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Beirut region
Lebanon’s capital city is a vibrant, stylish metropolis, with all of the fun, fashion, and flair that a city lover could look for. All over the city, sleek, modern buildings are springing up, alongside arabesque Ottoman and French-style buildings, giving Beirut a unique style that is all its own. Perched on the shore of the blue Mediterranean Sea, Beirut has a balmy, mild climate that is perfect for year round visits. From sipping coffee at an open air café, to shopping for cutting edge fashions at a boutique shop, to exploring the treasures of the country’s National Museum, to dancing the night away at a trendy club, Beirut has something to offer for everyone.
DINING IN BEIRUTCosmopolitan Beirut brims with cafes, pubs, and restaurants catering to a range of local and international tastes. Hotel breakfast buffets typically include juice, coffee, croissants, platters of fruit, yogurt, and a variety of hot and cold entrées, from omelets to cereal. If breakfast is not included in the price of your hotel room or you fancy going out, try Casper & Gambini. The stylish restaurant serves up European cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Pain au chocolate, beignets (French doughnuts), and toasted bagels with a variety of fillings are breakfast specialties (US$1 to US$5). For lunch or dinner, there are numerous outdoor cafes in the beautifully reconstructed Solidère area that revive the weary traveler with crêpes, sandwiches, salads, etc. (US$5 to US$15). Also in the Solidère area is Al-Balad, an atmospheric restaurant with outdoor seating serving excellent Arabic food (US$15). Off the corniche (seaside road), one can find good Italian pastas, pizza and salad at Caffe Mondo (US$8 to US$20), an outdoor café in the Phoenicia Hotel that can be accessed from the street. For Chinese and Japanese food, try Chop Sticks (Chinese, US$10 to US$15) or Scoozi (Italian/Japanese, US$25) both in Solidère. If you’re on the move or on a budget, Lebanese fast food places are all over the city. Each establishment tends to specialize in a few basics, such as shwarma and kebabs or sandwiches (US$1 to US$2). Look around for places that serve melted chocolate and banana for dessert. Achrafieh is the trendy place to go for full-course Lebanese or European cuisine and a puff on the water pipe, nargileh, after dinner.
ENTERTAINMENT & NIGHTLIFE IN BEIRUTNightlife in Beirut merits a special note. The city is brimming with restaurants, beach clubs, centers for performing arts, music venues, movie theatres, a casino, and a number of discos, pubs, and bars. The best approach may be to get warmed up for your evening at one of Beirut’s state-of-the-art health clubs, such as Lifestyles, near the Corniche, or the Spa Intercontinental, at the Phoenicia Hotel. Then check out the performance schedules while sipping a Lebanese espresso or enjoying a cocktail at a café in trendy Solidère. MUSIC If it’s live music you’re after, try the Blue Note on Makhoul Street next to AUB, or the bar, Strange Fruit, also located downtown. As its name suggests, the Blue Note specializes in jazz, and hosts a variety of local and international talent. Strange Fruit is a funky establishment serving nouveau cuisine and headlining an eclectic mix of artists, from jazz to local alternative music bands. Head to Achrafieh for atmospheric piano bars. Folkloric music and dance is the specialty of the restaurant Nahr Al-Founoun on the Pont de Nahr Al-Kalb. The Lebanese National Conservatoire performs classical pieces, as well as classical Arabic and jazz music, at the Charles Khater Theatre at St. Joseph’s University. For seasonal big ticket performances, check out the schedule at the UNESCO Palace. THEATER Theater is making a comeback in Beirut. The city boasts a number of theaters (Al Madina, George V, Beirut Theater, Atennee) that showcase plays, music, dance, poetry and other theatrical arts. The Al Madina Theater in Clemenceau is relatively new, opened in 1994 by a well-known Lebanese actress, Nidal al-Achkar. The Beirut Theater is known for its avante garde approach, interweaving the dramatic arts with multimedia. At all the theaters, performances are in Arabic, French, or English, depending on the particular performance. ART Lebanon has long been the center of the contemporary art world in the Middle East, renowned for the eye and skill of its artists. Nowhere is this more aptly displayed than at the Sursock Museum in Achrafieh. The museum houses a collection of modern and contemporary Lebanese art and presents themed exhibits and international collections. If you’re interested in starting your own private collection or just browsing, be sure to take in a gallery opening or view a collection. Beirut’s galleries are too numerous to mention, but Galleries Zaman, Janine Rubeiz, and Aida Cherfan are a few of the well respected. The country has reached a high level of cultural achievement in the arts, with a popular form of poetry being zajal, where poets enter into a witty dialogue of improvised verse. The national dance is the dabke, which is performed throughout the country by dancers wearing traditional Lebanese mountain costume. The theme of the dance relates to village life. Local crafts include glass-making, weaving, pottery, embroidery and brass and copper work.
