During your Lebanon itinerary, you will see that Lebanese people are one of the highlights of any visit to the country, not only due to their kindness and hospitality but because Lebanon is so culturally diverse that you will meet loads of different types of people every day, from Sunni Muslims to Shia, all sorts of Christians, Armenians, Palestinians and Syrians, as well as completely Westernized people.
Lebanese food is a Mediterranean cuisine with influences from both the Middle East and the French colonial era and, as in Spain, Italy or Greece, olive oil is the base of any dish. Typically, most restaurants serve mezza , an array of small dishes similar to the Spanish tapas, which includes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. From the classic hummus, kibbeh a local steak tartar , kebabs and syadye rice, fish, and almonds in a gravy sauce to a tasty olive oil of the standard of any southern European country and a strong wine culture, Beirut is home to the best food in the entire region.
Read: Iraqi Kurdistan travel guide. Public transportation — Unlike what you may expect, Lebanon is a very easy country to move around. There are public buses and mini-vans going to almost every corner in the country from Beirut, where there are 2 main stations named Charles Helou and Cola Station.
Charles Helou is ideal for traveling to the north, whereas Cola is to the South. For more information about these 2 stations, check my Beirut Travel Guide and for more details about how to reach each city in Lebanon, check the Itinerary Section on this post.
Self-driving — You can rent a car, no problem. Just be aware that, in Lebanon, people drive like crazy. However, it is no worse than any other Middle Eastern country. Lebanon Bradt Guide — This is the most up-to-date travel guide to Lebanon. I am a Bradt Guides fan because all their guides are extremely insightful, both from a local perspective and also, because they give plenty of tips for independent travelers which help you easily plan your itinerary for Lebanon.
Lebanon is a country which can be explored independently without any problem. There is regular public transportation and in my opinion, it is a very safe country. Here you will find the best itinerary for Lebanon. It might be a bit challenging to include all of these places in just 2 weeks but, if you plan ahead, it is totally feasible. The Lebanese capital is the most westernized and liberal city in the Middle East outside of Israel , only comparable to Tehran and a city full of contrasts and owner of deep and interesting history.
Beirut is composed of several neighborhoods, each one with its own subculture, so different from each other that, when you are wandering around them, it looks like you are in a different city, from the hipster neighborhood of Gemmazyeh to Hezbollah areas, Armenian, Christian, refugee camps and fancy districts with the most glamorous stores and the best restaurants in the region.
For more information about Beirut, read my article: A travel guide to Beirut. Remember that you can also book a Beirut city tour. Budget Hotel — Embassy Hotel — This is the cheapest hotel in town. The location is great, however, in Hamra, a very cool area to hang out. Click here to see the latest prices. Backpacker Hostel — Saifi Urban Gardens — The most budget dorms in Beirut and, at the same time, it is an awesome place to stay.
My Lebanese friends claim that the restaurant serves the best breakfast in the city. Besides, it has a lovely garden with a bar where all the young Lebanese come to hang out. I stayed here during my first visit to Beirut and it has some modern room-apartments that even have a kitchen.
It is also in Hamra, and I think it is the best value for money option. Top-end Hotel — Le Patio Boutique Hotel Beirut Downtown — If you are into fancy stuff, this 5-star hotel has one of the most exquisite designs in the city, built in a very beautiful French-colonial inspired building. It is not surprising that it is one of the most famous hotels in the city. With 8, years of history, Byblos is considered one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world and the place where the first inscriptions containing the modern western alphabet were found.
Byblos derives from the Greek word bublos , meaning papyrus , as the town was the stopping place for the Phoenicians who shipped papyrus from Egypt. Besides a super interesting museum that explains the history of the creation of the alphabet, in Byblos you can also visit a crusader castle from the XII century, built by the Franks, a restored souq, a beautiful Mediterranean harbor full of restaurants, where you can eat seafood feasts, and some archeological sites containing mainly Roman ruins but also from many other civilizations, from the Neolithic settlements 8, years ago to Phoenician, Egyptian, Greek and Ottoman.
Remember that you can also book a tour to Byblos , as well as other places nearby. Byblos is around 50km from Beirut. A one-way taxi will charge you, at least, 50USD, if you have good negotiation skills, of course.
