Lebaneasy

Since the Foreign Office put Lebanon back on its ‘safe’ list, the country is rebuilding its reputation as a tourist destination and it’s finding itself on the top of travel publications’ ‘undiscovered must-see’ countries for 2010.

Just 5 hours flying time from London, and only a 2 hour time difference means Beirut is perfect for a short break in search of some sunshine. For a country that takes just 3 hours to drive from north to south, the amount of diversity is remarkable. It might be clever marketing, but geographically it is possible to be skiing on the slopes of Mount Lebanon in the morning and swimming on the shores of the Mediterranean in the afternoon.

For most people Beirut is synonymous with a very recent turbulent past. Apart from the physical damage that remains on some buildings, and a visible military presence on the streets, there is no other evidence of the conflicts and the Lebanese are a very cosmopolitan and liberal country, unlike anywhere else in the Middle East.

Beirut’s downtown is in the process of undergoing a complete facelift, restoring the buildings to their former glory and creating a bustling city centre to try to gain its former title of the ‘Paris of the Middle East’. Solidere is a privately owned company responsible for the 25 year, multi-billion dollar rebuild programme. Gradually mosques, churches, offices and shops are all being reopened and it has given the renamed Solidere centre a new bustling lease of life.

The Corniche, the rebuilt promenade along the coast, is a hub of activity. During the day people jog and walk along it. At dusk, families meet there and friends smoke their hubbly-bubbly pipes listening to music, all watching the sun as it finally dips into the sea on the horizon.

Just 40 minutes north of the capital is the small ancient fishing village of Byblos, one of the oldest continuously-inhabited towns in the world. After exploring the ruins of the castle and quaint souks, a delicious fish lunch is a well-deserved reward. The restaurant terraces overlooking the small harbour, with its fishing boats coming in with the catch of the day make Byblos feels more Mediterranean than Middle Eastern.

En route to Byblos is Jeitta Grotto, a series of enormous caves, justified as a contender for one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Both the Upper and Lower Caverns have gigantic stalactites and stalagmites, formed millions of years ago, all spectacularly illuminated. You can walk about 20 minutes deep into the Upper Cavern but since the Lower Cavern is partially flooded its necessary to take a small electric boat through the series of lagoons.

The real jewel in Lebanon’s crown is Baalbek. Like Palmyra in Syria, a small town has built up around the site but Baalbek is even better preserved. The 6 remaining columns of Temple of Jupiter, standing over 22 metres high, are the tallest in the world and are perhaps the most famous image of Baalbek. Next to the columns is the smaller Temple of Bacchus. Ironically it’s called the Little Temple although it’s even larger than the Parthenon in Athens.

The Lebanese people are all so welcoming and hospitable and the food was incredible. Fish, kofta, pitta and kebabs all feature highly on a Lebanese mezze menu and in 4 days it is definitely possible to eat more hummus than anyone can think is possible!