SHOPPING IN BEIRUT Shopping is a quintessential leisure activity in downtown Beirut. Lebanese track the European fashion trends closely in both interior design and clothing. Designer garments, jewelry, and accessories are introduced in Beirut first before they spread to the other Arab markets. Rue Hamra is a shoppers’ paradise with everything from stylish everyday wear and shoes to upscale evening wear. Some of Beirut’s home furnishings stores rival cutting edge retailers in Europe and the United States in terms of selection and interesting items. Visit Charme d’Antan in Achrafieh, located on Elias Sarkis Avenue facing the Rizk Tower. For good bargains on old or replica furniture, visit Le hangar de Denise in Horsh Tabet or try the flea market in the old streets of Basta Tahta. Persian and caucasian carpets are also big in Beiru. Kabalan on the Salim Salam Bridge, Maktabi in Verdun, and Nalbandian in Achrafieh are big names in new and antique carpets.
EXPLORE CITY LIFE IN LEBANON Fashionable and trendy, Beirut is the cultural epicenter of Lebanon. The city is bustling with life and oozing with charisma. Beirutis live life to the full, taking in all the city’s gastronomic delights, ambience, and leisure activities until the wee hours of the morning. Between the time they leave work and the time they arrive home, a true Beiruti fits in shopping along the Rue Hamra, a gallery opening, drinks with friends at a new bar, dinner around 10pm, and a Lebanese espresso, before hitting a nightclub in Achrafieh around midnight. Fashionable and trendy, Beirut is the cultural epicenter of Lebanon. The city is bustling with life and oozing with charisma. Beirutis live life to the full, taking in all the city’s gastronomic delights, ambience, and leisure activities until the wee hours of the morning. Between the time they leave work and the time they arrive home, a true Beiruti fits in shopping along the Rue Hamra, a gallery opening, drinks with friends at a new bar, dinner around 10pm, and a Lebanese espresso, before hitting a nightclub in Achrafieh around midnight. GEOGRAPHY
Lebanon is located on the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea.
It is bordered by Syria to the north and east, and by occupied Palestine
to the south. Lebanon Surface area is 10,452 km/sqr. The 15-kilometer-wide fertile Bekaa valley is the country's main agricultural region, growing crops as varied as sugar beet, potatoes, and grapes. The Bekaa's archaeological treasures are among Lebanon's finest: Baalbeck, once a Roman metropolis, and Anjar, an Umayyad city that was an 8th century shopping center, much as nearby Chtaura is today. Lebanon's two major rivers, the Litani and the Orontes, rise in the Bekaa Valley. The valley ends abruptly at the foot of the Anti-Lebanon range, an arid mountain mass which forms the boundary with Syria. CURRENCY & BANKING
One U$ equal to 1500 LL. Most banks will only change US dollars and UK pounds in cash and travelers cheques, but moneychangers will buy and sell almost any currency. EDUCATION & LIFESTYLE
Beirut has important universities targeted from major Arab countries seeking for certain level of education. The most notable is the American University of Beirut (AUB); others are the American Lebanese University (ALU), Beirut-Arab University, and the Lebanese Maronite University. As in other Arab countries the traditional lifestyle of the Lebanese revolves strongly around the family, socializing and hospitality. Western influences, mainly French and American, have given the country a cosmopolitan facade, mostly in the main cities. Outside the cities, especially in the mountains, the people retain the old customs and traditions. The Lebanese people, despite being ethnically and religiously diverse because of the country's long history of conquest and assimilation, are friendly and hospitable. They are familiar with foreigners' ways and dress and although sleeveless tops, miniskirts and shorts are acceptable in Beirut, the rest of the country is more traditional and modest dress is recommended. This is particularly necessary when visiting mosques and other religious places.
Explore Lebanon in Winter From the warm Mediterranean coast to the snow-covered mountains, Winter (December-March) presents visitors to Lebanon with a host of contrasts. Winter along the coast is a mild affair, characterized by warm days and cool evenings, with temperatures ranging from 10-20°C (50-67°F). As such, it is a wonderful time to visit the many historical and cultural attractions along the coast, including the ancient cities of Byblos, Sidon, and Tyre. Not only will you avoid the crowds, but you may actually find yourself as the solitary visitor to these ancient ruins. The real draw during the winter, however, is Lebanon’s winter sports. With six ski resorts catering to skiers and snowboarders of all skill levels, and kilometers of backcountry nordic (cross-country) and snowshoe trails waiting to be explored, Lebanon has something for everyone. Winter is the rainy season in Lebanon, which translates into plenty of powder at the higher elevations where temperatures range from -5°C-5°C (25-40°F). If timed correctly, a visit during the tail end of the ski season affords visitors the opportunity to ski in the morning and take a relaxing swim in the Mediterranean in the afternoon. The country’s famous nightlife, entertainment, and shopping do not slow down during the winter months. There is also a popular classical music festival each February at the Al-Bustan Hotel which features renowned classical pieces and performers.
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