Small Group - Beirut, Beiteddine & Deir El Kamar - Day Tour From Beirut

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Place de l'Etoile, Beirut Lebanon

Nejme Square, or Place de l'Étoile, is the central square in the Downtown area. It is home to the Lebanese Parliament and its complementary buildings, two cathedrals, a museum, and several cafes and restaurants. Most notable for its Art Deco architecture, the square has become a recognizable icon of Beirut City worldwide.

The jewel of the square is a 1930s clock-tower with its four-faced Rolex clock. The clock tower was a gift from Lebanese-Mexican émigré Michel Abed. Today, the square is filled with tourists and locals who come here to dine, walk or enjoy the street life. The square is also known for its noticeable population of pigeons.

In 1994, archaeological diggings underneath the Saint George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Beirut Central District's Nejmeh Square identified structural elements of the ancient "Anastasis cathedral", but they were restricted to an area of 316 square metres and failed to unearth the interred Law School of Berytus

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Martyr's Square, Beirut Lebanon

Today a popular spot for protest and civil gathering, Martyrs’ Square in Downtown Beirut is an iconic landmark. Named in 1931, it was set up as a tribute to martyrs executed by the Ottoman rule. The martyrs were protesting to end the Ottoman rule over Lebanon in favour of Arab Nationalist movements. Originally, it was an open space beyond the Ottoman city’s walls and was named ‘Sahat Al Burj’ – or ‘Tower Square’ – because it was marked by ‘Burj Al Kashef’. Under the French mandate, however, it became a modernized meeting place with kiosks, a tramway and souks.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Zaitunay Bay, Beirut Marina, طريق ميناء الحصن، بيروت، Lebanon

From its high-end restaurants and chic yacht parties to its activity centers for children and cultural exhibitions for adults, Zaitunay Bay has proven to be a heavy attraction for tourists, locals and Beirut-lovers alike.

Located in the Beirut Marina with a spectacular view of the Mediterranean, the area has over 15 restaurants and eateries to choose from. Nowadays, zaitounay bay is considered as one of the main landmarks of the modern Beirut.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Pigeon Rocks in Raouche, Raouché, Beirut Lebanon

A Beirut landmark adorning the former 10-pound banknote, Pigeon Rocks in Raouche stand in a bay like giant sentinels. Today, these curious offshore limestone arches are the focal point of a popular hangout spot. A leisurely stroll along the promenade will take you straight to the rocks, which you can observe from a cliff. You can also descend the cliffs for a view from the sea, exploring inlets and caves in the cliff. Cliffside cafes overlooking the bay and restaurants in the area attract tourists and locals alike, while small boat rides bring you around the rocks during summer.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Corniche Beirut, Manara, Beirut Lebanon

The Corniche Beirut is a seaside promenade in Beirut Central District, in Beirut, Lebanon. Lined with palm trees, the waterfront esplanade has views of the Mediterranean and the summits of Mount Lebanon to the east. Corniche Beirut has its foundation in the Avenue des Français, which was built during the period of the French Mandate of Syria and Lebanon along the seafront that extended from the old town

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: National Museum of Beirut, Corner of useum Street, Damascus Street and Abdallah El Yafi Avenue., Beirut Lebanon

Located on the former Green Line, this is Beirut's major cultural institution. Its impressive, magnificently displayed collection of archaeological artefacts offers a great overview of Lebanon’s history and the civilisations that impacted this cultural crossroads. Highlights include the famous, much-photographed Phoenician gilded bronze figurines found buried near the Obelisk Temple at Byblos; a series of human-faced Phoenician sarcophagi and a frescoed Roman tomb, these latter in the outstanding basement, reopened in 2016.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Palace of Beiteddine, Beit eddine, Beiteddine Lebanon

Beiteddine Palace is a 19th-century palace in Beiteddine, Lebanon. It hosts the annual Beiteddine Festival and the Beiteddine Palace Museum. Emir Bashir II of the Shihab dynasty, who later became the ruler of the Mount Lebanon Emirate, built the palace between 1788 and 1818 at the site of the Druze hermitage. After 1840, the palace was used by the Ottomans as a government building. During the French Mandate, it served as a local administrative office.
In 1943, the palace was declared the official president's summer residence. During the Lebanese Civil War, it was heavily damaged. Parts of the palace are today open to the public while the rest is still the president's summer residence.
A gathering of troops here for an incursion into Syria under Ibrahim Pasha is recorded in the notes to Letitia Elizabeth Landon's poem The Gathering of the Chieftains at Beteddein in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1839.

Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Deir Al Kamar Municipality, Chouf, Lebanon

The village of Deir el Qamar is a true gem of the region and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The village was the capital of Mount Lebanon from the 16th to 18th centuries and a regional stronghold for the Ottoman Emirs. With red-tiled roofs, winding streets, and stone houses, the village epitomizes idyllic mountain charm and small-town life at its finest. It also highlights the religious diversity in Lebanon, with a mosque, a church and a synagogue all taking residence in its main square.

Duration: 1 hour