Top-end hotel — Byblos Sur Mer — This boutique hotel is at the most privileged location in the whole of Byblos, next to the ruins, on the seaside and at the heart of where the exquisite social life in Byblos is, which consists of eating at the seafood fancy restaurants that compose the harbor. When I went there, it was not only full of Lebanese people from the middle-upper class but also, there were plenty of Western diplomats escaping from Beirut for the weekend. You also must go to Ksara Winery, the oldest and most famous winery in the country.
If you are interested in Lebanese wine, you can also book this wine tour. I got it at Cola Station but there may be a direct bus from Charles Helou station. Mid-range Apartment Hotel — Berdawni Apartments — This apartment-hotel is nothing outstanding but it really fulfills its function, with very comfy beds and the best location, right next to Berdwani river, the highlight in town.
Top-end Hotel — La Place Hotel — Located in the old part of town, people love this hotel because it manages to combine the old and traditional with very modern facilities and exquisite decoration. The breakfast is great and they have the purest and kindest Middle Eastern service. Visiting Baalbek is one of the best things to do in Lebanon, a city that has some impressive Roman ruins, built on a giant scale and often considered the most important in the Middle East and, controversially, the most off the beaten track Roman ruins in the world, after Palmyra in Syria.
The temple of Jupiter and the temple of Bacchus are the buildings that dominate this stunning architectural masterpiece.
Seriously, these Romans ruins are just outstanding and, when I went there, I had the ruins completely to myself. Baalbek is very close to the border and, from the ruins, in the early morning, you are able to hear bombs and gunshots coming from the other site of the border.
No need to be alarmed. The sound is loud because Baalbek is in a valley, so it produces an echo and a feeling that it is happening nearby. The conflict will never go to the other side and, besides, it is highly guarded and there are mountains separating them.
You can also book a great tour to Baalbek from Beirut. From Cola Station, there are buses going to Chtoura, situated half-way, a town from where you should take a second bus to Baalbek.
The price of the first bus is 2,LBP 1. Even though you can visit Baalbek on a day trip, I strongly recommend spending one night there to see the ruins at sunset time. It is oK for 1 night. Mid-Range Hotel — Palmyra Hotel — This is, perhaps, the most famous hotel in the country and the reason is that it has never been closed since it was opened in It is also located next to the Roman ruins.
Tripoli is the second biggest Lebanese city, a city that would probably fit in what you think are the Lebanese standards, with its beautiful old souq of spices, the old medieval architecture and a citadel from where you get awesome views of the city.
This is a city to get lost in around its narrow alleys and an old city belonging to the XIV century. By the way, you probably heard that the U. Embassy describes Tripoli as a dangerous city to travel to. Its architecture recalls that of many Syrian cities, to which Tripoli was linked by ancient trade routes.
Today, its Old City is beautiful but quiet, with a lush central garden where families picnic and several old-fashioned cafes where man play backgammon for hours, sipping strong cardamom coffee and smoking argileh until the air is perfumed with sweet smoke.
The first stop for an authentic taste of Tripolitan life is the old souks or marketplace. Ask for the Mansouri Mosque, a stunning 13th-century structure that is still in use today, located at the entrance to the market. A total of nine Medieval souks are filled with small shops and stalls setting everything from jewellery and clothes, to soap and fragrances, to local fruit and vegetables, fresh juice and succulent spices.
Look out for scattered remnants of Mamluk, Crusader and Ottoman architecture hidden amid the narrow alleyways. Khan al-Saboun is a beautiful open-air courtyard where handmade soup has been produced for centuries. The Hammam al-Jadid, a stunning Turkish bath, is sadly no longer in use, but its beautiful mosaics and domed glass ceiling are well worth a look.
This sprawling Crusader castle is a labyrinth of ancient staircases and hidden rooms, with a spectacular view of the city from its upper storey. Palmyra was a capital to one of the most important kingdoms of the Levant. Notable for its marvelous monuments and its expanding streets surrounded by columns, gates, temples and its theatre as well as suburbs, houses and palaces, and its historical castle. Under the patronage of the Ministry of Tourism and in cooperation with the General Sports Federation and the Tartous Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Union of Fine Artists in Syria opened on Friday an exhibition of 50 paintings and 25 sculptures of 37 artists.
In order to highlight and promote the city of Qadmous and its tourist, archeological and natural elements, Tartous Tourism Directorate held the cultural week in Qadmous city in cooperation with the city of Qadmous and under the patronage of Tartous Governor. In the framework of encouraging youth initiatives and activating domestic tourism to different governorates, a trip to Wadi Qandil in Lattakia Governorate was organized for three days.
