Classic Lebanon: 7 Days — Beirut, Baalbek Roman Temples, Byblos & Cedars of God

Tour Overview

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1: Arrive Beirut — The Paris of the Middle East

Land at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport. Your private driver meets you and transfers to your hotel in the Hamra or Achrafieh district. Beirut defies easy description — Roman ruins sit beside Ottoman mosques, French Mandate-era buildings beside glass skyscrapers, and bullet-scarred walls bear witness to the civil war (1975-1990) while rooftop bars pump music into the night. Afternoon: orientation walk through downtown Beirut — the rebuilt city center (Solidere district), the Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque with its Ottoman-inspired blue dome, the St. George Maronite Cathedral, and the Roman Baths (2nd century AD, discovered during post-war reconstruction, now an open-air archaeological garden). Walk to Zaitunay Bay, the waterfront promenade with views of the Mediterranean and the mountains rising behind the city. Evening: welcome dinner in Gemmayzeh, Beirut’s bohemian quarter of narrow streets, street art, and traditional Lebanese restaurants. Try mezze — the elaborate spread of small dishes: hummus, mutabbal (smoky eggplant dip), tabbouleh, kibbeh nayeh (raw lamb with bulgur — Lebanon’s answer to steak tartare), and fresh-baked markouk bread. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 2: Byblos & Jeita Grotto — 7,000 Years of Civilization

Morning: drive north to Jeita Grotto (20km from Beirut). Jeita is a system of two interconnected limestone caves spanning 9km (the lower cave accessible by boat on an underground lake, the upper cave by walkway). The upper gallery contains the world’s largest stalactite (8.2m). The formations — columns, draperies, flowstones in every color from pure white to deep amber — are among the most spectacular in the world. Jeita was a finalist in the New7Wonders of Nature competition.

Continue to Byblos (Jbeil in Arabic), one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world — people have lived here for 7,000 years. Byblos gave its name to the Bible (from Greek “biblion,” meaning “papyrus” — Byblos was the main port for papyrus export from Egypt to Greece). Walk through the archaeological site: the Temple of the Obelisks (19th century BC, bronze-age), the Royal Necropolis (nine Bronze Age kings buried in stone sarcophagi), the Roman theatre, and the Crusader Castle (12th century). The layers of civilization here are literal — each empire building on the ruins of the last. Afternoon: explore Byblos’s souk — a charming bazaar of cobbled alleys with artisan shops. The harbor is a perfect crescent of fishing boats and seafood restaurants. Swim in the Mediterranean at Byblos public beach (summer). Return to Beirut. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 3: Baalbek — Rome’s Greatest Temples

Full-day excursion to Baalbek (UNESCO World Heritage) in the Bekaa Valley (85km from Beirut, 2-hour drive through the mountains). Baalbek’s Roman ruins are among the largest, best-preserved, and most mysterious in the world. The Temple of Jupiter (1st century AD) was built on a podium of stone blocks weighing up to 1,000 tonnes each — the largest building stones ever quarried. How the Romans moved these megaliths remains debated. Only 6 of the original 54 columns remain standing (22m high, 2.2m diameter) — but those six give a sense of the temple’s staggering scale.

The Temple of Bacchus (2nd century AD), adjacent, is the best-preserved Roman temple in the world — larger than the Parthenon, with its perimeter wall almost entirely intact, elaborately carved with grapevines, poppies, wheat, and mythological scenes (Bacchus was the god of wine — the Bekaa Valley has produced wine for 6,000 years). The scale of Baalbek is humbling — these temples are the legacy of an empire that saw Lebanon as part of its heartland. Lunch at a Bekaa Valley vineyard — Lebanon’s wine region produces outstanding wines from indigenous and French varietals. Visit Chateau Ksara (founded 1857 by Jesuit monks — they dug 2km of Roman-era caves for aging wine) or Chateau Musar (produced wine throughout the civil war, becoming legendary for it). Return to Beirut. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 4: Cedars of God & Qadisha Valley — Lebanon’s Sacred Mountains

Drive into the Mount Lebanon range to the Cedars of God (Arz el-Rab, UNESCO World Heritage) near Bcharre, at 2,000m elevation. This grove of approximately 375 cedar trees (Cedrus libani) includes some that are over 3,000 years old — these same trees were harvested by the Phoenicians to build their ships, by Solomon to build the Temple in Jerusalem, and by the Ottomans to build their railways. The cedar is Lebanon’s national symbol — it appears on the flag, currency, and national airline logo (Middle East Airlines). Walk among the ancient trees: their massive trunks, spreading branches, and distinctive fragrance create an atmosphere of profound antiquity.

