Tourism in Lebanon and the 7 best cities worth visiting

Tourism in Lebanon and the 7 best cities worth visiting

If you are a fan of tourism and travel, then tourism in Lebanon will be your favorite trip, as Lebanon is one of the most beautiful countries in the world that is really worth visiting as it is located on the eastern side of the Mediterranean and enjoys a diverse and picturesque nature, cities of Lebanon between mountainous areas, plains and green meadows, and the wonderful coasts and beaches, in addition to the treasures of ancient antiquities between Greek, Roman and Islamic, as well as the beautiful climate that it enjoys throughout the year. Picturesque.

Now, together, we will take a quick tour of Lebanon and discover the most important tourist areas that you will surely enjoy visiting.

The most important cities in Lebanon

Tourism in Beirut

Beirut, the capital, is considered one of the most important tourist areas in Lebanon, and is called the Paris of the East due to its tourist and recreational areas, in addition to the cultural and international shopping centers, in addition to the shopping centers of the most famous international brands. , and luxurious restaurants offering all kinds of food, whether Asian or European, or dishes. Lebanese specialties, and satisfy the needs of tourists in different areas of tourism, be it cultural and historical, or medical, or entertainment.

The 3 most important monuments in Beirut :

1- Downtown Beirut
Lebanon Beirut
Beirut downtown area

Downtown Beirut stands out as the center of many tourist attractions that tourists want to visit, such as Martyrs' Square, Seraglio Government and Muhammad Al-Amin Mosque. For all budgets without crowding anyone.

And if you are one of those who like popular neighborhoods, we advise you to visit "Al-Najma Square", as you will find many types of shops and boutiques selling gifts and souvenirs, as well as popular cafes. of local character, which tourists, especially European tourists, love.

2- Quarter of Raouche

The Raouche district is considered one of the most popular areas in Beirut for tourists. It is located on the western part of Beirut beach, and its most important feature is the famous Raouche rock, which is a group of rocks that form wonderful formations between them.

Raouche is considered a meeting point for nature lovers, hikers and cyclists, and is one of the most famous international tourist attractions, and was often the location of choice for the filming of many cinematographic films.

3- National Museum of Beirut

The National Museum is considered one of the most important historical treasures cherished by the Lebanese, who worked hard to preserve it from destruction and looting during the civil war. Five thousand years old.

Tourism in Baalbek

Baalbek is that ancient historic city that must be visited when touring Lebanon, which has been the crossroads of overland routes for trade caravans through the ages, and abounds with Roman antiquities of temples and structures. International festivals, in which art eyes from all over the world participate.

In the past, the Romans called it Heliopolis, or the City of the Sun, and in Umayyad times they called it the Citadel.

The 3 most important monuments of Baalbek :

1- The Roman ruins of Baalbek

The city of Baalbek contains a large number of Roman temples and structures, as it was a cult center in addition to its economic importance. For 200 years, the Romans built huge temples, the largest of which is the temple of the god Jupiter, as well as the temples of the gods Venus and Mercury. These temples are characterized by giant columns, which are one of the important features of the city's tourist attractions, as well as the ancient Roman castle.

2- Temples of Baalbek (Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and Bacchus)

Temple of Bacchus at Baalbek

The Temple of Jupiter, the greatest Roman temple of all time, was discovered in 1930. It is also called the Temple of Zeus. It is located on top of Mount Gerizim, in an area called Jabal al-Ras. The four Roman temples are the temples of the gods Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and Bacchus of Phoenician origin. During their occupation of Lebanon, the Romans restored these temples. They did so by adding Roman touches, and so these temples combined Phoenician and Roman styles, and this is one of the reasons why tourists in Lebanon visit these wonderful temples.

 3- The pregnant stone

The pregnant stone is considered as one of the famous sanctuaries of the historic city of Baalbek, and it is a huge stone that the Romans would have cut in the mountains to use in the construction of their temples, and many ancient legends have been written around it, as some believe that a barren woman can have children if she touches this stone, and this is the reason why it is called the pregnant stone, which made many women from different parts of the world turn to it to fulfill this prophecy.