Hola Juan me ha encantado tu post muy bien detallado y la verdd dan muchas ganas de viajar. Tbn soy espanol residente del Paris. La cosa es que la semana que viene viajo a Turquia y de paso me encantaria pasar por Siria. Efectivamente las fronteras estan cerradas a turistas por lo que la sola alternativa es ir a Libano. Hoy estuve en la embajada Siria en Paris pero hacer el visado toma alrededor de un mes por lo que ya es practicamente imposible obtenerla aqui.
Me parece que el tema de agencias es my caro, asi que me gustaria saber cual es para ti la forma mas barata y rapida de obtener el visado a para poder entrar a Siria ya que mi tiempo es bastante limitado y esperar mas de 3 dias para un visado seguramente anularia una posible visita siria. Joder si es asi creo q optare para hacer siria en otro viaje haciendome el visado en la embajada donde me cuesta solo 25 eur….
Aqui tienes los precios. Pero bueno solo por confirmar a mi mensaje anterior, el minimo entonces para entrar desde Libano son USD?? I can say that you have the courage to visit Syria while it is not safe as it used to be many years ago. It is a very good article filled with important inforamtion.
Hi Joan, I sent a whatapp message to the lady you talked about who could maybe help with getting the secuity clearance-Sawswan. I asked her if if she could help with getting the clearance if I booked a tour with her around Damascus and maybe Palmeyria. I mentioned that I had got her number from you and that you had travelled to Damascus in few months ago.
It looks like she got my message but no reply. Is there any other way to contact her , has she got a travel company or tour guide company? If I draw a blank with her is there another reputable guide or company I could try? Thank you very much for the beautiful blog. Thank you for visiting Syria and I hope you had fun! We Syrians have always been happy to find tourists visiting our humble country, and I myself have always dreamed about helping tourists discover Syria given the fact that I am one of the rare Syrians who actually speak English properly , but alas the war took away the tourists from me and I had to leave Syria to study abroad in them American University of Beirut.
I am happy that things are becoming more organized now as evidenced by the fact that you could enter the country without any complications. I do hope to one day return to Syria and meet the nice folk like yourself who have come to visit our country from overseas.
Thank you again for writing this blog. I will forward it to all of my foreign friends here in Lebanon who have expressed their desire to visit Syria. Thank you, Joan, and thank you to everyone who is standing by Syria and the Syrian people through these troubled times.
I loved Syria and trust me when I say that nobody tried to ever rip me off. Everybody was always so kind and trying to be overprotective with me, and I am sure that anyone should have a very similar experience. Hope you can travel to your beautiful country and the situation will normalize even more in the upcoming months and years. Hi Joan, Saludos de Portugal! Thanks for sharing your experience. I will be in Lebanon during May 9 to 17 , and really wanted to take this opportunity to visit Damascus.
I really wanted to do it independently, and, of course, much cheaply. Any recommendations? Hi Rodrigo, It is quite a standard price. It is a reasonable price especially since it includes a visa to transfer to and from Beirut and a guide to the Damascus tour. Hi Joan, First of all, great article, thanx a lot! I want to visit on my own. In any case, I hold a U. Saw your post about a week ago and wrote to the Embassy of Syria in Madrid, but have not yet received a response. How long was the process?
My plans are using my Georgian passport, obvious reason, and try and go get the visa either in Madrid or Brussels. Do you mind explaining a bit the process? Thank you very much! George G. Even most embassies will require you to get an LOI from a valid tour operator, which you will only get if you book a tour.
This is kind of contradictory because then you can move around Syria independently. That sounds feasible. I know you went in independent, but does anybody here knows of a reliable and easy local tour operator then? Thank you Joan and all participants! I tried with the Syrian embassy in Brussels as its the nearest one to me. I emailed them but they never even replied. I think the tour agents are the only way.
Just choose carefully! Very interesting post, thanks for the info! Those visa regulations suck though… Hopefully come across some local reliable tour operator somewhere.
Given your contacts, do you perhaps know if there are different regulations for journalists, holding international press card? I think you should contact the embassy! Iobtained a journalist visa through the consulate in Geneva. A few days ago I tried to Rentner the Country again, this time as a Tourist — and promptly was denied entry on the grounds of — well — being seen as a journalist. And yes, you should definitely contact your embassy.
Understandable after all the lies that have Bern Publisher about this Great country over the last decade by Western media. Best, Jan. Hi Joan, First of all, thank you for the great guide. I was so excited after reading your text, but then I looked at some comments and got pretty confused. So, to be clear: you have to get security clearance and visa to cross the border.
