeology. The city is one of the oldest of all Phoenician cities and has been continuously inhabited since 5000 BC. The National Museum of Obelisks was built 3200 to 3600 years ago, and is a surreal experience to visit.
We leave the flashy bars of downtown and head south, but we get lost and end up in Haret Hreik, the suburb where Hezbollah had its headquarters, flattened in 2006. We drive down an avenue that’s strung with the portraits of “martyrs” – the largest greek islands unmistakeable “heroic”-style photographs of dreamy-looking young men and women who’ve gone to their maker. Since you’re in Beirut for three days only, you should taste the local food, get to know the culture, learn the delicacies, etc.
Young mother and a kid walking in the old town of Beirut, mosque… Aerial view during the explosion in the port area of Beirut,… But then Campbell Gray has been through the same sort of Lebanese love affair that Anna and I have. Rapt adoration, mostly; interspersed with moments of appalled horror. “The social snobbery is just something else, isn’t it? I mean even the nationality of your help is a status thing.” He came out for a weekend in the mid-90s and just fell in love with the place. “Oh it was just wonderful. It was so beautiful but such a mess. There were all those security checkpoints yet it felt quite safe. And the people were incredible.”
What i saw in Beirut broke my heart……my heart is breaking on daily basis from what i see in Lebanon…Iran….Iraq….and list is on and on. Hope is a big word for the poeple in this region….but it is all we have mate. Whether you are a foreigner or a local, you will be hard pressed to avoid chat in the local café or the local sandwich shop.
The legends say that the prince had chopped off the hands of the architect’s so that another marvel cannot be made. This is a one of a kind marvel which holds a heavy importance in Lebanon. The town of Baalbek in Beqaa Valley, about two and half hours from Beirut, is best known for the Roman temple of Bacchus, one of the last standing Roman buildings in the world. The temple was built in memory of the Roman God of wine and is more than 1800 hundred years old. The courtyard in front of the temple now plays hosts to the Baalbeck International Festival, an annual celebration of history and architecture and one of the best places in Beirut to be if you are a fan of history and architecture.
With a special interest in visiting non-touristy places around the world, some of which often can seem too dangerous for most. When it comes to getting around Beirut city, you can walk to most attractions and landmarks. If you wish to travel from Beirut to the winter ski resort of Mount Hermon on the Syrian border, the travel time is around the same.
