• Beiteddine Palace - Known as the ‘House of Faith,’ Beiteddine Palace is a 19th-century architectural marvel located in Beiteddine, Lebanon. It is the venue for the annual Beiteddine Festival and houses the Beiteddine Palace Museum. Constructed by Emir Bashir Chehab II, who later ruled the Mount Lebanon Emirate, the palace was built between 1788 and 1818. Post-1840, it served as a government building for the Ottomans and later as a local administrative office during the French Mandate. In 1943, it was designated as the official summer residence of the president. Although heavily damaged during the Lebanese Civil War, parts of the palace are now open to the public, while the remainder continues to serve as the president’s summer residence.
• Moussa Castle - Qasr Moussa, or Moussa Castle, narrates the tale of a man who fulfilled his dream of constructing his own castle. Situated on a hill between Deir El Kamar and Beiteddine in Lebanon, the castle reflects the beliefs and aspirations of its creator, Moussa Al Maamari, born on July 27, 1931. His ambition to build a castle began at the age of 14, driven by his desire to impress a local girl he admired.
• Deir Al Kamar Municipality - Deir al-Qamar, translating to “Monastery of the Moon,” is a charming village located southeast of Beirut, just five kilometers from Beiteddine Palace in the Chouf District of Mount Lebanon. In 1864, it became the first village in Lebanon to establish a municipality and is the birthplace of numerous notable figures, including artists, writers, and politicians. The town was home to people of various religious backgrounds and featured a mosque, synagogue, and Christian churches. In 1860, Deir al-Qamar was devastated during the civil war between Druze and Christians, during which the town was set on fire. Napoleon III dispatched a French contingent to rebuild it, reaffirming France’s historical role as protector of Christians in the Ottoman Empire, as 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 maintains a picturesque charm with its traditional stone houses and red-tiled roofs.
• Fakhreddine’s Mosque - Fakhreddine Mosque, featuring an octagonal minaret, is located in Deir el Qamar, Lebanon. Originally built in 1493 and restored in the 16th century by Fakhreddine I, it stands as the oldest mosque in Mount Lebanon.
• Saydet El Talle Church - The Church of Saidet et Tallé, also known as Our Lady of the Hill, is a significant historical and religious landmark in Deir el Qamar, dating back to the 15th century. Monk Nicolas Smisaati constructed a church on the site over the remnants 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 tells of a Druze Emir in Baakline who, upon seeing a light emanating from the hill of Dar El Kamar, instructed his soldiers to dig there the next morning. He told them, ‘If you find an Islamic symbol, build a mosque. If you find a Christian symbol, build a church.’ The soldiers discovered a rock with a cross on it, and beneath the cross were the moon and Venus, indicating that the site was once a temple dedicated to the moon and Venus, which later became a church.”

• Tour Leader
• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• In-vehicle air conditioning
• Comfortable Private Transportation

• Lunch
• Gratuities

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.