Beirut Travel Guide

Tourist Guide
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

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Hamra

4.5/5(5 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
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Beirut Central District

3.5/5(3 area reviews)

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

Beirut Central District
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Achrafieh

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
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Raouche

4.5/5(2 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
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Gemmayzeh

If you're spending some time in Gemmayzeh, Saifi Village and Stairs of Saint Nicholas are top sights worth seeing.

Gemmayzeh
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Hotel Dieu

While there might not be top attractions in Hotel Dieu, you can explore the larger area and discover places like National Museum of Beirut and Horsh Beirut.

Hotel Dieu
Hamra Urban Gardens
Hamra Urban Gardens
3 out of 5
Abdel Baki Street, Beirut, Beirut
The price is NZ$88 per night from 30 Mar to 31 Mar
NZ$88
per night
30 Mar - 31 Mar
Stay at this 3-star hotel in Beirut. Enjoy free WiFi, an outdoor pool, and 2 poolside bars. Popular attractions Hamra Street and Agial Art Gallery are located ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (191 reviews)
"Our second stay at HUG. Overall good place considering the cost. The low rates mean it's always full and busy. Good location. Good service. Clean. Washer and dryer are an attractive addition but old and the dryer just doesn't dry. Wish the terrace was open since we had sunny warm days but it's closed ..."

Reviewed on 27 Feb. 2024

Hamra Urban Gardens
Studio 44
Studio 44
4 out of 5
Hamra Street, Beirut
The price is NZ$100 per night from 7 Apr to 8 Apr
NZ$100
per night
7 Apr - 8 Apr
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly aparthotel in Beirut. Enjoy free WiFi, onsite parking, and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the helpful staff and ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (291 reviews)
"Nice hotel in the heart of Beirut. Close to the University and and wateefront. Quiet area at night. Comfy bed for a good night's rest. Thank you for the relaxing atmosphere and roim."

Reviewed on 20 Mar. 2024

Studio 44
El Sheikh Suites Hotel
El Sheikh Suites Hotel
4 out of 5
Sidani Street, Hamra, Beirut, Beirut
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is NZ$95 per night from 18 Apr to 19 Apr
NZ$95
per night
18 Apr - 19 Apr
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly hotel in Beirut. Enjoy free WiFi, free valet parking, and breakfast. Popular attractions Hamra Street and AUB Museum are ...
9.8/10 Exceptional! (57 reviews)
"I loved my stay at this place. The bed was super comfortable and a beautiful room. Located in a quiet location yet close to whatever you need whether it was restaurants or shopping. Great breakfast and friendly staff especially the front desk staff of Mr. Bchara. Thank you again for your Lebanese ..."

Reviewed on 10 Mar. 2024

El Sheikh Suites Hotel
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.
Studio 44
Studio 44
4 out of 5
Hamra Street, Beirut
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly aparthotel in Beirut. Enjoy free WiFi, onsite parking, and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the helpful staff and ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (291 reviews)
"Nice hotel in the heart of Beirut. Close to the University and and wateefront. Quiet area at night. Comfy bed for a good night's rest. Thank you for the relaxing atmosphere and roim."

Reviewed on 20 Mar. 2024

Studio 44
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. Popular attractions Hamra Street and Pigeon Rocks are ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (76 reviews)
"All the staff are friendly. Very quiet hotel I recommended ."

Reviewed on 4 Jan. 2024

Lancaster Suites Raouche
Matar Residence Hotel
Matar Residence Hotel
5 out of 5
Camil Chamoun, Sabtiyeh, Beirut
Stay at this 5-star luxury aparthotel in Sabtiyeh. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a 24-hour front desk. Popular attractions Hamra Street and Le Mall Sin ...
9.6/10 Exceptional! (10 reviews)
"One of the highlights of my stay was the fully-equipped kitchenette in the suite. It was a fantastic addition, allowing me to prepare simple meals and snacks at my convenience. Whether it was a quick breakfast before heading out for the day or a late-night snack, having the kitchenette was incredibly ..."

Reviewed on 23 Mar. 2024

Matar Residence Hotel
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

Activities

Reviews of Beirut

4.3
Top destination
5 - Excellent
3
" "5 - Excellent 30%
4 - Good
7
" "4 - Good 70%
3 - Okay
0
" "3 - Okay 0%
2 - Disappointing
0
" "2 - Disappointing 0%
1 - Terrible
0
" "1 - Terrible 0%

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
14 Oct 2019

Beirut is beautiful however the police and army people are extremely unpleasant and unprofessional. Very disrespectful towards people in general. Best to keep away from them. They are very angry it seems. Unusual. They treat everyone with suspicion.

4/5 - Good

Alejandra
15 May 2019

Beautiful city, beautiful country, beautiful people. We definitely will come back!!!

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller
23 Apr 2019

An interesting and vibrant city, where there is so much life coming through.

4/5 - Good

Anonymous
17 Feb 2019

It is a vital city with great food and friendly people.

Cities near Beirut