Tourism in Byblos or Byblos

Tourism in Lebanon is full of very diverse tourist places, and each region has many tourist treasures, and one of these places is the city of Jbeil, located 37 km from Beirut, the capital. In addition to containing many ancient monuments, it also has a picturesque coastline, and lends itself to many maritime and maritime activities, thus completing the elements of tourism in the city of Byblos for all tastes.

The 3 most important monuments in the city of Byblos :

1- Byblos Castle

Shebil Castle was built by the Crusaders on the ruins of the old castle that had been built by the Persians, and is located in the city of Byblos, 37 km from the capital, Beirut. History lovers, and those who like to breathe in the perfumed past and touch it, find the desired objective, relive through their visits the events of a distant past and witness its secrets and what history has done to it, it is therefore desirable to visit it when tourism in Lebanon.

2- The Old Market - The Old Market of Byblos

Your visit to the ancient city of Baalbek will not be complete without visiting the old market, which still retains its archaeological character, as the authorities are making continuous efforts to restore it and make changes in order not to diminish its archaeological value. . character, and traders are keen to offer their wares at reasonable prices, especially the handicrafts the region is famous for and the souvenirs visitors are eager to pick up.

3- The Wax Museum

The Wax Museum is also located in the city of Byblos and contains a large number of wax statues that represent many images of everyday life from the Phoenician era to the present day. Sea John Morcos in Byblos.

Tourism in Jounieh

Lebanon has endowed this small country on the eastern Mediterranean with an irresistible charm in all its parts, and we are now in the charming city of Jounieh, with its small port that connects it to many parts of the world. The people of Jounieh have a distinct personality that combines the history, civilization and culture that characterize the city and leaves its own mark on the people of Jounieh.

Jounieh has been nicknamed the city of lemons due to the spread of lemon culture and the romantic and poetic atmosphere that gives the visitor a feeling of calm, comfort and relaxation.

If we add to Jounieh its distinctive beach on the Mediterranean Sea and the Harissa Mountains, situated in the heart of the city, we will discover the variety of beautiful landscapes and the enchanting atmosphere that the city enjoys and we will make it the destination of tourism in Lebanon from all the parts of the world.

The 3 most important monuments in the city of Jounieh:

1- Harissa cable car

The cable car itself is an independent tourist destination, and tourism in Lebanon stands out from the rest of the Arab countries. The Harissa cable car is used to cross the mountains to reach the imposing statue of Our Lady of Lebanon.

Through this exciting trip, the visitor will witness the majestic view of the imposing mountains in beautiful shades of green, embracing the turquoise blue of the sea with its contrasting colors. All this beauty permeates many modern buildings, while an elegant restaurant awaits the visitor upon arrival, offering numerous fast food outlets and gift and souvenir shops. Meanwhile, Miriam Mayali, the director in charge of the cable car, promises that more international restaurants, playgrounds and shopping centers will be created at the cable car station.

2- Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa

To complete the elements of tourism in Lebanon, together with religious tourism, we will see in the bay of Jounieh the sanctuary of Our Lady of Lebanon, which is a huge statue of the Virgin Mary, based on a church for worship and candlelight.

Due to the enormity of the statue, UNESCO included it among the religious sanctuaries, especially since it is located in an area characterized by a magical and picturesque nature, where the famous cedar forests with the Harissa Mountains meet in an image with a beautiful beach in the bay. from Jounieh.

What makes the trip to visit Our Lady of Lebanon more tempting is taking the cable car, as it is the only way to reach the sanctuary, and the beautiful scenery that accompanies this trip and the tourist sees the mountain tops and meadows flowing underneath, and the painting is completed with him looking at the sea, so that the elements of nature come together in a very creative painting.

3- Casino Lebanon

Recreational tourism plays a big part in Jounieh, as it has the famous Casino du Liban, which is considered one of the most important entertainment attractions in Lebanon, and was built during the time of Camille Chamoun, who turned it into a gambling center. . Casino du Liban is a hub for international artistic groups to showcase their arts. Artists and intellectuals from all over the world who are interested in cultural activities continue to visit. Many local events and international conferences are held there.

The casino is built on an elevated area overlooking the bay of Jounieh, in an area of 10,000 square meters, surrounded by breathtaking views from all sides, in addition to its view of the bay.

