| Beirut :: Byblos :: Sidon :: Beiteddine :: Quadisha :: Cedars :: Tyr :: Ras El Nakoura :: Anjar :: Baalbeck Day 01: Beirut Arrival to Beirut international airport. Meet, transfer to the hotel and overnight. ![]() Day 02: Beirut In the morning, visit the exceptional national Museum which was first opened in 1942, after its renovation, the museum features about 70 large objects on display on its ground floor. The highlight of the collection is the Sarcophagus of Ahiram, King of Byblos, which is inscribed with the earliest known example of the Phoenician alphabet. After visiting the museum proceed to Raouche through Verdun, Beirut’s answer to Fifth Avenue, with luxury shopping outlets and high-end shopping centers housing some of the world’s most prestigious designer brands. Lunch in a local restaurant in Raouche. In the afternoon, sightseeing tours of Beirut the historic Phoenician port and the city that wouldn’t die. Visit its newly reconstructed area with its gloriously restored French Mandate-Era buildings, old mosques and churches. Day 03: Beirut – Nahr el Kalb – Byblos – Harissa – Jeita After breakfast, leave Beirut to Nahr el Kalb (Dog River) where visitors can view one of the country’s most fascinating attractions: 17 inscriptions providing a historic testament to all the invading armies that swept through Lebanon over centuries. Continue to the ancient city of Byblos, the oldest continually inhabited town in the world, still looks like the ancient Phoenician Port It was few hundred years ago. The most noteworthy sites include the Crusaders’ Castle , built during the 12th and 13th centuries, the EgyTemples, the most ancient of which dates back to the 2nd millennium BC,The Roman Amphi-theatre , the Phoenician Royal Necropolis and the scenic 12th century Church of St John the Baptist. Free time at the bazaar and souk in the old city for shopping. After lunch, drive towards Jounieh to take the cable car 600 meters up to Harissa to see the statue of Our Lady of Lebanon with her arms outspread over Jounieh bay. The 13 ton statue was built in France and moved to Lebanon during the 19th century. Precede Jeita Grotto, a mysterious network of 9 Km of Underground caves, where visitors can enjoy the natural formation in the Lower grotto by riding intimate boats and admire by foot the rich Limestone Deposits and an infinite variety of Crystals reminiscent of wild petrified Orchids, Giant Mushrooms and elaborate Chandeliers in the upper grotto. Day 04: Beirut – Sidon – Eshmoun – Deir el Kamar – Beiteddine Drive south to Sidon. Its primary attraction is the Sea Castle, made of sandy yellow Stone punctuated by grey stones, built as a little island off the city’s coast by the crusaders in the early 13th century, accessible via a causeway that links to mainland. Just outside Sidon is the Phoenician Temple of Eshmoun dating back to the 7th century A.D. The oldest section is a pyramid-shaped structure dating back to the 6th century. Ancient Mosaics can be spotted throughout the site. Unfortunately the most significant Finds of Eshmoun’s Temple are now on view at Le Louvre, Paris, and the Top Kapi Archeological museum in Istanbul. After lunch, continue to Deir el Kamar the former capital of Mount Lebanon, with its Cobble-Stone streets, walled gardens and picturesque secluded corners. Then precede to Beiteddine the Chouf Mountain, a grandiose 19th century palace built by Emir Bechir El-Chehabi II, who ruled Mount Lebanon for over half century. It’s an example of the 19th century Lebanese architecture. Back to hotel.Day 05: Beirut – Quadisha – Cedars – Bsharre In the morning, drive north to the sacred Quadisha Valley a UNESCO world heritage site, remote, mysterious and steeped in centuries of history. It is hidden within a deep gorge amidst rugged and desolate mountains. The Quadisha valley was inaccessible to conquering armies; it served as a refuge to persecuted religious minorities. Sites of significance include the red roofed Monastery, Chapel built into the rock face, ancient Caves, the Monks living quarters, and the Grotto of the Mad, where mad people were tied in leg irons under a St. Anthony icon. After lunch proceed to the Cedars and Bsharre, the birth place of philosopher and poet Khalil Gebran, author of the "Prophet". His remains were shipped from the United States in 1931 and lie in a locked casket in the small museum at the St Sarkis Monastery, which Contains hundreds of Gebran’s paintings, drawings and water colors.Day 06: Beirut – Tyr – Ras el Nakoura After breakfast, drive to Tyr which was declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1979 thanks to the effort of The International Association for the Safeguard of Tyr. It has some of the world’ most fascinating archeological ruins, mostly from Roman times, but also from The Phoenician, Greek and Byzantine eras. You will be visiting the Inland Hippodrome and Necropolis, one of the largest Roman Sites in the Mediterranean. The Necropolis is a stunning grouping of Tombs and Sarcophagi from Byzantine or Roman times. The Hippodrome is one of the biggest and best preserved Roman sites in the world. The old city on the peninsula, with its archeological Digs, huge Marble paving stones and ancient Mosaic Path on the southern side. On the northern end lie a 5th century Roman circus and the remains of a 4th century Church. After lunch, take a drive through the liberated areas in south Lebanon, Nakoura, Kfarreman, Fatmeh Gate, Khiyam, Bint Jbeil, Rihan, and Arnoun Beaufort. Drive back to hotel.Day 07: Beirut – Chtaura – Anjar – Baalbeck – Ksara In the morning, drive to Anjar with a stop at Chtaura for a coffee break. Chtaura is a busy City on the road between Beirut and Damascus (Syria). Continue to Anjar, a spectacular Umayyad site dating back to the 8th century A.D. the town is enclosed within four walls and forms a perfect square. Continue to Baalbeck the world renowned archeological site, is the most glorious site in the Bekaa Valley, named after Baal, a revered Phoenician God. The Acropolis of Baalbeck is among the largest and best reserved corpus of Roman architecture in the world with Temples built in 2nd and 3rd centuries A.D and dedicated to Jupiter, Venus and Bacchus. The Bacchus Temple, larger then the Parthenon in Athens, is the most intricately Decorated Roman Temple in the world. Lunch at local restaurant in Baalbeck. On the way back stop in Ksara visit the winery. Back to Beirut. Overnight at Hotel.Day 08: Free at Leisure Free choices. Shopping, swimming etc… Dinner at Nahr El Founoun + Folk Dance. Day 09: Beirut After breakfast, transfer to Beirut international airport. |
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