You can ask for visa in local embassy, is that right? And after incident with German tourist, visas are now available only if you have booked tour? And there is currently no way for getting the clearance and visa without having to book the trip with travel agency? Once again, thank you for this brilliant site! I wrote this post 2 months ago and the visa part already seems sort of outdated.
Tomorrow will update it. Joan, thank you for quick reply. I contacted Syrian embassy in Poland and they informed me that currently tourist visas are not issued at all.
They told me to contact them again in two months. To Joan: Great article. I strongly appreciate that three are such people in Europe who can go to Syria, enjoy it and respect its law and fantastic people regardless of western media and western politicians WHO are responsible for syrian crisis. Hello everybody. I have just updated the visa section of the article. Hi Joan There are a number of signs that a campaign against the rebels in Idlib is starting, which could explain the clamping down on visas and having to go on a tour.
If so , Aleppo will be much more risky and there would be the risk of suicide bombings or attacks elsewhere. Amazing Article! I want to visit Damascus, Homs, Hama, and Aleppo from Jordan do any of you guys now any buses that go from amman to damascus?
Once again thank you! Hi there is a company called jett which has buses from amman to damascus and if you are jordinian i dont think you need a visa. It is not the right time to cross Syria on a bicycle. Hello and thanks for the very informative article. Did you have or foresee any difficulties visiting other countries now that you have a Syrian stamp on your passport?
Israel is now definitively a No-Go but I was wondering if other countries like the US might be difficult to visit afterwards. Thanks a lot! Hi Nicola, my Algerian visa was rejected. I liked your suggestion about the Green hotel.
Do they have a website? Would you still recommmend Mohammed so that I can get in touch about a reservation? Or any other hotels I can call or write them? Hi Guilherme, yes, try to contact Mohammed, he is working there still. I required a visa at the Syrian embassy in Sao Paulo, by filling an one-page form. It took less than a month and around USD 15 to get my day visa. I booked a 5-night tour with The Golden Target tour company — recommended by Eva, von evazubeck. It was simply amazing.
I had a driver and an outstanding guide Tayseer with me, full time. The driver pick me up at my hostel in Beirut and drove me straight to Damascus. Border crossing was wasy and everyone was very friendly. I paid around USD , all included.
Hotel rooms were amazing, including my 2-night stay at a five-star ottoman-damacean mansion in old the town in Damascus Beit Mamelouk Hotel. We normally started our day at AM and finished at PM. We saw a lot, no hurry. The agency provided all permits and it was very easy to get through. Everywhere was safe. Although it sounds a fancy trip for backpackers like me, it was worth it and I had a fantastic genuine experience. I met hundreds of locals in the streets, cafes, road sides etc.
It was beautiful. I have been to almost 70 countries, but Syria , blew me away. Thank you so much for writing this article. I would love to travel to Damascus; I contacted Mr. Ayoub like you suggested. Is there any way you could give him a heads up so he knows to look out for my message? Also, another question—will it be hard getting into Israel if I have a Syrian stamp on my passport? I travelled to Syria many times before the war — as a lone woman.
And I never had any problems. To the contrary I was treated like a princess, with a huge amount of respect. Hi i am syrian it doesnt matter how you dress we are very open here but dont wear very short or exposing cloths. Hi joan i am a mexican citizen who looks to travel to syria in the future, what are the thing i need to do before i travel there to syria???
Its a relief to know that and for me its amazing the idea to travel there, i really pray for the conflict to end and peace shall return to all syria. When you add unbelievable views, delicious food and talented people you meet around here that what makes Syria just amazing. Hi Joan, thanks for putting all this super helpful information together. Best regards from Germany, Karoline. I would definitely do more research about it if I was you. Please make a detailed Lebanon and Syria border crossing guide!
And explain how you get the visa at the border! Keep the amazing work up! During that time,I want to visit Syria to visit Damascus and Aleppo. Do you think that I will get the visa in that short time period of three months.
Regards, Ahsan. Hi Joan, I just got back from a few days in Damascus through Marrota tourism. These guys were awesome from transport from Beirut to visa clearances to everything. Through your blog I found out how this was all possible so thank you.. We booked with Marrota too. Did you see many non arab tourists there? Is the city ok to be visited?
