Beirut

Travel Guide

Beirut
Beirut
Beirut
Beirut
Beirut
Visit a fascinating Middle Eastern city that showcases its broad cultural background in excellent museums and offers modern nightclub entertainment.

Beirut is a cosmopolitan city, rebuilt seven times after natural disasters and extended civil war. Explore the modern city to discover its historic roots from a range of civilizations including Ottoman, Abbasside, Omayyad, Byzantine, Roman, Hellenistic, Persian and Canaanite. Excavations have revealed a Roman hippodrome at Wadi abu Jamil and prehistoric tools dating back to 200,000 B.C.

Step into the National Museum of Beirut, bathed in golden light and featuring antiquities discovered within Lebanon. Highlights of this important site include carved ivory, Roman busts and three 6th century B.C. Phoenician statues of young boys. Bring headphones to listen to the complimentary audioguide.

Other museums include Planet Discovery for kids, the Sursock Museum of contemporary art in a beautiful Venetian-Ottoman mansion and the Robert Mouawad Private Museum, with fine jewelry, porcelain and other antiquities.

See the structures residents have built for the various religions practiced in Beirut. The 12th-century Al-Omari Mosque and the blue-domed Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque, built in 2008, show the lasting presence of Islam. Near the modern mosque, the ancient St. George Greek Orthodox Church displays historic relics from an earlier Byzantine period.

Overlook the Mediterranean Sea as you walk along the Corniche promenade. In this great spot for people-watching, observe Muslim women in hijab, teenagers in Western-style T-shirts and international visitors from around the world. Sit in a cliff-top restaurant to watch the sun set behind Pigeon Rocks, two limestone monoliths rising from the water. Another peaceful spot is the Gibran Khalil Gibran Garden, a memorial to the famous Lebanese-American poet and essayist, the author of The Prophet.

Visit city souks, selling goods from farm-fresh produce to ornate gold jewelry. Enjoy Lebanese and Armenian specialties, including lamb kebabs, labneh cheese, bulgur and olives. Find nightclubs in the Gemmayzehdistrict and join tours to see some of Lebanon’s natural beauty outside the city. Check the U.S. State Department website for any current advisories in Beirut or other parts of Lebanon.

Where to stay in Beirut

Default Image

Hamra

4/5(52 area reviews)

You'll enjoy the archaeological sites and museums in Hamra. You might want to make time for a stop at Hamra Street or Agial Art Gallery.

Hamra
Default Image

Beirut Central District

4.5/5(5 area reviews)

Beirut Central District is noteworthy for its shopping, and you can make a stop at top attractions like Beirut Souks and Mohammed Al Amin Mosque.

Beirut Central District
Default Image

Raouche

5/5(4 area reviews)

Raouche is noteworthy for its seaside views, and you can plan an outing to Pigeon Rocks and Verdun Street while you're in town.

Raouche
Default Image

Achrafieh

4.5/5(3 area reviews)

Restaurants and shopping are just a few things travellers like about Achrafieh. A stop by ABC Mall is also recommended if you've got time to explore the area.

Achrafieh
Default Image

Park

While visiting Park, you might make a stop by sights like National Museum of Beirut and Horsh Beirut.

Park
Default Image

Beirut Waterfront

While visiting Beirut Waterfront, you might make a stop by sights like Zaitunay Bay and Beirut Corniche.

Beirut Waterfront
Hamra Urban Gardens
Hamra Urban Gardens
3 out of 5
Abdel Baki Street, Beirut, Beirut
The price is €38 per night from 27 Mar to 28 Mar
€38
includes taxes & fees
27 Mar - 28 Mar
Stay at this 3-star business-friendly hotel in Beirut. Enjoy free WiFi, an outdoor pool, and 2 poolside bars. Popular attractions Agial Art Gallery and Hamra ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (210 reviews)
"🌹💐🌷"

Reviewed on 25 Feb 2025

Hamra Urban Gardens
Radisson BLU Martinez Hotel, Beirut
Radisson BLU Martinez Hotel, Beirut
5 out of 5
Phoenicia Street, Beirut
The price is €82 per night from 16 Mar to 17 Mar
€82
includes taxes & fees
16 Mar - 17 Mar
Stay at this 5-star luxury hotel in Beirut. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and 24-hour room service. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (962 reviews)
"All is good, really it was very good experience."

Reviewed on 18 Feb 2025

Radisson BLU Martinez Hotel, Beirut
1866 Court & Suites
1866 Court & Suites
5 out of 5
Bliss Street, Hamra, Beirut
The price is €94 per night from 17 Mar to 18 Mar
€94
includes taxes & fees
17 Mar - 18 Mar
Stay at this 5-star family-friendly hotel in Beirut. Enjoy free WiFi, an outdoor pool, and 3 restaurants. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (247 reviews)
"Views and ambience"

Reviewed on 6 Mar 2025

1866 Court & Suites
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Lancaster Suites Raouche
Lancaster Suites Raouche
4 out of 5
Andalous Street, Raouche, Beirut
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly aparthotel in Beirut. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the helpful staff in ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (88 reviews)
"Excellent hotel"

Reviewed on 21 Dec 2024

Lancaster Suites Raouche
Studio 44
Studio 44
4 out of 5
Hamra Street, Beirut
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly aparthotel in Beirut. Enjoy free WiFi, parking (surcharge), and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the helpful staff ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (313 reviews)
"I'm a repeat customer. Love this hotel and bustling Hamra neighborhood. If your familiar with St. Catherine's street in Montreal, the area along Hamra Street has the same vibe!"

Reviewed on 4 Jan 2025

Studio 44
The Key Beirut
The Key Beirut
5 out of 5
Palais de Justice District, Beirut
Stay at this 5-star luxury aparthotel in Beirut. Enjoy free WiFi, a full-service spa, and breakfast (surcharge). Popular attractions National Museum of Beirut ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (97 reviews)
"Staff is friendly and always smiling"

Reviewed on 20 Jan 2024

The Key Beirut
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Things to do

Reviews of Beirut

4.3
Top destination
5 - Excellent
39
5 - Excellent 50%
4 - Good
29
4 - Good 37%
3 - Okay
8
3 - Okay 10%
2 - Disappointing
2
2 - Disappointing 3%
1 - Terrible
0
1 - Terrible 0%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Beirut is an amazing city. It's the people that make it. They are friendly, welcoming, and from multiple ethnicities and religions that make the city diverse. Arabic is the main language, but you will also hear French and English.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

It's very busy but has some really nice places to visit, eat and relax

4/5 - Good

Adam

Don’t drive there! The city is like a big racing arena!

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

A must see City.. full of life

2/5 - Disappointing

Verified traveller

I didn't see a fraction of what I wanted because there is no public transportation. Taxi drivers overcharged me. I'm sure I was cheated when I tried to take a service taxi.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

I love Beirut 