Beirut Capital Of Lebanon :)

Beirut J

Beirut  Bayrūt;  Beirut; Peyrut Latin: Berytus; French: Beyrouth: Beyrut; Armenian:  is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. As there has been no recent population census, the exact population is unknown; estimates in 2007 ranged from slightly more than 1 million to slightly less than 2 million as part of Greater Beirut. Located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon's Mediterranean coast, it serves as the country's largest and main seaport. The first mention of this metropolis is found in the ancient Egyptian Tell el Amarnaletters, dating from the 15th century BC. The city has been inhabited continuously since then. The Beirut River runs south to north on the eastern edge of the city.

Beirut is Lebanon's seat of government and plays a central role in the Lebanese economy, with many banks and corporations based in its Central District, Hamra Street, Rue Verdun and Ashrafieh. Following the destructive Lebanese Civil War, Beirut's cultural landscape underwent major reconstruction. Identified and graded for accountancy, advertising, banking/finance and law, Beirut is ranked as a Beta World City by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. 

Mount Sannine :)

Mount Sannine (Arabic: جبل صنين‎ / ALA-LC: Jabal Șannīn) is a mountain in the Mount Lebanon range. Its highest point is 2,628 m (8,622 feet) above sea level in Lebanon. Mount Sannine, which has a base of limestone, is the source of many mountain springs.
From: wilkipedia.org

Zahleh :)

Zahle is a Lebanese Christian town, the capital of the governorate (mohafazat) Bekaa, and fourth largest city in Lebanon after Beirut, the Lebanese capital, Tripoli, the capital of North Lebanon Jounieh. The name of Zahle is derived from an Arabic word meaning "slippery". The city has 60,000 residents in 2011, 120,000 people with its suburbs, and about 200,000 inhabitants in its metropolitan area.

Zahle is an important economic and administrative center in the Bekaa, with industrial, commercial, and recreational services. The city is the headquarters of the governorate of the Bekaa, courts, hospitals, technical colleges and regional academic centers, and the headquarters of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Zahle and Bekaa.

Zahle in Lebanon is best known as a place of relaxation and family resort, especially for the many restaurants along the Nahr el-Berdawni.

Around Zahle, in the foothills of Mount Lebanon, people do grow grapes, cereals, fruits and vegetables. In the plain to the east are mostly grown grapes and potatoes. The cultivation of cannabis in secret is a lucrative [ref activity. needed].

The city of Zahle can be considered the largest Catholic city in the Middle East - the majority of its population is of Greek Catholic rite - as Ashrafieh, a Christian area of ​​Beirut, is predominantly Orthodox.

From: wilkipedia.prg

Bcharii Caza :)

Photo By Ali Badawi

It means in the Phoenician language "The House Of Ishtar" who’s a goddess worshipped by the Phoenicians. Bcharri was the site of a Phoenician settlement in ancient times and The Christians fleeing persecution sought refuge in its mountainous terrain in the 7th Century AD in the Qadisha Valley or the Holy Valley below the town that has become the spiritual center of the Maronite Church. Also, the Crusaders knew the town as Buissera. 

Bcharri is the town of the place of one of the Cedars’ Reserves of Lebanon and is the birthplace of the famous poet, painter, and sculptor Khalil Gibran who now has a museum in the town to honor him. 

Bcahrri District is very beautiful and all of its villages are amazing with wonderful panoramic views. One of these is Dimane Village that’s well known as the summer residence of the Maronite Patriarch currently. The foundation stone for the current Patriarchal residence was laid on 1899. Dimane is also known for the "Garden of the Patriarchs", located in the west end of the village, and for the ancient footpath which starts behind the village's parish church, St John Maroun and leads to the bottom of the Qadisha Valley where the Maronites headed by their Patriarch took refuge for centuries since the seventh century.

 Another village is Hadath el Jobe that is full of old beautiful houses and wonderful historical churches. From this Village you can head to Tannourine Cedars’ Reserve and then down to Jbeil or Batroun. Hasroun with its red roof tiled houses is amazing while Qnat is a magical village inside the valley. 

