Tell people you are heading to Beirut for the weekend and they look at you curiously - “is it safe?” In many people’s minds Beirut is still a bombed-out, war torn city. But all that ended in 2005 when the Syrian Army left (the war ended in 1990) and Lebanon is enjoying a period of peace and prosperity and returning to its former glory.
Don’t get me wrong, there are still many signs of the ravages of war: bullet ridden buildings, road blocks, plenty of barbed wire, tanks and armed police at checkpoints. The Lebanese love their armed forces and it’s not at all threatening.
As one of the oldest cities in the world, Beirut has had many sea traders and invaders from the Phoenicians to the Byzantines to the Ottomans, each leaving their mark on the city. Today Beirut is again thriving, an unruly mix of old and new, east and west that defies it’s turbulent history, but with an identity of its own which defines all great cities.
There’s a vibrant arts and cultural scene and an entrepreneurial spirit that manifests itself in trendy boutiques, cool cafés, restaurants, nightclubs and a surprisingly elegant marina.
There is definitely no shortage of things to experience in Beirut and here are some of my highlights.
Get under the skin of the city
Beirut is a city of layers and the best way to peel them away is to take a walking tour with a local. Lebanese Ronnie Chatah is the son of an assassinated Beirut official. During his excellent Walk Beirut, Ronnie passionately incorporates all his knowledge of his country - as well as his father's vision for it - in an engaging historical and cultural narrative. This must-do, four-hour walk is not as much about "tourist sites" as it is about the fabric of Beirut's history, heritage and current affairs and will help you understand this complex and fascinating place. The tour ends poignantly at Martyr’s Square, which is the city’s most important place of protest.
Take to the streets
Exploring Beirut on foot is the best way to get around and allows you to take it all in at a digestible pace.
Start at Pigeon’s Rock and do as the locals do, stopping for a photo opportunity before strolling the Corniche.
Then head inland weaving your way through the lively and colourful neighbourhoods.
Everywhere you look in Beirut you will notice the buildings, which form a visual representation of the city’s history. The former Ottoman-style palaces are a nod to the aristocratic 19th Century residents.
Beach clubs along the Corniche depict the frivolous chapter for the city in the 1950s and 1960s, albeit as we were out of season they had a sad emptiness about them.
Mosques and churches sit side by side indicating Beirut’s ethnic diversity.
Bullet ridden and decaying buildings point to the 1975 - 1990 Civil War, whilst shiny high rises and modern architecture reflect the city’s future.
A Middle Eastern feast
The food in Beirut is as varied as it is delicious and is definitely a major draw. The Arabic Food is Levantine encompassing not just Lebanese, but also Armenian, Syrian and Persian influences. There is a tasty world outside of hummus and tabbouleh and some rather wonderful places to sample it from glamourous Liza to Souk el Tayeb, Lebanon’s first farmers market which is held every Saturday.
A cultural experience
Beirut’s cultural offering took shape in the wake of the country’s Civil War and has been growing ever since. Two stand out visits are The National Museum of Beirut, which is a small but perfectly formed place that tells the story of Lebanon’s incredible history without being overwhelming. Whilst the Sursock Museum houses a collection of modern art in one of the country’s most beautiful former residences.
Escape the city
Despite there definitely being enough to keep you busy in the city, you really must head into the mountains where you’ll find small villages, the vineyards of the Bekka Valley and, on the road to Damascus, the ruins of the Umayyad city of Anjar which was founded at the beginning of the 8th Century.
Travel a bit further and you get to the incredible ruins at Baalbeck, one of the most important archaeological sites in the world, which is dominated by a vast Roman acropolis.
Lebanon is a fascinating country with a varied and incredibly interesting history. Beirut offers a microcosm of it all, which can be perfectly absorbed over a few days. It’s getting on the map and a quote taken from a recent article in The Week, sums it up perfectly: “Lebanon is complex, fragile and a tad neurotic, but, like a hedonistic aunt with a catastrophic backstory, it will steal your heart”.
If you would like to know more about a trip to Beirut, please do get in touch.
{All photography by Julian and Lesley-Ann}