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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.
 
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