The Complete Lebanon Travel Guide

Lebanon is about 210 km from north to south and 45 to 80 km wide, and it is made up of four parallel strips: the coastal plain, the Mount Lebanon range, the Bekaa Valley and the Anti-Lebanon range along the Syrian border. Almost everything visitors see falls into one of five regions.

Beirut and its surroundings. The capital, Beirut, is a dense, lively and scarred city that is the base for most trips. To the north of it, Jeita Grotto and Harissa are easy half-day trips.

The north coast. Byblos and Batroun are small coastal towns with Phoenician and Crusader remains, and beaches and restaurants. Further north, Tripoli is the country's second city, with a well-preserved Mamluk old town.

Mount Lebanon. The mountains behind the coast hold the Qadisha Valley and the Cedars in the north, and the Chouf, with Beiteddine Palace, Deir al-Qamar and the Chouf Cedar Reserve, in the south.

The south. Sidon and Tyre are ancient Phoenician ports with Crusader and Roman remains. This is the area closest to the Israeli border, and the one where advice has been strictest since 2023.

The Bekaa Valley. A high, fertile plain between two mountain ranges, with the temples of Baalbek, the Umayyad city of Anjar and most of Lebanon's vineyards. Parts of the valley near the Syrian border have been affected by strikes.

Since 2019, Lebanon has been through one of the worst economic collapses of modern times. The Lebanese pound has lost more than 90% of its value, banks have restricted access to savings, and the country's public electricity supply provides only a few hours a day in many places.

For visitors, the effect is practical. US dollars are widely used, and many prices are quoted in dollars. Cards work in some places but often at unfavourable rates, and cash machines are unreliable. Bring cash, in small clean US dollar notes, and check how a place will charge you before you eat or check in.

Private generators supply most hotels and restaurants, so power cuts are seldom a problem for visitors, though air conditioning and lifts can be affected. The crisis has hit ordinary people hard, and many young Lebanese have left. It is also a reason that tourism income is valued.

The economy is also expensive for what it provides, because almost everything is imported and priced in dollars. Do not expect the low prices of neighbouring countries.

Lebanon's small size is deceptive. Beirut to Tripoli is 85 km but can take two hours in traffic, and mountain roads to the Cedars or the Chouf are steep and winding.

Drivers. A private driver is the standard way for visitors to see the country. It is comparatively expensive but gives you flexibility, local knowledge and a way of avoiding areas where conditions have changed.

Hire cars. They suit confident drivers who like independence. Traffic in Beirut is heavy and assertive, road signs are inconsistent, and roads can be poorly lit and unmarked.

Service taxis and buses. Cheap shared taxis and minibuses run on main routes, without timetables. They are useful for going between the main cities, less so for reaching the sites.

Checkpoints. The army operates checkpoints across the country. They are usually routine, but carry your passport and be polite.

Lebanon's mix of communities makes it unusually tolerant in some ways and sensitive in others. Beirut and the coast are liberal and cosmopolitan, and the mountains and the north and south are more traditional.

Dress modestly in mosques, Tripoli and the south and the Bekaa, and take a scarf. Elsewhere, Western dress is normal. Ask before photographing people, and avoid photographing military or political sites.

Politics and history are sensitive. The civil war of 1975–1990, the Israeli wars and the current political system all divide people, and visitors are best to listen and ask questions.

Hospitality is a serious value. If you are offered coffee, sweets or a meal, accept graciously.