Things to see and do Lebanon

Lebanon photos on the Flickr photo sharing site

The blog that becomes the reference, written by a couple of journalists. She is Lebanese, he is French, and both live in Beirut. Over the days, they tell Lebanon that they live, Lebanon political, societal, cultural. It's like a newspaper, it's written, well-informed, diverse, intelligent, to read with great interest.

A multicarte couple. They are both directors, photographers and artists. They exhibited in Paris at the last Autumn Festival with a sophisticated installation (Distracted Bullets) and films Khiam I and Khiam II. A presentation is available here http: //www.festival-automne.com/fr/programme.php? program_ id = 165

An institution in Beirut, the Cultural Agenda is the only publication that lists Lebanon's cultural activities. On the site, it is possible to register for the newsletter.

On LebEvents, all information on the Lebanese evenings of Paris, but also a list of cultural events or small ads. Fun.

The Lebanese Host offers a wealth of information on tourism, culture, nightlife and gastronomy.

On our website, a special page on Lebanon with a synthesis of what needs to be seen and done during your stay and practical advice.

The website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Information on safety, transport or health is provided as well as a list of useful numbers on site.

The site of the Ministry of Tourism of Lebanon, in English and French. Possibility to book online a hotel room.

It is always good to look at the Beirut and Lebanon maps of these free Encyclopedias. To get an idea and read the latest practical tips put online.

The first Francophone portal on Lebanon is no longer as compelling as it was a few years ago. It's always interesting to take a look at it, but his model, bugs and commercials are found navigation.

An impersonal portal where you can find many addresses and links on news, culture, economics, tourism or history. It is difficult to find it but playful.

A general site and updated but discreet and poorly identified.

Both portal and magazine on the Internet, Iloubnan has become a reference site where you can find news and AFP news releases, reports, columns and photos. Written, complete and in two languages, French/English.

A highly reactive information site and mainly oriented towards the political news of Lebanon.

This is a reference for "hot" news even if it is tedious to display and difficult to read. It is strongly recommended to take a look at the latest news.

The Yahoo News page on Lebanon has become inevitable because it offers the latest news from agencies (AFP, AP, Reuters). What to stay well informed.

Lebanon has 5 sites classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Anjar, Baalbek, Byblos, Wadi, Qadisha Valley, and Tyre). On the UNESCO website, you can find a detailed sheet of each of the 5 sites.

These three English-speaking sites can be very practical to prepare for their trip and locate a hotel, restaurant or tourist site.

With its outdated design, this site (in English and updated) is only worth the tourist information it offers on several cities in Lebanon such as Marjayoun, Zahle or the Qadisha Valley. There is even a Fiche file near Saida.

Behind the racecourse and the National Museum, surrounded by a large wall, stands the pine forest, planted by Amir Fakhreddine. The "dream pine forest", described by Lamartine during his trip to the East, is now trying to survive as best it can in the midst of dust and pollution. A joint programme led by the Ile-de-France region and the city of Beirut made it possible to redevelop it in 1995. Long reserved for Westerners and people with a permit, the pine forest is at the heart of a legal imbroglio as only Lebanon is capable of creating. After a struggle of several years, a group of inhabitants had succeeded in opening the park to all in 2016. The end of an absurd discrimination, but above all an important victory for the health of Beirut's inhabitants: the number of green spaces in Beirut is limited to a ratio of 0.8 square meters per inhabitant (when the WHO recommends 9...). And then in 2017, the municipality decides to close the pine wood again: a parasite would attack the trees and the authorities fear a contagion. If the epidemic was real, this decision could have hidden real estate embezzlement: building permits were given in protected areas of the park. This rekindled the anger of the inhabitants, who regularly organized sit-ins and demonstrations to safeguard the green lung of the Lebanese capital. The trees have since been treated, and the park is finally open to the public. Perfect for a stroll in the footsteps of Lamartine.

This site gathers a lot of information about the city's main tourist attractions. He is full of information about the historic sites of Tripoli.

Slightly above the city - 3 km from the centre of Ehden - the beautiful forest of Horsh Ehden (17 km ²) has become a natural reserve.

Botanists have identified very rare tree varieties and over 1 000 species of plants. The site also houses several mammals: wolves, wild cats, hyenas, porcs, weasel, badgers, hares and hedgehogs. Beyrouthins hiking clubs organise days of discovery and walks.

200 m south-east of Deir Mar Maroun (the monastery of Saint-Maron) has emerged three sources (Dafache, Ain Zarka and Lahoue), including the «blue source» of the Orontes (Nahr el-Assi), also known as the «toppled river» or the «rebel river» because it flows from south to north.

This biblical landscape, in which the greenery contrasts with the kilometres of desert that stretches just a few feet away, invites to meditate and rest.

By taking from the Acropolis, the main street crossing the city centre and continuing it over 1 km towards the restaurant district, you will reach the source of Ras el-Ain, a pleasant haven of freshness from many canals feeding the city and the gardens. There are still vestiges of a nymphée and a small Roman sanctuary. We also note the remains of a mosque dating back to 1277.

