Small - Group Tour to Beirut, Beitteddin & Deir Al Qamar - Day Trip from Beirut

Itinerary
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Stop At: Place de l'Etoile, Beirut Lebanon

Nejmeh Square, Place de l'Étoile, is home to the Lebanese Parliament, its complementary Deputies’ office building, two cathedrals, a crypt museum, plus several cafés and restaurants. The square is a recognizable icon of Beirut, most notable for its Art Deco architecture.

The 1930s clock tower, jewel of the square, was a gift from Lebanese-Brazilian émigré Michel Abed to the Lebanese Government. Today, the square is filled with people from all walks of life, tourists and locals, grown-ups and children, who come here to dine, walk or enjoy the street life.

Duration: 15 minutes

Stop At: Martyr's Square, Beirut Lebanon

Martyrs’ Square located at the heart of the 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 centres 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.

Duration: 20 minutes

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

The story of the National Museum started in 1919 with a small group of ancient artefacts, which had been collected by Raymond Weill, a French officer stationed in Lebanon. These objects were displayed in one of the rooms of the German Deaconesses building in Georges Picot Street in Beirut. This exhibition hall served as a temporary museum.
Today the National Museum building consists of three floors: a basement, a ground floor and an upper gallery. A staircase and two elevators lead to the upper floor.


Duration: 2 hours

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[1] along the seafront that extended from the old town

Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Roman Baths, Beirut Lebanon

Roman Berytus Baths is an ancient Roman thermae or bath site inside the Roman city of Berytus. It was discovered in 1968-1969 and underwent a major renovation in the mid-1990s.

The archaeological ruin of one of the baths has been preserved and is occasionally used as a performance space, thus reflecting the ancient traditions of the site. One of the Baths is used as an artistic performance and concert space. The modern site is also home to Mediterranean-style gardens that contain a variety of medicinal plants once used in bathing balms.

The Roman bathhouse was a meeting place for all citizens. Roman Berytus had four major bath complexes (thermae). The bather moved from warm to hot baths, through rooms of varying temperatures. Located under the floor, the heating system (hypocaust) located under the floor allowed the air, warmed by wood fires in adjacent vaults, to circulate between pillars of terracotta disks that heated the marble floor; terracotta pipes in the walls allowed the air to rise up to the ceiling. Water from the boiler fed the marble-tiled pools in the hot room (caldarium), and a large stone basin (labrum) contained cool water for the bathers’ use. The bathing routine ended with a body massage of therapeutic oils. The high vaulted, spacious halls of the bathhouse also accommodated performances of jesters and musicians.

Today, the location of the Roman Baths is occasionally used as a performance space, thus reflecting the ancient traditions of the site. The modern garden contains also a variety of medicinal plants once used during classical times.

Duration: 30 minutes

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

Built over 300 years beginning in 1788, the palace was the personal home of Emir Bashir Shihab II who wanted the mansion to be a place of singular beauty and legendary opulence. The castle was built on a hermitage called Beiteddine (House of Faith) and featured all manner of amenity including a lush personal apartment for the emir, a harem, and a rich guest house that was often offered to passing luminaries and dignitaries. Many of the surfaces were inlaid with intricate mosaics and designs, many of which have survived remarkably well to this day. Unfortunately, all of this grandeur is said to have come at a great price.

While it is likely an apocryphal story, it’s been said that the emir ordered that the architect of his palace have his hands cut right off so that the Beit ed-Dine Palace could not be duplicated. In addition, he is said to have conscripted all of his healthy male subjects to work on the project for days at a time for no pay.

Despite the possible labour tragedies associated with it, the palace was eventually taken over by the Ottomans and used as a government building before eventually being turned into a protected historic site. Today the palace still retains its stunning architecture and hand-made mosaics and is an important site for both visitors and the people of Lebanon.

Duration: 1 hour

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.

The best way to enjoy Deir El Qamar is by meandering through its narrow streets. Start in the main square (which was used for jousting tournaments during the Crusades) and meander through the streets just off the main road.

Duration: 1 hour