Afternoon: descend into the Qadisha Valley (Holy Valley, UNESCO World Heritage). Qadisha is one of the oldest Christian monastic sites in the world — hermits and monks have lived in these caves and cliffs since the 4th century. The valley is a deep gorge with monasteries carved into the rock walls, accessible by footpaths that have been used for 1,600 years. Visit the Monastery of St. Anthony of Qozhaya (4th century), home to the Middle East’s first printing press (1610 — printing the Psalter in Syriac). The valley’s isolation protected these communities through centuries of persecution. Hike a section of the valley trail (approximately 2 hours, moderate difficulty). Return to Beirut. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 5: Sidon & Tyre — Phoenician Coast

Drive south along the Mediterranean coast. First stop: Sidon (Saida), one of the great Phoenician city-states. Visit the Sea Castle — a Crusader fortress built in 1228 on a small island connected to the mainland by a stone causeway. The castle was built using recycled Roman columns as horizontal reinforcement (visible in the walls — a common Crusader technique). Explore Sidon’s old souk — one of the best-preserved traditional markets in Lebanon: soap makers (Sidon’s olive oil soap has been produced since the Phoenician era), spice merchants, and the 17th-century Khan el-Franj (caravanserai of the French merchants).

Continue to Tyre (Sour), another UNESCO World Heritage site and the most powerful Phoenician city. Tyre was an island in antiquity — Alexander the Great built a causeway to conquer it in 332 BC (a 7-month siege), and the silt accumulated over the causeway has since turned Tyre into a peninsula. Visit the Roman Hippodrome (UNESCO) — one of the largest and best-preserved in the Roman world (capacity 20,000 spectators, chariot races), the extensive Roman necropolis with elaborately carved marble sarcophagi, and the triumphal arch. Swim at Tyre Beach — one of the cleanest in Lebanon, with golden sand and clear Mediterranean water. Return to Beirut. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 6: Beirut — National Museum & Cultural Depth

Morning: National Museum of Beirut. This museum is a symbol of Lebanon’s resilience — it sat on the Green Line during the civil war, and the staff protected the collections by encasing the largest objects in concrete and hiding the smaller ones in basement vaults. The collection spans from prehistoric to Ottoman: the world’s finest collection of Phoenician anthropoid sarcophagi (marble coffins with individualized faces — 5th century BC), the Byblos figurines (gilded bronze, 19th-18th century BC), and an extraordinary Roman mosaic of the Seven Wise Men of Greece.

Afternoon: explore neighborhoods not yet seen — the Corniche (Beirut’s seaside promenade, where locals walk, fish, and drink coffee at all hours), the American University of Beirut campus (founded 1866, one of the oldest universities in the Middle East, with beautiful Ottoman-era buildings and a private beach — the best view in Beirut), and the Sursock Museum (a contemporary art museum in a 1912 Ottoman-Venetian palace — the Sursock family were Greek Orthodox aristocrats). Evening: farewell dinner at a restaurant in the Mar Mikhael district — Beirut’s nightlife is legendary, and a final evening sampling arak (the anise-flavored spirit, mixed with water — it turns milky white, called “the milk of lions”) and grilled meats is essential. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 7: Departure

Morning at leisure — last walk along the Corniche, perhaps purchase Lebanese olive oil, za’atar spice mix, and cedar wood crafts. Transfer to Beirut Airport for departure.

Included

• 6 nights 4-star hotel in Beirut
• Daily breakfast + 3 dinners
• Private vehicle & English-speaking driver/guide throughout
• All site entrance fees (Baalbek, Byblos, Tyre, Cedars, Jeita, National Museum)
• Bekaa Valley wine tasting
• Qadisha Valley guided hike
• Airport transfers