Best of Lebanon: Private 8-Day Tour with 4-Star Hotels

Best of Lebanon: Private 8-Day Tour with 4-Star Hotels

This 8-day private tour is the definitive Lebanese experience. From the cosmopolitan energy of Beirut to the sacred Cedars of God, from Crusader castles to Phoenician ports, every day reveals a new layer of this compact yet astonishing country. Stay in handpicked 4-star hotels – Gems Hotel in Beirut and Aleph Boutique Hotel in Byblos – and travel with a dedicated private guide who brings Lebanon’s 7,000-year story to life. The cuisine alone is a journey: creamy hummus, sizzling shish taouk, freshly baked manoushe, and the world’s finest mezze spread.

Day 1: Arrival in Beirut

Arrive at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport. Private transfer to Gems Hotel Beirut (4-star) in the Hamra district. Evening orientation walk along the Corniche, watching locals smoke shisha and fish from the rocks as the Mediterranean sun sets behind Pigeon Rocks (Raouché). Welcome dinner of Lebanese mezze at a traditional restaurant. Overnight Beirut.

Day 2: Beirut City Discovery

Begin at the National Museum of Beirut, home to an extraordinary collection of Phoenician, Hellenistic, and Roman artefacts. Visit the Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque and the adjacent Martyrs’ Square, then explore the vibrant Beirut Souks. Walk through the restored Ottoman-era buildings of Zaitunay Bay. After lunch (try foul medames and falafel in the Armenian quarter of Bourj Hammoud), visit Pigeon Rocks for photos and the Sursock Museum in the Achrafieh district. Evening at leisure to discover Beirut’s legendary dining scene. Overnight Beirut.

Day 3: Harissa – Byblos

Take the Téléférique cable car up to Harissa, where the 15-tonne bronze statue of Our Lady of Lebanon overlooks the Bay of Jounieh and the Mediterranean. The panorama stretches from Beirut to Byblos on clear days. Continue to Byblos, the world’s oldest continuously inhabited city. Tour the Crusader Castle (12th century), the Phoenician royal tombs inscribed with the earliest known alphabetic script, the Roman colonnade, and the picturesque fishing harbour. Settle into Aleph Boutique Hotel Byblos (4-star). Evening free to explore Byblos’ atmospheric old souk and dine on fresh-caught fish at the port. Overnight Byblos.

Day 4: Qadisha Valley – Cedars of God

Drive into the Mount Lebanon range to the Qadisha Holy Valley (UNESCO). Descend into the gorge to visit the cliffside Monastery of Saint Anthony of Qozhaya and its cave chapel, where Maronite monks have worshipped since the 12th century. Continue to the Cedars of God, a grove of ancient cedar trees – Lebanon’s national emblem – some exceeding 1,000 years in age. The fragrance of cedar resin fills the mountain air. Picnic lunch among the cedars. Return to Byblos for a relaxed evening in the old town. Overnight Byblos.

Day 5: Baalbek – Anjar – Beirut

Early departure across the fertile Bekaa Valley to Baalbek. Spend the morning exploring the Temple of Jupiter (six towering columns), the remarkably intact Temple of Bacchus – considered the best-preserved Roman temple anywhere – and the Temple of Venus. The sheer scale of the stone blocks (some weighing over 800 tonnes) defies belief. Drive south to Anjar, the 8th-century Umayyad city laid out in a perfect grid with wide colonnaded streets, bathhouses, and a grand palace. Return to Beirut for overnight at Gems Hotel.

Day 6: Beiteddine Palace – Chouf

Drive into the Chouf Mountains to Beiteddine Palace, a masterpiece of 19th-century Lebanese architecture built by Emir Bashir Shihab II. Marvel at the intricate mosaics, carved cedar ceilings, and the stunning central courtyard with its marble fountain. Visit the nearby village of Deir el-Qamar with its historic souk and 15th-century mosque. After lunch, hike the Chouf Cedar Reserve, Lebanon’s largest natural cedar forest, home to the 3,000-year-old “Guardian Cedars.” Return to Beirut. Overnight Beirut.

Day 7: Tyre – Sidon

Drive south along the coast to Tyre (Sour), a UNESCO-listed Phoenician city that dominated Mediterranean trade for centuries. Walk the vast Roman hippodrome – one of the best preserved in the world – and the colonnaded Roman road leading to the triumphal arch. Explore the Al-Mina excavation site and the Crusader cathedral ruins. Continue to Sidon (Saida) to visit the Sea Castle, a Crusader fortress built on a tiny island connected by a stone causeway, and the bustling old souk. Stop at a traditional soap factory and the Khan el-Franj caravanserai. Return to Beirut for a farewell dinner of grilled kibbeh, fattoush, and a sunset drink overlooking the Corniche. Overnight Beirut.

Day 8: Departure

Final Lebanese breakfast of labneh, olives, fresh vegetables, and manoushe zaatar. Private transfer to Beirut Airport for your departure flight. Take with you the warmth of Lebanese hospitality, the echo of ancient stones, and the taste of one of the world’s great cuisines.

Included

7 nights 4-star accommodation (5 nights Gems Hotel Beirut, 2 nights Aleph Boutique Byblos) • Daily breakfast • Private English-speaking guide throughout • Private air-conditioned vehicle • All airport transfers • Entry fees to National Museum, Harissa cable car, Byblos, Qadisha, Cedars of God, Baalbek, Anjar, Beiteddine, Tyre, Sidon Sea Castle • Chouf Cedar Reserve guided hike

Excluded

International flights • Travel insurance • Lebanon visa • Lunches and dinners (except breakfast) • Personal expenses • Tips