Lebanon Quick Getaway: Ancient History, Vibrant Culture

Lebanon's Quick Getaway Tour

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Details

4 Days | 3 Nights

Tour Types: Private

Runs: Every Day

Accommodation:

Minimum Age:

Tour Description

Embark on a whirlwind adventure through Lebanon with our Quick Getaway Tour! In just a few days, you'll experience the best of this captivating country, from the stunning Jeita Grotto to the vibrant streets of Beirut. Explore ancient ruins, indulge in delicious Lebanese cuisine, and soak up the rich culture and history of this fascinating destination. Join us for an unforgettable journey through the heart of Lebanon!

Highlights

Drive to Byblos, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Explore the ancient ruins, including the Crusader Castle and the Phoenician temples.
Visit the shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa, offering panoramic views of the bay and the mountains.
Explore Baalbek, home to some of the most impressive Roman ruins in the world, including the Temple of Bacchus and the Temple of Jupiter.
Take a day trip to Jeita Grotto, located just a short drive from Beirut. Explore the stunning limestone caves, including the upper grotto which can be visited by boat.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1
Beirut Airport - Beirut Hotel
1 Stop

Arrival

Welcome to Beirut, our professional driver will transfer you to your hotel in Beirut. Relax and get ready for your tour on the next day!

Day 2
Jeita Grotto - The Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon - Churches of Harissa - Teleferique du Liban - Byblos - Byblos Citadel - The Old Souq - Byblos Dock And Fishing Port
8 Stops

Jeita Grotto

Breakfast at hotel, The first stop for this day is The Jeita Grotto, a system of two separate, but interconnected, karstic limestone caves which have formed over millions of years, is the longest cave complex in the Middle East. It is located 300 metres above sea level and has a height difference of 305 metres. The Jeita upper cave has an overall length of 2,130 metres and contains a great concentration of a variety of crystallized formations such as stalactites, stalagmites, columns, mushrooms, ponds, curtains and draperies. The lower gallery which has an overall length of 6,200 metres is located 60 metres below the upper gallery. It is traversed by a smooth underwater river and a lake.

The Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon

The shrine of our Lady of Lebanon is one of the most important shrines in the world honoring the Virgin Mary and located in Harissa, a key Christian pilgrimage site in Lebanon. The shrine is highlighted by a huge, 15-ton bronze statue of the Immaculate Conception, Mother of God. It is 8.5 m high and has a diameter of five meters. The Virgin Mary stretches her hands towards Beirut overlooking the Bay of Jounieh in one of the most attractive panoramic views in the world.

Churches of Harissa

Harissa is a key Christian pilgrimage site with a shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Lebanon The pilgrimage site is a large, 15-ton bronze and a painted white statue of Virgin Mary, known as Our Lady of Lebanon or Notre Dame du Liban, with her arms, stretched. The statue was made at the end of the 19th century and inaugurated in 1908. Inside the statue's base, there is a small chapel. As well, A huge cathedral built of concrete and glass stands adjacent to the statue. Among other churches of various Christian denominations in the vicinity of Harissa are the Byzantine-style, Melkite Greek Catholic basilica of St. Paul, located south of the statue and built between 1948 and 1998, the Apostolic Nunciature (Papal Embassy), as well as the residences of four patriarchs of Eastern Catholic Churches.

Teleferique du Liban

The Telepherique is One of The oldest and most visited tourist attractions in Lebanon It is a gondola lift system located in Jounieh, a city in Lebanon,16 km north of Beirut that transports passengers above the pine-forested steep mountain, to an altitude of 650 meters, arriving at Our Lady of Lebanon shrine in Harissa offering breathtaking views of the bay of Jounieh and the surrounding city.

Byblos

Byblos, one of the oldest Phoenician cities. Inhabited since Neolithic times, it has been closely linked to the legends and history of the Mediterranean region for thousands of years. Byblos is also directly associated with the history and diffusion of the Phoenician alphabet.

