Once considered the Paris of the East, after nearly 17 years of bitter conflict Beirut's motto is now 'the city that wouldn't die'. The scenes of destruction, rebuilding, overcrowding and everyday chaos are often a shock to visitors, but today Beirut's original vibrancy and charm is resurfacing.
Its weathered populace manage to do without such non-essentials as street numbers for buildings, to see past the concrete eyesores that dwarf the city's beautiful traditional houses set in jasmine-scented gardens, to enjoy the spectacular sunset at Pigeon Rocks with a delicious sweet baklava pastry served from the back of a van.
Despite Lebanon being one of the world's smallest countries, it has several distinct topographical regions with attractive varying climates. During May it is not uncommon to be able to choose between catching the ski season in the central Lebanon mountain range, sunbathing on the beach or picking fresh flowers from the lush Bekaa Valley.
The road trip inland from Tripoli, the country's medieval main port and trading centre, to Bcharré and the Cedars, is a winding journey of mountain peaks and spectacular gorges punctuated by villages of red-roofed houses, radiant rolling vineyards and magnificent sprawling fields of olive groves, and not to be missed.
Print >