Beirut tours and excursions
Beirut tours
Walking tours
The easiest way to discover Beirut is on foot – provided you keep the extreme sport of crossing the road to a minimum. Beirut Old City Walk takes a look at Beirut's history, giving the inside scoop on the city's turbulent past as well as its food scene. Walks start on Sundays at 2.30pm from the entrance of Sagesse School at Ain El Roumaneh.
Tel: +961 70 731 393.Bike tours
Beirut by bike is exhilarating. Although most tour operators like to keep you within their local area (where they can keep tabs on you), Beirut By Bike can show you a variety of city hotspots. Be warned: tours are only for the intrepid, thanks to bumpy, pot-holed roads, a limited number of pavements and terrifying drivers.
Tel: +961 3 435 524.Website: http://www.beirutbybike.com
Beirut excursions
Jeita Grotto
This stunning crystalline cave system, located 45 minutes from Beirut in the Nahr al-Kalb (Dog River) valley, is a spectacular natural wonder. Most tours include a walk through the columns and stalagmites of the upper levels and a boat trip through the lower levels, giving an altogether different view of the awe-inspiring limestone rock formations.
Tel: +961 9 220 840.Website: http://www.jeitagrotto.com
Baalbek
Located in the heart of the Bekaa Valley, two hours from Beirut's city centre, is the fascinating historic site of Baalbek. The ruins date back to 10,000 BC, when the Phoenicians built a temple to the god Baal, from which the city took its name. It's a UNESCO-listed site with some truly breathtaking temples.