Today, the Badr Hassoun and Fils company has created more than 200 different types of soaps and sells 98% of its products abroad for a total of more than $ 50 000.

You can enter the Jewellers Souk in a long street. In the centre, merchants present items on their trucks from synthetic underwear to ball pens, while on each side stores are spreading their ready-to-wear collections. The The of Tripoli are the most important traditional The of Lebanon. A not miss! To discover them, the best way is to get lost in its streets…

By continuing the street towards the right, we reach the height of fruit and vegetable sellers, followed by butchers who hold the meat at the entrance to the store. It is difficult to resist the pleasure of stopping in front of the store of the spice dealer who is happy to explain the curative virtues of each plant. In the middle of the afternoon, when traders close their shops, the street becomes the kingdom of children.

It offers a selection of contemporary art exhibitions. It is therefore advisable to check the opening times before visiting. The gallery also presents exhibitions in other venues, such as the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon in France and the Musée Śląskie w Katowicach in Poland. Please note that the Brussels gallery is temporarily closed.

The Running House is an art gallery located in Beirut. It features exhibitions by contemporary artists, including Sean Mackaoui, a Lebanese artist specializing in collages. Mackaoui's collages are at once impertinent, poetic and critical. He uses scissors as his main tool to create his works, which are made up of newspaper clippings, advertisements and magazine cut-outs. His collages often evoke deeper meanings than the elements of which they are composed. Mackaoui is inspired by the Dada movement and pop art, and his work is often humorous, minimalist and critical. He has exhibited his work in galleries around the world, including Beirut, Madrid and Barcelona.

The Zico House ("Zico's house") is a unique place where Lebanese and international artists, actors, performers, visual artists, come here to share their creations. Created in 1999 in his family home by Moustapha Yamout, known as Zico, this art center is open to all. If some exhibit their works only for a short time, others have set up residencies here, and it is therefore possible to observe them working. Many events are also organized there, which can be discovered on their Facebook page

It offers exhibitions of contemporary art as well as photographs and old postcards from the Middle East. The gallery is housed in a warm and welcoming space, and also boasts a framing studio, winter garden and archive space. The owner, Dr Moussa Kobeissi, is a passionate collector with over 10,000 old photos and postcards. The gallery regularly organizes exhibitions by local and international artists. Past exhibitions have included oil paintings, photographs and sculptures. Galerie Zamaan is a must for art lovers in Beirut.

Espace Kettaneh Kunigk is an art gallery located in Beirut. It is an exhibition space and cultural center that showcases contemporary artists. The gallery holds regular exhibitions and presents a variety of artworks. Espace Kettaneh Kunigk is a must for art lovers in Beirut.

Opened in 1990 not far from the American university, Agial is one of the most popular contemporary art galleries in the Lebanese capital. Coming from all over the Middle East, artists of international reputation are regularly exhibited there, such as Jean Boghossian, Muatasim Al Kubaisy, or Ginane Makki Bacho. Visual artists, painters and sculptors are thus honoured, as well as some new young talents to be discovered. To celebrate Agial's 25th anniversary, a new gallery (Saleh Barakat) has been opened in the former Clemenceau cinema.

Further along the Corniche, after passing the Movempick Hotel, you can see in the distance the only real public beach in Beirut. This sandy beach is 1 km long. Although the beach is relatively well maintained and there is little plastic waste, swimming is not recommended. Ramlet el-Baida remains therefore a pleasant and friendly place where families come in large numbers to stroll. At the end of the afternoon, the young people of the district start playing football or volleyball.

In the direction of Manara, the cornice runs along the campus of the American University of Beirut, then the International College School, before arriving at the Riviera Hotel. After the Manara area with its new lighthouse, the cornice is less attractive. One follows the private beaches of the Military Bath, Long Beach and Sporting. Created in the 1930s and 1950s, these addresses are very well known, but also old. Not very welcoming, old-fashioned and with rudimentary service, some of them deserve a facelift! Founded in 1955, Le Sporting is very vintage. Manara has one of the most picturesque cafés in the city, Café Raouda. The new lighthouse adjoining the Military Bath beach has replaced the old lighthouse that can be seen between two buildings on the hill overlooking the area.

In order to guide the increasing number of boats coming to Beirut, Daoud Pasha (the first mustassarif appointed in Lebanon during the Ottoman occupation) had decided, in 1863, to entrust the construction of the lighthouse to French engineers. This old lighthouse was extinguished from 1977 to 1994, then the construction of a building below it in the early 2000s was fatal to it. Unable to light it properly, it was closed and a new lighthouse was built. At the foot of this lighthouse, one can admire the "pink house", a splendid Lebanese house. Built in 1882, it dominates the area of Ras Beirut. Although classified, the house occupies a remarkable site that attracts the attention of real estate developers.

