Welcome to Lebanon

Welcome to Lebanon, the land of milk and honey. The land of warmth and hospitality. And the land of timeless, majestic Cedars. The proud symbol of Lebanon since the beginning of history.

     Lebanon's 10,452 square Kilometers are packed with history, archeology, natural beauty and handsome population of fun-loving people whose hospitality and warmth extend the length and breath of the country.

     From its Mediterranean coast to its snow capped mountains, Lebanon is unlike any other place in the Middle East. The country's 259Km coastline and two ranges of lofty mountains leave little room for stereotypes.

     Lebanon weather is as varied as it's beauty. as for the sun, it is business as usual 300 days a year. Winters on the coast can be dry and mild one day and wet and chilly the next. The good news is that the bad weather never last long. In the mountains, the snows insure good skiing from December through April.

     Many people in Lebanon speak French or English in addition to the native language, Arabic, and often other languages besides. foreign newspaper and magazines are available and prolific local press publishes in Arabic, French, English and Armenian.

     Lebanon capitalizes on the initiative of its people and its geographical location to make up for its lack of natural resources. Its trading facilities, banking and financial services as well as its free economy made Lebanon the region's commercial center.

     Lebanon's burgeoning nightlife offers an entirely different outlook on good food combined with entertainment. Here the gamut may run from local bands that play for guests as the enjoy a special evening menu, to international entertainers and matching super-sophisticated dinner menus. In the 1960's and 1970's, Lebanon was famous for its nightlife and today the after-eight crowd is bigger than ever. Explore the nightclubs in grater Beirut and the mountains resorts, where Lebanese ingenuity has combined with competition to create some very original venues for the big night out. Discos, much loved by the young people, are kept jumping until all hours. In night clubs expect a variety of entertainment including the ever-popular oriental or "belly" dancing as well as oriental orchestras and vocalists.

     Every sport can be enjoyed in Lebanon including water-skiing, snow skiing, yachting and tennis. Clubs are open to tourists for golf, tennis, karate and riding. The golf club of Lebanon offers guests memberships to visitors who would like to use its facilities. The Beirut racecourse, in the pine woods, is a favorite with race goers.

CEDARS

     (140Km) with its centerpiece grove of 400 cedars, some more than 1,500 years old, is both a ski resort and a summer haven from the heat of the coast. One of the Lebanon's most unforgettable views is of the Qadisha valley which plunges down toward the coast from the cedars.

Beirut

     Modern Capital, Venerable Past Beirut, with its million-plus inhabitants, conveys a sense of life and energy that is immediately apparent. This dynamism is echoed by Capital’s geographical position: a great promontory jutting into the blue sea with dramatic mountains rising behind it. A city with a venerable past, 5,000 years ago Beirut was a prosperous town on the Canaanite and Phoenician coast.

Baalbeck

     Baalbeck, Lebanon's greatest Roman treasure, can be counted among the wonders of the ancient world. The largest and most noble Roman temples ever built, they are also among the best preserved. Towering high above the Beqaa plain, their monumental proportions proclaimed the power and wealth of Imperial Rome. The gods worshipped here, the Triad of Jupiter, Venus and Mercury, were grafted onto the indigenous deities of Hadad, Atargatis and a young male god of fertility. Local influences are also seen in the planning and layout of the temples, which vary from the classic Roman design.

Jeita Grotto

     Caverns sculpted by water and time Few caverns in the world approach the astounding wealth or the extent of those of Jeita. In these caves and galleries, known to man since Paleolithic times, the action of water has created cathedral-like vaults beneath the wooded hills of Mount Lebanon.