Byblos and Central Lebanon

Easily accessible as half-day excursions from Beirut, the sights of central Lebanon combine a mixture of beautiful mountain scenery, historic buildings of great antiquity, attractive medieval towns, and one of the finest underground cave complexes in the world.

Byblos is one of the oldest inhabited settlements and is among Lebanon’s top attractions. At the heart of the town is a picturesque fishing harbour, lined by superb taverna-style restaurants and dominated by a Crusader castle. Behind this are the beautifully restored cobbled lanes and stone houses of the medieval city – now filled with cafes and souvenir stalls. A bit further north, Batroun, another attractive city with ancient origins, has streets lined with well-preserved houses from the Ottoman period and the remains of a Phoenician harbour that overlooks an often turquoise sea.

Inland from here is the Afqa Grotto, the source of the Adonis River. Afqa is best seen in spring when water roars from its mouth and then passes beneath an attractive Roman bridge on its way to the sea. Legend has it that the grotto is where Adonis was gored to death by a wild bull and where he exchanged his first kiss with the goddess Aphrodite. The stalactites and stalagmites of Jeita Grotto form one of the most impressive cave complexes in the world. The caves penetrate deep into the mountainside and comprise two incredible cavern complexes. The lower caves are explored on a memorable short boat ride, though this is closed at times of high water.

On the edge of Beirut, the pass of Nahr el-Kalb (Dog River) marks a strategic narrow crossing point that, throughout history, has been fraught with danger. To mark their successful passage, a succession of armies from the time of Ramses II of Egypt to the present era have left a series of fascinating inscriptions to commemorate their achievement. Faqra, in the mountains above Beirut, is known for its winter skiing (December to April) and as the site of the most extensive classical ruins on Mount Lebanon. The region is approached through a dramatic limestone formation called the ’Houses of Ghosts’ and is littered with Roman and Byzantine remains, including the Great Temple of Faqra, dedicated to a ‘very great god’.