Beirut, Lebanon: travel guide
Lebanon's Mediterranean capital — Roman ruins, Ottoman and French-mandate architecture, the Corniche and Pigeon Rocks, legendary food, and a nightlife scene rebuilding after crisis.
- Country
- Lebanon
- Currency
- LBP
- Time zone
- Asia/Beirut
- Nearest airport
- BEY
Top places to visit in Beirut
American University of Beirut (AUB) Campus
university campus · 4.4 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate
A leafy 73-acre walkable campus founded in 1866, with Ottoman and Neo-Gothic buildings, the AUB Museum of archaeology, and sea views from College Hall.
Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque
mosque · 4.7 rating · about 0.5 h · check the fee at the gate
The Ottoman-style Blue Mosque of Downtown Beirut, completed in 2008, with a striking blue dome dominating the Martyrs' Square skyline.
Martyrs' Square
square · 4.5 rating · about 0.3 h · check the fee at the gate
Beirut's historic central square, site of the Martyrs' Statue commemorating executed nationalists, and a focal point of the 2019-2020 protests.
National Museum of Beirut
museum · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
Lebanon's principal archaeology museum, covering prehistory to the Mamluk era, with Phoenician sarcophagi and Byzantine mosaics; the collection was famously sealed in concrete to protect it during the civil war.
Sursock Museum
art museum · 4.6 rating · about 1.3 h · check the fee at the gate
A restored Ottoman-Venetian villa turned museum of modern and contemporary art in Achrafieh, reopened after major restoration following 2020 port-blast damage.
Al-Omari Grand Mosque
mosque · 4.8 rating · about 0.4 h · check the fee at the gate
Downtown Beirut's oldest mosque, originally a 12th-century Crusader church converted to a mosque by the Mamluks, rebuilt after civil-war damage.
Roman Baths of Beirut
archaeological site · 4.6 rating · about 0.3 h · check the fee at the gate
Exposed ruins of a Roman-era bath complex near Beirut's parliament building, a compact open-air archaeological site in the heart of Downtown.
Robert Mouawad Private Museum
private museum · 3.9 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate
A private mansion museum near Downtown displaying an eclectic personal collection of archaeology, jewellery, arms and manuscripts.
Zaitunay Bay
waterfront promenade · 4.5 rating · about 1 h · check the fee at the gate
An upscale marina promenade next to the Beirut Marina, lined with waterfront restaurants and cafes.
Beirut Souks
shopping district · 4.4 rating · about 1.5 h · check the fee at the gate
A modern reconstruction of Beirut's historic souks in Downtown, now an open-air retail district over the excavated Roman-era street grid.
Pigeon Rocks (Raouché)
natural landmark · 4.6 rating · about 0.8 h · check the fee at the gate
Two natural sea-arch rock formations just offshore from the Raouché cliffs, Beirut's most photographed natural landmark and a popular sunset viewpoint.
St. George Maronite Cathedral
cathedral · 4.8 rating · about 0.3 h · check the fee at the gate
A 19th-century Maronite cathedral on Martyrs' Square, standing beside the Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque as a symbol of Beirut's religious coexistence.
Things to do
- Beirut Downtown Food & Walking Tour Food · 3 h · from USD 40 per person
- Raouché Sunset Boat Ride Activity · 0.8 h · from USD 15 per person
- Gemmayze & Mar Mikhael Nightlife Crawl Nightlife · 4 h
- National Museum Guided Tour Cultural · 1.3 h · from USD 15 per person
- Hamra Street Cafe Crawl Cultural · 1.5 h
Where to stay in Beirut
Hotels
- Phoenicia Hotel Beirut 5-star
- Le Gray Beirut 5-star
- Crowne Plaza Beirut 4-star
- Four Seasons Hotel Beirut 5-star
- Hilton Beirut Metropolitan Palace 5-star
- Albergo Beirut (Relais & Châteaux) 5-star
Where to eat
- Em Sherif Lebanese, Middle Eastern · about USD 80 per person
- Tawlet Beirut Lebanese, Home-style · about USD 26 per person
- Barbar Lebanese, Street Food · about USD 10 per person
- Zaatar w Zeit Lebanese, Bakery · about USD 10 per person
- Le Chef Lebanese, Home-style · about USD 10 per person
- Mayrig Armenian, Lebanese · about USD 26 per person
- Liza Beirut Lebanese · about USD 80 per person
- Centrale Lebanese, French, Fusion · about USD 80 per person
Getting around
- Car Rental Self main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Taxi main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.