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Beirut, Beiteddine & Deir El Qamar: Sightseeing on a Small Group Tour
Beirut
Discover Beirut’s highlights, stroll through its medieval center, and snap photos along the Corniche. Then, journey to the scenic Chouf region, visiting Deir el Qamar and Beiteddine Palace. Enjoy local cuisine amid architectural marvels on this all-inclusive tour.
Discover Beirut’s highlights, stroll through its medieval center, and snap photos along the Corniche. Then, journey to the scenic Chouf region, visiting Deir el Qamar and Beiteddine Palace. Enjoy local cuisine amid architectural marvels on this all-inclusive tour.
Duration:
8 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Pigeon Rocks in Raouche - The Pigeon Rocks are a breathtaking natural wonder and a popular tourist attraction, celebrated for their iconic rock formations set against a stunning seaside backdrop, welcoming visitors to Beirut. Known as the Rock of Raouché, these two massive rock formations stand as towering sentinels at the westernmost point of…
- Pigeon Rocks in Raouche - The Pigeon Rocks are a breathtaking natural wonder and a popular tourist attraction, celebrated for their iconic rock formations set against a stunning seaside backdrop, welcoming visitors to Beirut. Known as the Rock of Raouché, these two massive rock formations stand as towering sentinels at the westernmost point of Beirut.
- Corniche El Manara, Ain El Mraiseh, Beirut - Extending from the Ramlet al Bayda area to the Saint George marina, Al Manara Corniche is Beirut’s most famous seaside promenade. Adorned with palm trees, it offers a splendid view of the Mediterranean Sea, including the renowned Pigeon Rock and the peaks of Mount Lebanon to the east.
- Zaitunay Bay - Described as “Beirut’s finest leisure destination” on its official website, Zaitunay Bay is a modern waterfront promenade featuring shops and restaurants.
- Holiday Inn Hotel - This abandoned Holiday Inn Hotel is a significant war landmark in Beirut. Constructed between 1971 and 1974 during Beirut’s economic boom, it was a top tourist destination in the Middle East. The hotel operated until the Lebanese civil war began in 1975, after which it became a “war zone” during the “Battle of the Hotels,” where over 25,000 combatants fought for control of luxury hotels, including the Holiday Inn and the famous Phoenicia hotel. The hotel remains untouched and abandoned, serving as a poignant reminder of the war’s horrors to the Lebanese people.
- Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque - The Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque, is Lebanon’s largest mosque, located in downtown Beirut. This grand amber-colored mosque near Martyrs’ Square opened in 2008 and features four minarets standing 65 meters high. The mosque boasts multiple domes made from light blue tiles and several arches that are a couple of stories high.
- Al-Omari Mosque - The Al-Omari Grand Mosque, originally built during the era of Omar Bin El Khattab in 635 AD, was converted into the Church of Saint John by the Crusaders in the 12th century, and later transformed back into the city’s Grand Mosque by the Mamluks in 1291. Damaged during the Civil War, the mosque was fully restored in 2004.
- Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint George - The Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Saint George serves as the seat of the Greek Orthodox Metropolitan bishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Beirut and its dependencies. It is the oldest church in Beirut and one of the oldest in the region, located in the heart of Beirut’s city center. The first Christian temple on this site dates back to the mid-sixth century AD and is closely linked to Beirut’s renowned Law School.
- Martyr’s Square - Martyrs’ Square, located in the heart of downtown Beirut, was historically known as “Al Burj” or “Place des Cannons.” It is named in memory of the 6 May 1916 executions of Lebanese nationalists by the Ottomans, ordered by Jamal Pasha during World War I.
- Place de l’Etoile - Nejme Square, or Place de l’Étoile, is the central square in the Downtown area. It houses the Lebanese Parliament and its associated buildings, two cathedrals, a museum, and several cafes and restaurants. Notable for its 1930 four-faced Rolex clock and its architecture, the square is a globally recognized icon of Beirut City.
- Beirut Souks - Beirut Souks is a commercial hub in Beirut City Center, featuring over 200 shops, 25 restaurants and cafes, an entertainment center, and a cinema complex. It is the largest and most diverse shopping and leisure area in Beirut.
- Roman Baths - The Roman Berytus baths are the largest outdoor site located in downtown Beirut. Discovered in 1968-1969, they underwent significant renovation in the mid-1990s. Roman Berytus had four major bath complexes, with the first established in the early first century under Augustus. The devastating Berytus earthquake in 551 AD destroyed all the baths. Today, the Roman Berytus Baths reflect the site’s ancient traditions, with one bath used as a venue for artistic performances and concerts.
- Beiteddine Palace - Beiteddine Palace, or ‘House of Faith,’ is a 19th-century palace in Beiteddine, Lebanon. It hosts the annual Beiteddine Festival and the Beiteddine Palace Museum. Emir Bashir Chehab II, who later ruled the Mount Lebanon Emirate, constructed the palace between 1788 and 1818. After 1840, the Ottomans used it as a government building, and during the French Mandate, it served as a local administrative office. In 1943, the palace was declared the president’s official summer residence. Heavily damaged during the Lebanese Civil War, parts of the palace are now open to the public, while the rest remains the president’s summer residence.
- Deir el Qamar - Deir al-Qamar, meaning “Monastery of the Moon,” is a village southeast of Beirut, five kilometers from Beiteddine Palace in the Chouf District of Mount Lebanon. Deir El Qamar was the first village in Lebanon to establish a municipality in 1864 and is the birthplace of many notable figures, including artists, writers, and politicians. The town, home to people of all religious backgrounds, featured a mosque, synagogue, and Christian churches. In 1860, Deir al-Qamar was destroyed during the civil war between Druze and Christians, during which the town was set ablaze. Napoleon III sent a French contingent to rebuild it, recalling France’s historic role as protector of Christians in the Ottoman Empire, established by a treaty in 1523. In 1864, Deir el-Qamar elected the first municipality in the Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire. The village retains a picturesque appearance with typical stone houses and red tile roofs.
- Fakhreddine’s Mosque - Fakhreddine Mosque, with its octagonal minaret, is located in Deir el Qamar, Lebanon. Built in 1493 and restored in the sixteenth century by Fakhreddine I, it is the oldest mosque in Mount Lebanon.
- Saydet El Talle Church - The Church of Saidet et Tallé, translated as Our Lady of the Hill, is one of the most significant historical and religious sites in Deir el Qamar, dating back to the 15th century. Monk Nicolas Smisaati built a church on the site over the ruins of an ancient Phoenician temple dedicated to the goddess Astarte, which was later destroyed by an earthquake in 859. According to the Maronite Heritage website, “the legend says that a Druze Emir in Baakline saw a light emanating from the hill of Dar El Kamar. He gathered his soldiers and instructed them to dig in the land the next morning, saying, ‘If you find an Islamic symbol, build a mosque. If you find a Christian symbol, build a church.’ In the morning, the soldiers discovered a rock with a cross on it, and beneath the cross were the moon and Venus. This was a sign that a temple dedicated to the moon and Venus once stood there, which later became a church.”

What's Included
- Hotel Pick up & Drop off
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Tour leader
- Tickets & Admission to the Sites
- Lunch
- Hotel Pick up & Drop off
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Tour leader
- Tickets & Admission to the Sites
- Lunch
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
- Gratuities
Location
Pigeon Rocks in Raouche
Raouché
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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