Types of Tourism in Lebanon
EXCURSIONS
The history of Lebanon is about 10,000 years old, and the country’s culture is the result of a mixture of cultures from a wide variety of civilizations. Lebanon can be called a historical museum of the Middle East, because here are the oldest still inhabited city in the world – Jebel (Byblos), the remains of such powerful ancient Phoenician cities as Trablos, Sidon and Tire, the ruins of the largest Roman temple – the temple of Jupiter in Baalbek, and the largest surviving city from the Umayyad era is Anjar.
SHOPPING
Ancient cities of Lebanon with their many oriental markets are great places for shopping. For souvenirs, you should go to the cities of Tripoli, where the oldest market in the country is located, functioning since the 14th century, Sur and Saidu. In the capital of Lebanon – Beirut – you will find any goods: from handmade souvenirs in small shops to clothes of the world’s most famous fashion houses in chic boutiques. Check top-medical-schools.org for travel information in Lebanon.
BEACH HOLIDAYS
The length of the Mediterranean coast within Lebanon is 225 km. The beach season lasts here from April to November. In the northern part of the coast, the beaches are surrounded by rocks and mountains, and in the south – banana plantations and orchards. The most popular beaches are located in the north in Jounieh , in the vicinity of Jebel, on the territory of the Palm Island reserve near Tripoli and south of Tripoli in the cities of Chekka and Batrun. In the southern part of the coast, beaches stretching from the city of Saida to the very border with Israel are suitable for relaxation, especially those located in the vicinity of Sur .
DIVING
Diving in Lebanon cannot be attributed to world-class diving. Local dive sites are located in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, where the underwater world is not very diverse, and the underwater landscapes are similar to the desert moon. However, diving here is possible all year round, as the water temperature does not drop below +16 degrees even in winter. Underwater visibility varies from 8 to 10 m.
In Beirut , 200 m from the beach of the American University, the ship Le Souffler rests on the bottom of the sea.. Le Souffleur is a French World War II submarine that was attacked by the British in 1941. During the attack by torpedoes, the boat split into 2 parts. Now these parts lie at a depth of 37 m. This is one of the best places in the Middle East for wreck diving. In addition to the boat, here you can see large stingrays, eagle rays, moray eels and groupers. Also off the coast of Beirutare dive sites called Shark Point, where small-toothed tiger sharks appear in the summer, and Stingray Reef, where you can see a variety of species of rays in the summer.
Of interest are the coastal waters of such ancient cities as Tripoli , Jebel , Saida and Sur . Here, at depths of up to 10 m, you can see the remains of buildings and various objects from the time of the Roman Empire.
SKIING
Lebanon is one of the few countries in the Middle East where skiing is possible. In the mountains of Lebanon, which border the central part of the Mediterranean coast of the country, there are 6 ski resorts. They are close to the beaches and the main attractions of the region, which allows you to combine several types of tourism. All mountain resorts in Lebanon are open all year round. The ski season lasts from December to April, and at the beginning and end of the ski season, mild weather conditions are observed on the coast, so after skiing you can go to sandy beaches or visit ancient coastal cities.
In the center of the mountains of Lebanon, 46 km from Beirut and 30 km from Jebel at an altitude of 1830 m, is the country’s most popular and most developed ski resort – Faraya-Mzaar. The season here runs from late December to mid-April. The height difference within the resort reaches 410 m, tourists are offered 42 slopes of various difficulty levels (from children’s to “black” slopes), as well as 18 lifts. The maximum mark of Faraya-Mzaar is at an altitude of 2465 m. The resort is located near the slopes, there are hotels with developed infrastructure, restaurants, bars and shops.
A little to the south, at an altitude of 1735 m, is the private resort of Fakra. It began operating in 1974 and is now an elite resort. Its entire infrastructure is concentrated in the village of Kfardebian. The village consists of small houses surrounded by gardens and a hotel with all amenities: swimming pool, sauna, three tennis courts and a fitness club. The highest point of the resort is located at an altitude of 1980 m.
The nearby ski center Kanat-Bakish, located at an altitude of 1990 m, is considered one of the “snowiest” in the country. There are never many tourists here, there are no bars and nightclubs, so it is more suitable for a relaxing holiday. The highest elevation of the resort is 2050 m. The Zarur ski resort is the southernmost in Lebanon. It is located 54 km from Beirut on the slopes of Mount Sunny. This is a small private resort that is famous for its cross-country skiing trails. The longest of them has a length of about 4 km.
In the northern part of the mountains of Lebanon, 62 km from Beirut at an altitude of 1650 m, there is another ski resort – Lakluk. This resort is more suitable for families and for beginners in skiing. There are many trails for cross-country skiing.
To the north, in the vicinity of the highest point in Lebanon – Mount Cornet es Saud (3083 m) – at an altitude of 1950 m, is the country’s highest mountain resort – Cedars . The ski season here is longer than in other Lebanese resorts (beginning of November-end of April). The resort has been operating since 1920 and now has the most developed infrastructure after Faraya-Mzaar. The resort village has hotels, shops, bars, restaurants and clubs. In addition, you can stay in the town of Bsharra, located 7 km from the resort. Most of the local slopes are perfect for unprepared skiers, there are also slopes for children. In addition, Cedars is one of the two resorts in Lebanon, which have trails of an increased level of difficulty.
