Private Tour - Beit El Din, Deir El Qamar & Sidon - Day Tour from Beirut

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

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.


Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Deir Al Kamar Municipality, Chouf, Lebanon

Deir el Qamar is known as the capital of the emirs who ruled Mount Lebanon for centuries under the Ottomans.

Situated in Lebanon’s historical heart­land of the Chouf Mountains, Deir el Qamar it is one of the most fa­mous towns in Lebanon because of its well-preserved features and the important role it played in the country’s history.

 

Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Deir el Qamar not only preserves its grand feudal architec­ture, but it also maintains its old stepped streets, walled gardens, ancient winding cobbled alleyways and picturesque corners.

Located 35km from the capital city, Deir El Qamar played an important role in the country’s history. It is a charming typical village with the historical centre, oriental souk, museum, mosque and churches.

Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Crusaders Sea Castle, Sidon Sea Boulevard, Sidon Lebanon

Sidon's Sea Castle was built by the Crusaders in the thirteenth century as a fortress of the holy land. It is one of the most prominent historical sites in the port city of Sidon. The city of Sidon is located on the Mediterranean coast of Lebanon. This ancient Phoenician city has been of great religious, political and commercial value; it is said to be inhabited since 4000 B.C. During the 13th century, the Crusaders built Sidon's Sea Castle as a fortress on a small island connected to the mainland by a narrow 80m long roadway. The island was formerly the site of a temple to Melqart, the Phoenician version of Heracles. The beauty of the Castle can be seen in old illustrations of it; however, after bearing several wars, it has been damaged and renovated several times. It was partially destroyed by the Mamluks when they took over the city from the Crusaders, but they subsequently rebuilt it and added the long causeway. The castle later fell into disuse but was again restored in the 17th century by Emir Fakhreddine II, only to suffer great damage.

There is a possibility that the island on which the castle is built was, in fact, the location of the Phoenician King's palace and several other Phoenician monuments which were destroyed by Esarhaddon and then by natural earthquakes. This island has also served as a shelter from inside attacks on the city. Great Sidon, Little Sidon, powerful fortresses, pastures, cisterns and fortifications are all mentioned in the Assyrian king Sennacherib's recordings of his attacks on Sidon and nearby cities.


Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Sidon Souks, Old City, Sidon Lebanon

Saida’s old souks are exactly what you might imagine an Arabian bazaar to look like, complete with old-fashioned blacksmiths, cobblers, butchers, and bakers shops. The marketplace is made of stone archways and wedged into each niche is a different shop selling everything from fruits to souvenirs to meats. Every turn reveals a new corner of the souk, where colours, smells and sounds blend to make an enchanting marketplace.

Duration: 1 hour