A taste of Lebanon

Ever since I arrived in Abu Dhabi (where I used to live), several colleagues and travellers told me how amazing Beirut, and Lebanon in general is. They convinced me that I had to visit it now that I’m living relatively nearby. To be honest, I knew very little about Lebanon but it got me and 2 friends excited so we planned a spontaneous trip in December.

Things to do in Lebanon

As soon as we reached our hotel in Hamra, Beirut, we went for a walk to see the Archaeological site and the eye-catching Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque. A few hours of wandering around later, we ended up on the vibrant Armenia street, full of different restaurants and bars!

Road trip to highlights near Beirut

We rented a car to see some more of the country, but had no idea the traffic would be this crazy! There were cars everywhere, half of them were ready for the car graveyard. Thanks to our amazing driver Nienke (one of my friends) we made it out of Beirut and reached Our Lady of Lebanon, a statue on top of a mountain with an incredible view over Jounieh city and its surroundings.

We continued our road trip to Byblos, a picturesque fishing village, which reminded us of the Mediterranean. As we were there on a Monday morning, it was quiet and peaceful, but there were many restaurants and it is supposed to be a very lively town during the weekends and evenings. After a fresh juice we left the sun for the lower temperatures in the mountains, and unexpectedly found snow.

The views on the way to the Baatara Gorge Sinkhole were stunning, and surprisingly we found a rope bridge which was officially closed due to the winter, but there was neither a fence nor a sign that you couldn’t use it, so we accepted the challenge and went over the bridge to the other side. The Waterfall itself is not like any random waterfall, as the water falls 225 metres down into a sinkhole deep in the ground. (It depends on the season how much water comes down).

After a long day on the road and sightseeing we were exhausted but craving some good food and a cocktail. As we had seen so many nice restaurants the day before, we went back to Armenia and were glad to see all restaurants and bars were crowded and the atmosphere was great!

Beirut is a really interesting city, with a perfect mix of Arabic and Western influences. There is a huge variety of places to eat and drink and nightlife is supposed to be amazing as well! We would love to go back to Lebanon to explore more of the country.

Recommended restaurants and cafes in Beirut

Hamra

Amazing Lebanese food in a local restaurant with live music: Mezyan
Bar/cafe with good music (Jazzy when we were there) to start your night and enjoy each others company: Cafe de Prague
Cute, creative breakfast place in Hamra (they also do lunch and dinner): Dar Bistro & Books