This week we will start with heading 85km northeast of Beirut towards Baalbek, east of the Litani River in Beqaa Valley. Again, this is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to colossal ancient structures.
When visiting the Beqaa Valley on your way to Baalbek, why not head to Chateau Ksara and sample some of Lebanon's finest wines. Also, a visit to Al Shams restaurant in Anjar should be your next stop, this is a national institution, the food will leave your mouth watering at the memory of your visit.
Next stop is Tyre, known to locals as Sour, is the capital of the South Governorate in Lebanon. There are many things to see and do here, start off with visiting the Necropolis (Runs of Tyre), this is a fairly big site needing 30 minutes to an hour depending on your level of curiosity with insights on how Romans went about their day to day lives.
Next stop, the Tyre Hippodrome, another UNESCO World Heritage Site and named as one of the five best racecourses in the Levant by the unknown author of the Expositio.
The Tyre Coast Nature Reserve covers 380 hectares of land and is divided into 3 parts, the tourism zone, the agricultural and archeological zone and the conservation zone. You can visit Tyre Beach for a swim in the warm waters of the Mediterranean
... and enjoy a seafood dinner at one of the restaurants, like the famous Shawatina (pictured below).
Finally, a visit to the Phoenician springs of Ras Al Ain where you can take a dip in the springs here, and visit the collection of ancient wells and the city's main water source.
Lebanon is a small country with so much history and magic to experience. The food in this country is amazing with great delicacies, the nightlife is world-famous and the scope of activities is unparalleled for the size of the place. We didn't touch on the fact you can ski here too. If you venture to this lush country in the Levant, you will not be disappointed.
