Ancient ruins, mountain cedars and a famous food culture
Lebanon is a small Mediterranean country where Roman temples, Phoenician ports and snowy mountains sit within a few hours of each other. Beirut is known for its food, nightlife and layered history, while the north holds cedar forests and old monasteries. The US government currently advises Americans not to travel to Lebanon for any reason, because of armed conflict, terrorism and kidnapping risk. Treat this guide as background for a future trip, not a plan for now.
Tap a card or a pin. Add a place to a day of your trip, or look for tours.
Baalbek holds some of the largest and best preserved Roman temples anywhere, including the Temple of Bacchus. The scale of the stone blocks is the main thing visitors remember.
Byblos is one of the oldest continuously inhabited towns in the world, with a Crusader castle and layers of ruins above the harbour. The old souk and seafront restaurants make it an easy half day.
Qadisha is a deep gorge dotted with rock cut monasteries and hermitages used by Maronite Christians for centuries. Trails link the monasteries along the valley floor.
A grove of ancient cedar trees high above Bsharri, the tree that appears on the Lebanese flag. It forms part of the same UNESCO listing as the Qadisha Valley.
Jeita is a pair of limestone caves, an upper gallery walked on foot and a lower one seen by boat. The formations are lit to show their size.
The national museum holds the best collection of Lebanese archaeology, from Phoenician sarcophagi to Roman mosaics. It sits on the old Green Line that divided the city during the civil war.
Tyre has a large Roman hippodrome, colonnaded streets and sandy public beaches. It was one of the great Phoenician cities.
Anjar is the ruin of an 8th century Umayyad trading town laid out on a Roman style grid. Its arches and palace walls are quiet and rarely crowded.
A 19th century palace in the Chouf mountains with courtyards, fountains and a mosaic collection. It hosts a summer arts festival.
The Shouf reserve protects much of Lebanon's remaining cedar forest and has marked hiking trails. It is the largest nature reserve in the country.
Two large rock arches stand off the Beirut coast at the end of the Corniche seafront walk. Sunset here is a classic Beirut ritual.
Tripoli has Mamluk era mosques, hammams and covered souks, plus a hilltop Crusader citadel. Its sweets shops are famous.
A large statue of the Virgin Mary stands on a hill above Jounieh Bay. A cable car climbs from the coast.
Batroun is a small coastal town with a Phoenician sea wall, old churches and beach bars. It is a popular weekend escape from Beirut.
The museum is set in an old monastery where the poet Khalil Gibran is buried. It shows his paintings and personal items.
Everything above is open to read. A Hodolog account lets you build the trip around it: pick cities, add places to days, see the weather for your dates.
Each city with a guide opens its own page: map, where to stay, what to eat.
The capital has the museums, restaurants and nightlife, and is the base for coastal day trips.
food, nightlife, culture · Guide comingA walkable harbour town with ruins and seafood.
history · Guide comingMountain village for the Qadisha Valley and the cedars.
hiking, nature · Guide comingLebanon's second city with authentic souks.
culture, food · Guide comingBekaa town for wineries and Anjar.
wine, food · Guide comingA relaxed coastal town with beaches and bars.
coast, food · Guide comingA palace village in the Chouf Mountains with good walking.
history, hiking · Guide comingBusy, cosmopolitan and Mediterranean.
Corniche, National Museum, Byblos
Mountains, monasteries and old souks.
Qadisha Valley, Cedars of God, Tripoli
Green hills, stone villages and cedar reserves.
Beiteddine, Shouf Reserve, Jeita Grotto
Farmland, vineyards and Roman ruins.
Baalbek, Anjar, Zahle wineries
The urban and mountain core of the country, with the capital, Byblos and the Jeita caves.
Beirut, Byblos, Jeita Grotto
A high plain with vineyards and major Roman and Umayyad sites. Parts are subject to strict government travel advice.
Baalbek, Anjar, Zahle
Choose how long you have, then add the whole route to a trip as places and nights.
Best: April to June, September to October. Spring and autumn are warm and dry without the humid heat of midsummer.
The mountains are much cooler than the coast and get snow in winter, when skiing is possible at resorts above Beirut.
January. Quiet season. Lower prices, fewer crowds.
57°F daily high, 52°F average, 4.5 in
Average of past years from NASA POWER, worked out at each city's position. A place far from these cities can be quite different.
The US State Department rates Lebanon Level 4: Do Not Travel, citing armed conflict, terrorism, kidnapping, unrest and landmines.
Distances are short but public transport is informal shared taxis and minibuses, and checkpoints are common.
Prices after the currency crisis are often quoted in US dollars and are not especially cheap for visitors.
Entry rules depend on your passport. Members see the rules for their own passport here.
Passport and visa rules change often and without notice. Always check the official pages before you book and again before you travel.
| Entry | Current US advice is not to travel, and rules change, so check the Lebanese General Directorate of General Security website (general-security.gov.lb) and your own government's travel advice before you book. |
| Plugs | Type A, B, C, D, G; 220 V |
| Tap water | not safe |
| Tipping | Around 10 percent in restaurants is customary if service is not included. |
| Payments | Cash in US dollars is widely used and cards are not always accepted after the banking crisis. |
| Emergency | 140 ambulance, 175 fire, 112 police |
| Etiquette | Lebanese hospitality is generous, so accept tea or coffee when offered. Avoid political and religious debates with people you have just met. |
| What to wear | Cover shoulders and knees in mosques and churches; women should carry a scarf for mosques. |
| Driving | On the right |
| Between cities | Most visitors hire a driver or rent a car, since shared taxis and minibuses are informal. Distances are short, rarely more than three hours. Expect army checkpoints. |
| Main airports | BEY |
| Ride apps | Uber, Bolt |
The coast was home to Phoenician city states such as Byblos and Tyre, which traded across the Mediterranean. Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders and Ottomans all left buildings behind. Modern Lebanon became independent from French mandate rule in 1943. A civil war from 1975 to 1990 and repeated conflicts since, along with a deep economic crisis from 2019, shape life today.
Researched 2026-10-13. Check official sources and recent changes before you go.