Byblos Citadel

Byblos Castle, a restored 12th-century Crusader castle surrounded by a 10m-wide dry moat is located just inside the Byblos' atmospheric archaeological site that contains the ruins of the Temple of Baalat Gebal and the Temple of the Obelisks. It's an impressive building that offers an excellent perspective over the ruins from the top of its foursquare keep. A series of Bronze Age dwellings is clearly visible below the walls as you look towards the sea. Inside the castle, there's a small museum and a room with information panels outlining the city's history.

The Old Souq

Byblos old souk is an old market where tourists can shop for souvenirs and antiques, or simply stroll along the old cobblestone streets and enjoy the architecture.

Byblos Dock And Fishing Port

Byblos Port is an ancient port in Byblos and is believed by the Lebanese to be the oldest port in the world. Around 3000 BC, Byblos Port was the most important timber shipping center in the eastern Mediterranean. Overnight at Beirut Hotel

Breakfast & Lunch

Day 3
Baalbek - Temples of Baalbek, Jupiter, Bacchus & Venus in Heliopolis - Sayyida Khawla Shrine - Stone of the Pregnant Woman - Anjar - Umayyad Ruins of Aanjar - Chateau Ksara
10 Stops

Baalbek

After breakfast, we will start the tour at Baalbek, is home to the Baalbek temple complex which includes two of the largest and grandest Roman temple ruins: the Temple of Bacchus and the Temple of Jupiter. It was inscribed in 1984 as an UNESCO World Heritage site. This Phoenician city, where a triad of deities was worshipped, was known as Heliopolis during the Hellenistic period. It retained its religious function during Roman times, when the sanctuary of the Heliopolitan Jupiter attracted thousands of pilgrims. Baalbek, with its colossal structures, is one of the finest examples of Imperial Roman architecture at its apogee.

Temples of Baalbek

The complex of temples at Baalbek is located at the foot of the south-west slope of Anti-Lebanon, bordering the fertile plain of the Bekaa at an altitude of 1150 m. The city of Baalbek reached its apogee during Roman times. Its colossal constructions built over a period of more than two centuries, make it one of the most famous sanctuaries of the Roman world and a model of Imperial Roman architecture. Pilgrims thronged to the sanctuary to venerate the three deities, known under the name of the Romanized Triad of Heliopolis, an essentially Phoenician cult (Jupiter, Venus and Bacchus). Baalbeck roman ruins, Lebanon's greatest Roman treasure, can be counted among the wonders of the ancient world. The largest and most noble Roman temples ever built, they are also among the best preserved.

Temple of Jupiter

The Temple of Jupiter is a colossal Roman temple, the largest of the Roman world, situated at the Baalbek complex in Heliopolis. The temple served as an oracle and was dedicated to Jupiter Heliopolitanus. It is not known who designed the temple, nor exactly when it was constructed. Work probably began around 16 BC and was nearly complete by about ad 60. It is situated at the western end of the Great Court of Roman Heliopolis, on a broad platform of stone raised another 7 m (23 ft) above the huge stones of the foundation, three of which are among the heaviest blocks ever used in a construction. It was the biggest temple dedicated to Jupiter in all the Roman empire. The columns were 30 meters high with a diameter of nearly 2.5 meters: the biggest in the classical world. It took three centuries to create this colossal temple complex.

Temple of Bacchus

The Temple of Bacchus is part of the Baalbek temple complex located in the Bekaa Valley, Lebanon. The temple complex is considered an outstanding archaeological and artistic site of Imperial Roman Architecture and was inscribed as an UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984. The Temple of Bacchus is one of the best preserved and grandest Roman temple ruins; its age is unknown, but Its fine ornamentation can be dated to the second century CE.

Temple of Venus in Heliopolis

The Temple of Venus was built in the third century. Built on a horseshoe-shaped platform, it consists of a circular shrine with a square entrance that is almost as big. The outer façade of the shrine is graced by five niches, which means that there is not a single square wall. In the niches are representations of doves and shells, which has been taken as evidence that the shrine was dedicated to Venus.