Tourism in Tripoli

Tripoli citadel

The city of Tripoli is a tourist city of the first order, and what most distinguishes it is its wealth of antiquities from the ancients who passed through it during different times, and the effects of the great Phoenician civilization are represented there along with the Roman civilization and Arab, where it is very common to go shopping in the Roman quarter, or the Mamluk quarter, where each quarter retains its distinctive and particular character and its ancient activities, which represents one of the factors that attracts tourism to Lebanon.

The city of Tripoli is situated on the Mediterranean coast and is considered one of the important commercial centres, while cedar forests are situated to the east and the Abu Ali river enters the historic city, so the genius of the place mixes with the ancient roots. historical and cultural attractions to create this enchanting atmosphere that attracts tourists from far and wide.

The 3 most important monuments in the city of Tripoli:

1- Citadel of Saint Gilles, Tripoli

The citadel of Tripoli is considered one of the largest and oldest castles in Lebanon. Until now, the actual date of its construction has not yet been deduced. Some have said that it was built during the reign of Caliph Othman bin Affan, while some attribute its construction to the Crusader or Mamluk era. The castle is distinguished by its immense construction and is located about two miles from the sea. It was erected on a high hill by the Abu Ali River, which made it an important strategic location and one of the historical attractions for many visitors during Lebanon tourism.

2- Al Mansouri Grand Mosque

Mansouri Grand Mosque

The Great Mosque of Mansouri is considered to be one of the oldest and largest mosques in Lebanon in terms of area and date of construction, as it was established in the Mamluk period by order of Qalawun, the Mamluk ruler and nicknamed Mansour. It was built on the ruins of a Crusader church, and still retains some of its ruins. And the castle of the city of Tripoli is one of the most important shrines for lovers of religious and historical antiquities, and has a historical role in embracing the acts of national resistance against occupation throughout history, and is distinguished by the beauty of art. Islamic architecture in mosaics and beautiful Islamic inscriptions, so be sure to visit it while you are sightseeing in Lebanon.

3- Port of Tripoli

It is difficult to be brief when talking about the port of Tripoli, as it is a source of income and an address for activities throughout the country, as it is the first port in Lebanon, and its famous port surrounds the extensive beaches and is the point coastal drainage for the pioneers of the city, where there are boats that go to visit many small wonderful islands, many of which are registered as natural reserves like my island Coelhos and Palmeiras, and with its multiplicity of terrains between the vast plains, the imposing mountains, and the magic of the sea, the tourist does not understand how he can absorb all this magic and beauty.

To all this is added the coexistence of religions and sects in a wonderful cohesion between the bells of the churches and the call to prayer in the minarets, and while the old city conserves all its charm and monuments, one finds civilization and progress declaring through luxury hotels, international restaurants and entertainment venues, you will find all this and much more when you visit Lebanon.

tourism in Sour Town

Although Lebanon is a model of natural beauty with all its contradictions of mountains, plains and rivers, with beautiful beaches, this does not deny that each region has its own independent taste and personality.

And the city of Sour is the same as the rest of the tourist areas of Lebanon in terms of beauty and charm of nature, since the splendid beaches stretch along its coast, while it is bordered on the other side by high mountains, but Sour remains the capital of art and culture in Lebanon with its famous theaters and art centers that do not interrupt local and international performances throughout the year. The city is home to a wide range of cultural attractions, including theatres, theaters and museums, as well as modern buildings, upscale restaurants and several shopping and entertainment centres.

And the city of Sour has a long history and expertise in the maritime industries, which has allowed it to hold the reins for many years and have the makings to win and win.

The 3 most important monuments in Sour:

1- The ruins of the Sour

Sour city ruins

The Romans realized the importance of the location of the city of Sour, which held the keys to the Mediterranean Sea, and whoever managed this strategic city owned all of the sea, and so this is evident in what the Romans left behind in this city of military castles, palaces and many buildings, and despite this, operations are still ongoing. Excavations for more antiquities are ongoing and more important antiquities are expected to emerge.

As for the old port area, it represents the most important historical and archaeological areas that are appreciated by everyone during tourism in Lebanon, and it brings together many ancient Roman ruins, in addition to its beaches being an ideal space for leisure and relaxation.