Lovers of nature and birds, a passage to Ebel es-Sifni is required. This small village, located between Khiam and Marjeyoun, has become one of the main sanctuaries for migratory birds that will take a break before continuing their journey. Its importance would be global, as many threatened species were found there. The imperial eagle, but also pelicans, teal, harrier and even hawks can be observed.

Ebel es-Sifni has a wooded area and a wetland of the Hasbani River. Destroyed at 80% during the Israeli invasion of 1978 and rebuilt since with the assistance of Norwegian troops from UNIFIL, the wood of Ebel es-Sifni has an area of 38 ha. By a municipal decision, hunting is prohibited.

As in Barouk, it is possible to access the natural reserve of the cedars Du which lies on the heights of Maasser ech Shuf. This reserve houses 32 species of wild mammals, 200 species of birds, and 500 species of plants. It would have 26% of the remaining cedars in Lebanon. The Site ech Shuf site is the smallest reserve forest (approximately 6 ha). In comparison, the Barouk forest covers 400 ha and Ain Zalta over 100 ha. Several work has been done in the development of pedestrian trails. You can take a leisurely stroll along the marked paths.

It is said that it was young people from the village who discovered it in 1974 during a football game after losing their balloon between rocks. True or not, this story lends to smile. The cave of Kfar Him is decorated with stalactites and stalagmites. However, it is small and does not have the splendour of Jeita. Limited interest.

7 km south of Qab Elias in the direction of Lake Qaraoun, the Marécages wetlands occupy 280 hectares. The Ammiq region is a humid area classified by the Ramsar Convention (which aims to prevent the degradation of wetlands around the world). This private area is one of the largest swamps in the Bekaa and is on one of the bird migration routes in the Middle East. In total, more than 250 species of birds were registered in the sector. Some are threatened, such as pelicans, glaréoles, cranes, storks and snipe. In addition to its large variety of birds, a wide variety of animals live in and around the marsh. 23 mammal species were registered: wild cats, otters, reptiles and frogs. An observation zone has been set up. In addition, some tour associations and tour operators organise visits.

After the Cedars of Shuf and Mount Rayhan, Jabal Moussa is the third biosphere reserve classified by UNESCO in Lebanon since 2009. Situated 45 km from Beirut and overlooking the valley of Adonis, Jabal Moussa offers a peaceful and karst landscape with a wide variety of fauna and flora: more than 550 plant species including endemic plants in Lebanon, 14 mammal species (wolves, hyenas, damans of wild rocks, foxes and wild boars) and over 83 species of birds. The forest covers 1 250 hectares and ranges from 350 to 1 574 m above sea level. The site also retains Roman and Byzantine historical remains. The framework is ideal for hikers: the association for the protection of Jabal Moussa organizes several walks per week. Change is guaranteed.

Located at an altitude of 1 400 to 2 250 m, the Qammouha forest (50 ha) which begins at the level of the village of Fnaideq offers a remarkable landscape. There are 42 species of trees including juniper, cedar and Cilicia fir, 1 600 plant species and flowers, a rich and diverse fauna. Qammouha is one of the most beautiful natural sites in Lebanon. Lost at the "end of the world" in the Akkar, the region is filled with small torrents, pines, trails and retains some historical remains. Ideal location for hiking.

Off El-Mina, several rocky islets are distinguished, including the Isle of Rabbits (or the island of palm trees) which became a natural reserve in 1992 to protect the fauna and flora. Ruins of a church dating from the mamelouke period would be on the island where the French introduced rabbits to satisfy their passion for hunting in the years 1930-1940.

Beware, the Isle of rabbits lies behind the first islets you see from shore. Some have no scruples about landing on the first pieces of pebbles in sight when you expressly asked to go to the island. Be vigilant. Once in approach to the island, the fishermen deposit you directly on the beach. We must agree with them for one hour's return. Many families and young people spend the day in the summer. While it is forbidden to eat, the premises come there picnic. For this reason, the cleanliness of the island is not impeccable. The guardian of the island will ask you for a small contribution (10 000 LL) to use a table, a wooden bench and a palm-leaf parasol.

Near the archaeological site of Fakra, join President Emile-Lahoud's roundabout on your right, you can admire the natural bridge of Nahr el-Laban. Impressive creation of nature with an arch of 38 m opening under which the torrent precipitates in waterfall in the spring. For some geologists, it is one of the most spectacular bridges in the world. The site is at 1 700 m above sea level.

Located at an altitude of 1,250 m, Dhour el Choueir is a well-known regional town resort in Lebanon. The presence of several hotels (some of which have been abandoned since the civil war) and beautiful residences testify to this. The region has been experiencing a new dynamic since the mid-2000s and several second homes are under renovation and construction.

The pine forest of Dhour el Choueir is composed of Aleppo pines. The setting is ideal for walks. The resort remains a quiet and very pleasant destination from spring to autumn. The neighbouring village, Mrouj, organizes an annual festival for the feast of Saint-Takla in September.