5-Day Lebanon Highlights: Ancient Cities & Culinary Journey

Tour Overview

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1: Arrive Beirut

Airport pickup. Afternoon walking tour of Downtown Beirut: the Roman Baths, Martyrs’ Square, and the Corniche. Welcome dinner at an authentic Lebanese restaurant — 20+ mezzes with arak. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 2: Baalbek & Anjar

Drive to the Bekaa Valley. Full morning at Baalbek — the Temple of Jupiter, the perfectly preserved Temple of Bacchus, and the mysterious trilithon stones. Afternoon at Anjar (UNESCO), an 8th-century Umayyad city with a unique blend of Hellenistic and Islamic architecture. Wine tasting and lunch at Château Ksara in its 2km of Roman-era tunnels. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 3: Byblos & Batroun

Morning at Jeita Grotto (boat ride in the lower cave). Visit the ancient port city of Byblos: the Crusader Castle, the oldest Phoenician temple, and the harbor where the alphabet was exported to the world 3,500 years ago. Afternoon in Batroun — walk the old souk, visit the Phoenician wall, and taste Lebanon’s best lemonade at Hilmi’s. Seafood dinner at a port restaurant. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 4: Chouf Cedar Reserve & Beiteddine

Drive to the Chouf Mountains. Walk through the Chouf Cedar Reserve’s ancient forest. Visit Beiteddine Palace, the 19th-century masterpiece of Lebanese architecture with its mosaics, hammams, and gardens. Continue to Deir el Qamar, Lebanon’s best-preserved Ottoman village. Cooking class: learn to make hummus, fattoush, and kibbeh in a family home. Overnight in Beirut.

Day 5: Depart Beirut

Morning at the Beirut Souks for rose water, spices, and olive oil soap. Transfer to airport. Yalla, bye Lebanon!

Inclusions

• 4 nights boutique hotel (Beirut)
• Daily breakfast + 2 dinners
• Private vehicle with driver
• English-speaking guide
• Baalbek & Anjar full-day tour
• Jeita Grotto & Byblos
• Cooking class
• Wine tasting at Château Ksara
• All site entries

Why Lebanon in 5 Days

• Baalbek in the morning, Beirut nightlife in the evening
• Hands-on Lebanese cooking class
• Wine tasting in 2,000-year-old Roman tunnels
• Jeita Grotto: one of the natural wonders of the world
• Beiteddine Palace: Ottoman-Lebanese architecture at its finest

What’s Not Included

• Entrance fees to attractions
• Tour Guide
• Meal (lunch and dinner)
• International flights
• Travel insurance
• Personal expenses