World Heritage Tour of Lebanon

Arrival Note: Welcome to Beirut, the capital of Lebanon! Upon your arrival at the Rafic Hariri International Airport, our professional bilingual driver is ready to greet you. The driver will escort you in an exclusive air-conditioned car, and you'll reach the hotel in a 15-minute comfortable ride.

The hotels we carefully selected for you are very convenient. To suit different needs and budgets, we offer you two options. The 4 stars Gems Hotel is just 5 minutes' walk from the bustling Hamra Street, full of nice restaurants and bars where you can have dinner or a drink. The 5 stars Radisson Blu Hotel has restaurants and boutiques in its surroundings, and it is 10 minutes’ walk from the beaches of the Mediterranean.

► Free Time for Downtown Beirut Tour
To ensure a good rest after your long flight, we won't arrange any activity for you during the rest of the day. You can enjoy yourself for a while in the hotel and then go out for a walk by yourself to visit some famous sights in the downtown, like the National Museum, Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque, Saint Georges Maronite Cathedral, and Pigeon Rocks.

See Stunning Mediterranean Sunset at Pigeon Rocks
The Pigeon Rocks is the best place for sunset in Beirut. It attracts many visitors to scramble for the best spots to see the sunset over the rocks as well as Mediterranean Sea. It is absolutely a spectacular view, and the end of Corniche is popular as the Pigeon Rocks is just across from the waterfront path. The cafés and restaurants on the cliff there also provide a fine view of Pigeon Rocks and the sunset, and it’s uncrowded. Moreover, you can take a boat to the rock cave in the sea with a cost of USD 10, making yourself a part of the beautiful sight while admiring the gorgeous sunset in a fancy angle of view.

In the morning, we'll travel to the Jeita Grotto, in half an hour by the private car we prepared for you. Upon arrival, the guide will lead you to take the cable car to the entrance. This is a 9 km (5.6 mi) long limestone cave inhabited in prehistoric times. Our guide will show you the walking trail to appreciate the gigantic stalactites in the upper cave, and then an exciting boat ride will be specially arranged for you to explore the underground river in the lower cave.

Next, we'll leave for Byblos, one of the oldest cities in the world. With the guide's informative commentary, you will learn more about this World Heritage site, through visiting the Byblos Citadel (Crusaders' Castle), the Church of St John, the Roman amphitheater and the old souks.

★ Phoenician Alphabets – Great Contribution of Byblos to the World
Byblos is recognized as one of the oldest cities around the world, as it has a continuous human inhabitation for over 7,000 years. Phoenicians, the forefathers of Lebanon, created the first phonetic alphabet system, which is the origin of modern western alphabets. The sarcophagus of King Ahiram was unearthed in Byblos, and on the sarcophagus there is a mysterious inscription, which is the earliest Phoenician alphabets ever found. King Ahiram ruled Byblos around 1,000 BC, and his sarcophagus became strong evidence of the ancient and widespread Phoenician alphabets. Now, the sarcophagus is preserved in the National Museum in Beirut.

On the way back to Beirut, we'll stop by the beautiful village Harissa, a popular pilgrimage site famous for the Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon. We have arranged the most efficient and convenient cable car for you to reach the mountain top and visit the statue of Our Lady, from where you can also enjoy a panorama of the bay under your feet. In the evening we will go back to the hotel and have a good rest.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Our guide will wait for you in the lobby after breakfast. We'll arrive in the World Heritage site Anjar in 1.5 hours' driving this morning. Built in the 8th century, Anjar used to be a prosperous city with grand palaces, mosques and public baths, and its main street was once flanked by over 600 stores. Here, our guide will show you the well-protected Umayyad Ruins. From the fortified walls and stone columns, you can still feel Anjar's ancient glory.

Later, we'll proceed to the Baalbek Temple Complex, another World Heritage site of Lebanon, and the largest and best-preserved ancient Roman remains in the world. Here we'll visit the three temples dedicated to Jupiter, Bacchus and Venus respectively. On the way back to Beirut, we’ll offer you a rare chance to visit the famous Chateau Ksara and taste the best local wine there, which marks a perfect end of the day.

★ Secret of Baalbek Trilithon: Can’t Be Moved By Modern Technology
The great Roman temples in Baalbek were constructed on giant foundation stones, which are considered the ancient Phoenician remains. It’s said that there was a great Phoenician temple before Romans conquered the city. However, the rocks are astonishingly giant, weighing hundreds of tons. The largest Trilithon stone in Baalbek measures 21.3 m (69.9 ft) long, 3.04 m (10 ft) wide, 4.62 m (15.2 ft) high, and weighs 1,240 tons. How did the Phoenicians move these rocks here and build their temple with the huge things around 4,000 years ago?

Now, the state-of-the-art machinery is used to move and transport large rocks. The Belaz-75710 is currently the largest heavy truck with a capacity of 450 to 500 tons. As you can see, the Baalbek Trilithon can’t be moved using this truck. It's hard to be moved, let alone lifted above the ground to build a temple. We may never know how the Phoenicians completed this structure in ancient times, but it is truly stunning!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Our first destination of today is Sidon, one of the oldest Phoenician cities along the west coast of Lebanon. The guide will lead you to explore the local souk, fish market, the Crusaders' Sea Castle in Sidon, and also the nearby Temple of Eshmun. Not only will you learn about Sidon's turbulent history, but you will also get an up-close look at the peaceful life of the locals today.

★ Try Authentic Lebanese Food
For lunch, our guide will take you to a top-reviewed local restaurant for a traditional Lebanese meal. You can taste the best falafel, shawarma, hummus, and a few cold mezes. Sidon is well-known for its sweets and desserts. While strolling around the local souk, you can try Senioura, a local kind of crumbly cookies made from fresh fruits and candies.

We'll spend the afternoon in Tyre, another Phoenician city further south on the coast, and also a World Heritage site. Once a commercial port and trading center of the east Mediterranean, Tyre retains many historical sites worth visiting. Follow our guide to see the ruins of Tyre, including the Egyptian Port, the public baths, Roman necropolis and hippodrome, and you'll have a deep understanding of its legendary past. Finishing the visit, our guide and the driver will escort you back to the hotel in Beirut.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Departure Note: It's time to say goodbye to Lebanon. If your flight is late in the afternoon or evening, the morning hours are up to you and you can spend some leisurely time on the beach near your hotel. Remember to return to the hotel before the appointed time with the driver. Our driver will be waiting for you in the lobby and transfer you to the Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport on time for your flight home or to your next destination. Wish you a safe and happy journey!

Meals: Breakfast

► If you would like to further explore Lebanon, or extend your trip to other nearby destinations like Egypt and Jordan, please feel free to contact our travel consultants to tailor a plan for you.