2- Costa dos Pneus Nature Reserve

The Sour Beach Reserve is the largest and most beautiful in all of Lebanon, and in order to preserve it, it was approved as a nature reserve, under the direct supervision of the Ministry of the Environment. The Praia dos Pneus Reserve is located in the southern part of the city and has been divided into three parts, one part for tourism. In Lebanon, the protection part, and the last part for agriculture and antiquities.

The objective of this division is to make the most of the reserve, continuously developing its resources to achieve a tourism boom, in addition to the other benefits resulting from agricultural development, while protecting the environment.

3- Museum of Marine Life

The Museum of Marine Life in Sour is not considered an ancient antiquity. Rather, it was established in the early 21st century by its founder, Dr. Gamal Younis, who was passionate about the sea and sea creatures, and who was eager to mummify many rare sea creatures found near the coast of Sour. And he managed to establish this museum, which was very popular in the city, and it became one of the important attractions for both tourists and local residents as well as schoolchildren.

Tourism in Sidon

There are many reasons why the city of Sidon is of particular importance to Lebanon tourism enthusiasts, as it is the oldest Lebanese city, some referring its name to Sidon bin Kanaan, who is credited with founding the city, while others refer to its name Sidon because its inhabitants are skilled in hunting, and it is generally a Phoenician city, so do not be surprised if you have seen Pharaonic, Assyrian, Chaldean and Persian antiquities, and many civilizations, but many antiquities were stolen and smuggled out of the country, especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, so most museums in the world include complete archaeological collections from the city of Saida

The 3 most important monuments in the city of Sidon:

1- Sea Castle of Sidon

The maritime castle was built in the time of the crusaders, and it was built on one of the rocky islands, and this island is 80 meters from the beach, and a bridge of beautiful rocks connects them, then Al-Ashraf Khalil bin Qalawun ordered the construction of a mosque inside the castle, The castle was built to repel attacks from invaders, and consisted of two towers connected by a wall, which was built using Roman columns.

The castle is surrounded by a series of fish restaurants that Sidon is famous for, and there are a number of hotels suitable for visitors to the town. Visitors to the castle can climb the west tower and see the old town and harbor, while the east tower is not safe to use.

2- Soap Museum

The soap industry is considered one of the crafts in Lebanon in general, and in Sidon in particular, and the soap museum is located in one of the narrow streets that the old town of Sidon is famous for, which the townspeople like to preserve as a an authentic heritage, and one of the sources of tourist attraction in Lebanon.

The soap museum was built in a stone building like the rest of the ancient buildings, and it presents the stages of manual soap making throughout the ancient history of more than 3,000 years, and is made of completely natural materials for various purposes, most of which to preserve beauty and skin care, and for many other purposes.

Museum officials mention that it is open to the public and tourists free of charge throughout the week, except Sundays.

3- Khan al-Franj

Khan al-Franj is considered one of the most important historical and archaeological monuments in the city of Sidon. It's a square building with a pool and fountain in the middle. He is considered one of the most important and beautiful khans in the entire East. It was built on two floors in an Islamic style, where the first floor was reserved for commerce, while the second floor was reserved for guests. It was an important commercial center, and is now the seat of the French Consulate, and a cultural center that is also used for art exhibitions and many cultural events. This khan was conceived as a residence for the Franks who came to visit the country, and for this reason it was called the Frank Khan.

Tourism in Kfardebian

Kfardebian represents a unique model of environmental and rural tourism that the Lebanese have not ignored, as well as all types of tourism in Lebanon, which is considered one of the main means of national income in the country.

The town of Kfardebian is located on top of the mountain plateau of Keserwan, which rises between 600 and 2800 m above sea level. The population is 12,000 inhabitants, living in an area of 40 km, and the distance from the capital Beirut is 44 km. Being at the top of Keserwan Mountain, maps have been published showing the way to get there.

Tourists can enjoy its wonderful atmosphere in summer, and tourists and citizens alike enjoy snowboarding in winter when it covers the mountain slopes. Kfardebian comes with clear and pure water through honey and milk springs.

Thus, we familiarized ourselves with tourism in Lebanon and its most wonderful tourist places, and we inspected many archaeological and historical areas, and discovered many tourist activities, whether archeological or beach, recreational and rural tourism, and presented several proposals to visit many places and enjoy the enchanting nature and the picturesque environment that is lived there.