Jezzine :)

Photo By Ali Badawi

The name Jezzine is derived from the Aramaic word, meaning "depot" or "store". Many historians believe that Jezzine served as a storing location for traders because of its strategic location on the caravan route that connected the ancient port city of Sidon to the Chouf, the Beqaa Valley, and to Syria.

Jezzine is considered one of the main tourism attractions in Southern Lebanon with its spectacular landscape and its 40m high waterfall. The town is located on the slopes of Tumat Niha and is the center of pine forests extending till Nabatieh and Ikleem el Tofah. 

Jezzine City It is rich in natural beauty, featuring pine-forested valleys and mountain summits, ponds, and waterfalls. The town is known as the “City of Falls” because of its famous waterfalls, the Jezzine Falls. Moreover, Jezzine City is one of the most ancient towns in Lebanon, and was used by the Phoenicians to hide their treasure in times of war. In Jezzine's valley, there is a natural cave known as the Fakhreddine Cave because the Lebanese Emir took refuge there to escape Ottoman persecution but he surrendered later and was caught and taken to Istanbul where he was killed.

Jezzine Town is internationally renowned for its handcrafted knives and other cutlery, made of inlaid mosaics and bone. The unique cutlery has been presented as gifts to dignitaries all over the world as a unique memento of Lebanon.

Most villages of Jezzine area are considered to be summer resorts. Some of these are Roum, Haytoura, Snaya, Kfarhuna, Bkassine, Rihan, Ayshie, al-Jarmak, and Aramta. The area south of Jezzine enjoys beautiful scenery and I tried to explore it all. I kept driving In the midst of pine forests and orchards while checking all villages till I was out of Jezzine.