Beirut - "Paris of the Middle East"

The capital of Lebanon, Beirut, is a vibrant mixture of oriental flavor and European comfort. Call it a city of contrasts at the crossroads of East and West. The European spirit is successfully combined here and perfectly coexists with the Arab traditions: for all 1000 years, the orders of each other have been honored and respected here. Only in Beirut can you find a unique combination where a mosque, an Orthodox church, Roman ruins, and a Catholic church are located together on the same land.

What to visit in Beirut:

The city center - Old Beirut - is located adjacent to the commercial port and the port of pleasure yachts (Marina). All famous architectural and historical sights are located here, but there is not enough authentic flavor - there are too many tourists. Ashrafiye - the center of nightlife, where there are many bars and nightclubs; there are also restaurants and pretty shops. Head to the artsy Gemmayzeh district to admire the blue dome of the modern Al Amin Mosque and neighboring St George Cathedral.

The free Sursock Museum has a superb collection of modern Lebanese art and is perhaps Beirut’s most beautiful building. You can enjoy a glass of wine in the courtyard restaurant.

Beirut is ideal for those who want to enjoy the oriental flavor, but are not ready to find themselves in European comfort.

How to go around the city:

You can walk through the city center of Beirut. For long distances, you can pick up a cab (taxi). The public transport is cheap but is very crowded.

Beaches:

There are many beach clubs, but very limited beaches in Beirut. There is a cozy beach, which has a sandy beach and an easy entrance to the sea in the area of Ramlet-el-Bayda.

Cuisine:

You should definitely try the traditional "mezze" - three dozen different salads, nuts and bean pastes and tiny pies, you can have a bite of the Lebanese pizza "mankushe" - with cheese and spices and "manaish" - with cheese and minced meat, donuts "kaek", fried nuts “Shriekri” and, do not be surprised that sweets - in Lebanon are considered something like a universal snack.

Also in Beirut there are many catering establishments offering Turkish, French, Mediterranean cuisine.

Tips:

An hour's drive from Beirut is the ancient and mysterious city of Baalbek. In the heart is the majestic Temple of Bacchus, which was built by the Romans and is one of the mightiest sights of the ancient world.