Sayyida Khawla Shrine

The Mosque of sayeda Khawla in Baalbek, Lebanon is erected on the site where Sayyida Khawla, the daughter of Imam al-Hussein, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, is believed to have been buried. People of Baalbek believe that when the caravan of captives of Karbala passed Baalbek, The daughter of Imam al-Hussein, called Khawla passed away and was buried there.

Stone of the Pregnant Woman

The Stone of the Pregnant Woman is a worked Roman monolith in Baalbek, Lebanon. Together with another ancient stone block nearby, it is among the largest monoliths ever quarried. The two building blocks were presumably intended for the nearby Roman temple complex, and are characterized by a monolithic gigantism that was unparalleled in antiquity.

Anjar

The city of Anjar was founded by Caliph Walid I at the beginning of the 8th century. The ruins reveal a very regular layout, reminiscent of the palace-cities of ancient times, and are a unique testimony to city planning under the Umayyads.

Umayyad Ruins of Aanjar

The Umayyad Ruins of Aanjar bears outstanding witness to the Umayyad civilization and a good example of an inland commercial centre, at the crossroads of two important routes: one leading from Beirut to Damascus and the other crossing the Bekaa and leading from Homs to Tiberiade. The site of this ancient city was only discovered by archaeologists at the end of the 1940s. The ruins of Anjar include the walls of the Umayyad palace, harems, a mosque, the great palace of the Caliph, thermal baths, and many pillars which include some elements of the Roman architectural style.

Chateau Ksara

Château Ksara is a wine company in The Beqaa Valley Lebanon. Founded in 1857 by Jesuit priests, château Ksara developed the first dry wine in Lebanon. Château Ksara produces approximately 3 million bottles annually. Its wines are exported to over 40 countries. From here, drive to your Beirut Hotel and overnight.

Breakfast & Lunch

Day 4
Beirut Hotel - Beirut Airport
1 Stop

Departure

After check-out at your hotel in Beirut our representative will be awaiting you and transfer you to Beirut Airport 2-3 hours before your flight departure. We wish for you to enjoy your journey and have a safe flight.

Breakfast

Inclusions

Transfer in private, air-conditioned vehicle with English assisting driver

4 nights accommodation with breakfast at Beirut Hotel

Service of English speaking guides as per itinerary

2 Lunches at Local Restaurant

Entrance fees for all tourist sites as per the itinerary

Exclusions

Airfare

Lebanon Entry Visa (if applicable)

Travel insurance.

Meals and beverages not stated.

Tips to the driver and local guides.

Portage fee and personal expenses.

Others not mentioned on above inclusions.

Practical Info

• The price is calculated for this itinerary. Modified itineraries may result in higher costs.
• Any change in the number of passengers affects the quote.
• The driver/tour guide escorts according to the booked itinerary, he is not 24/7 at your disposal.
• Official check in time at hotels 15:00 – check out time at hotels 12:00.
• We do not check the availability of accommodation when planning your trip. Once you booked and any hotel is not available, we search an alternative and inform you.
• You walk several km in during day tours, so bear in mind good walking shoes and a backpack for beverage, camera etc.
• All guides in Lebanon are licensed by their respective Ministry of Tourism and they are not part of our team.

How to Book this Tour

- After booking the tour with us online, one of our consultants will get in touch within 24 hours. You need to pay then a 25% deposit by credit card or by bank transfer. The full payment is due latest 14 days before tour start.
- Cancellations or changes need to be sent in written form. Charges are as follows:
• 25 USD of the total price of the trip for cancellations from the date of booking until 31 days before departure.
• 25% of the total price of the trip for cancellations or changes made 30 to 08 days before departure.
• 100% of the total price of the trip for cancellations or changes made 07 to 01 days before departure or no show.
- For refunds we do not cover transaction fees charged by credit card companies and banks.

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