Thank you sooooo much! My husband and I booked a 3 day Damascus tour with Marrota for the next montb and I can confirm they are super professional. Clearance has just arrived and all was pretty smooth. Details will follow… stay tuned. Could we connect via email for instance to share experiences? Sure, with pleasure. Mail me to sherazad1 libero. Great info, thank you.
I only carry a US passport, but have family in Lebanon, not far from Anjar. I also have family in Sweida Druze. Many years ago, I took a train from Damascus to Amman, which was amazing. If a Thanks again. Hi there, the situation is getting more and more complicated for American citizens. I suggest you contact the person mentioned in this article to assist you with it.
I sent Mr. Yes he told me the same for US Citizens. Can anyone give advice on perhaps any other options to crossing the border from Lebanon into Syria as a US passport holder only? Or entering from another direction or country perhaps? I have just returned from a trip to Syria, it has been an unforgettable experience, very enriching.
Without a doubt, the best and most interesting of all my trips until now. Many thanks to Joan and his website for recommending Ayoub Smadi from Marrota Tours: Excellent prices, very good guides, everything very serious, efficient and well organized. Ayoub and his colleagues are great professionals and very kind, always ready to help the traveler.
When you write to Marrota, they offer you some organized tours. As Joan points out in his post, this is the most effective, quickest, easiest and cheapest way to visit Syria and make the most of your stay in this wonderful country. Of course, it is cheaper to take care of everything yourself, applying for a visa at the nearest Syrian embassy; but being granted a visa can take several months. Therefore, hiring the services of a tourist agency is the best option at least for the moment , and Marrota is really worth it.
Luckily, the war is almost over: The cities are crowded with people at all times. Shops, restaurants, souks and markets vibrate with life and activity both in Damascus and Aleppo. It cannot be denied, however, that the cruel war has left its mark: Of the cities I saw, especially in Homs we drove there from Damascus to Aleppo and vice versa and in Aleppo where the old town near the citadel has been practically destroyed by bombs and missiles.
But the Syrians are rebuilding their country. I saw many volunteers working on the removal of rubble. Many refugees have returned to the country, which is excellent news. With the exception apart from Idlib of some areas in the north, of the border with Turkey, where there are sporadically collusions between Kurdish armed groups, illegal incursions from Turkey and Islamist gangs.
It is very similar to the situation in Yugoslavia in the s history repeats itself. Ananias converted St. The Crac des Chevaliers is a huge fortress on a hill close to Homs, where the Crusaders where among others. In Aleppo, the archaeological museum is still being restored, but I visited the citadel built by Saladin , from which there are spectacular views of the entire city. Hama is famous for its norias waterwheels , which supply water to the region.
Maalula is a beautiful mountainous village not far from Damascus, where most of the inhabitants are Christians and still speak Aramaic. Seydnaya is very close to Maalula, also in a mountainous area, and there are very old monasteries and churches, from the time of the first Christians. In Syria people are very nice and open, very kind and hospitable. The Syrians are happy to see tourists again. So it is useful to learn a few words of Arabic, the most basic will do. So, shukran ktir thank you very much to Joan and to this page, as well as to Ayoub and Marrota tours!
And tahya Suria! Long live Syria. Thanks you so much for taking your time in writing this awesome review and glad you had an awesome time! I am hoping to go on a tour in Syria with Mr Ayoub. I was just wondered if you could allay any safety concerns — was there anything concerning at all you experienced during your trip or with Marrota Tours?
I am a female UK citizen and I would be travelling with one other female. Thank you so much for any insights. From your comment and those of others it appears that it should all be safe but I just wanted to ask to confirm. Thank you for such a fantastic article.. Thanks so much, Mel. Please reply if you would be interested to talk. Many thanks! Hi everyone, Thank you very much Joan for this amazing information! I want to visit a Syrian friend, but I do not want to ask her to provide a LOI, to avoid that her details are put under audit or anything.
My question is: can I have any problem if I buy the minimum tour one day I guess and then I spend 5 or 6 days in Syria with my friend? I could even pay for 1 day tour and not use it at all or use it only to go from Beirut to Aleppo. Would that be okay or do you think Ayoub Smadi from Marrota Tours would refuse? Hi Alberto, this is a concern Ayoub should answer but in any case, I think it is a bit unlikely, basically because the agency you go with is fully responsible for you, so I doubt they will let you roam around freely because if anything happened to you, they would be fucked as well.
I have 3 questions. How are American Tourists treated? My second question is how are black people treated in Syria Damascus specifically?
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