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Beirut Travel Guide

🇱🇧 Lebanon · Middle East

The Paris of the Middle East — despite its recent challenges, Beirut remains one of the region's most vibrant, culturally rich and culinarily brilliant cities. World-class mezze, extraordinary nightlife, ancient Phoenician history and the legendary warmth of Lebanese hospitality make it unforgettable.

📅Best TimeMay – October (summer); March–May & September–October (shoulder)
💵Budget$40–120/day
💱CurrencyLebanese Pound / USD widely used
🗣️LanguageArabic / French / English
🛂VisaVisa-free for 40+ countries; visa-on-arrival available
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🏛️ Top Attractions in Beirut

1 Beirut National Museum (Phoenician to modern)
2 Sursock Museum of contemporary art
3 Pigeon Rocks (Raouche) natural sea arches
4 Hamra Street café culture
5 Gemmayze & Mar Mikhael nightlife districts
6 Day trip to Byblos (one of world's oldest continuously inhabited cities)
7 Jeita Grotto stalactite caves (40 min from city)

🍽️ What to Eat in Beirut

🍴 Full mezze spread (hummus, tabbouleh, fattoush, kibbeh, warak enab)
🍴 Shawarma from Barbar (open 24h — the institution)
🍴 Knafeh bi jibn (warm cheese pastry soaked in syrup)
🍴 Saj flatbread with za'atar and olive oil
🍴 Arak (anise spirit) with mezze at a traditional restaurant
🍴 Lebanese wine from Bekaa Valley vineyards

💡 Insider Tips for Beirut

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USD is universally accepted and preferred for anything over LBP 100,000

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Nightlife is extraordinary — clubs open at midnight, peak energy at 2–4am

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Gemmayze on Thursday nights: must-experience Lebanese urban culture

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Check current travel advisories before booking — situation can be volatile

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Byblos day trip: only 40 min from Beirut — 8,000 years of history in one afternoon

✈️ Getting to Beirut

Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport (BEY) — 20 min by taxi to downtown ($15–25). No metro; taxis and Uber are the main transport options.

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