Bcharri District is really a beautiful place with mountains and valleys that have always been parts of the Lebanese history and tourism.

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. 

Beshwat :)

This small village of 500 people, lost in the mountains coming down cedars is visited since August 15, 2004 by crowds of people of different faiths who come to seek the intercession of the Virgin. Blue dress covered with stars (representing the sky), holding a cross and put a gold crown on his head, It 'sign' to pilgrims: a Muslim woman and her nine year old son went to pray before the statue of Our Lady, and suddenly the little boy said to his mother: "The statue looks at me." He sees it come to life before her eyes, her gown undulates as if it were actually made of cloth, she blinks her eyes and pupils as they move to make the sign of the cross
. That evening and in the days that followed, many of the faithful will see the statue exude a fragrant oil. (Many miraculous healings have been recorded since). 
And word of mouth the news spread throughout the country to reach even the neighbors. ... The rush is such that a few days later, a window will be fixed before the statue which the bottom of the dress began to fade because of the thousands of pieces of cotton and handkerchiefs with which the faithful rub. 

In our turn, we offered to Our Lady of Bechwat our prayers, hoping she makes the biggest miracle and it saves Lebanon with all its miseries !!!

Ablah :)

The municipality is situated at a distance of about 60 km (37,284 mi) from the capital Beirut. It rises at an altitude of 960 meters (1) (3149.76 ft - 1049,856 yd) of sea level and covers an area of ​​599 hectares (5.99 square kilometers - 2.31214 mi²) 

Chouf :)

Chouf is one of the districts of Mount Lebanon Governorate six, is a riverbed Damour its northern border, and the riverbed initial southern borders, and extends from the shores of the White Sea in the west upwards towards the peaks of Mount Baroque at an altitude of two thousand meters to form its eastern border with an area of ​​495 square kilometers, ie 4.7 % of the total area. 

Bounded on the north and on the east Aley in the western Bekaa and the south judicial Jezzine and Sidon - Al-Zahrani and the epicenter town of Beit Din capital of the Emirate of Mount Lebanon, the historic core of the Lebanese Republic existed in two forms of political and geographical

The population of the judiciary 174000 people living in it are distributed on 97 town where the 72 elected municipal council

Shouf District includes a number of cities that played a key role in Lebanese politics days of Ottoman rule, Kpaklan and Deir al-Qamar, which moved in our time

Baalbek :) 

Baalbek is the ancient Roman Heliopolis is now an archaeological site. This site is in Lebanon in the district of Baalbek. It consists of three temples: the Temple of Bacchus, the Temple of Jupiter and the Temple of Venus. The remains of these temples date back to the first three centuries AD in Roman times. The name comes from Baal Baalbek, the name of a Phoenician god. This site aimed mainly to show the power of the Roman Empire for. The temples show the Roman architecture while adding elements of the architecture of the East, such as the altar greater than in the Roman sanctuaries or stairs that there was not any.

The Temple of Jupiter 

The Temple of Jupiter is the oldest of the three but also the largest in the Roman world (88m X 48m). Today all that remains of this temple six columns with a height of 22 meters. It is estimated that construction was done in several stages, it was well advanced during the reign of Nero, but it ended in the third century. Even if much left to testify, it is estimated that the temple was peripteros (building surrounded by columns around the outside), it had in fact 10 columns on the front and 19 on the sides. He also had a monumental staircase.

Taanayel :) 

Photo By Ali Badawi

Southeast of Chtaura, a few kilometers from Zahle, Beirut 48km and 900m above sea level, is a beautiful part of the Bekaa Tana he (Tana, dragon, chaos, disorder, a cauldron, bowl, cauldron of God El), which was ceded to Tannayel reverend Jesuit fathers in 1860 by the Turkish government to compensate the killing of five RP Jesuits, was a marshy and unhealthy region, full of mosquitoes and discomfort, many fathers died there malaria, but with a nice tenacity, PR drainèrent soil, they planted trees, made ​​a farm fresh produce, orchards, a farm of cows, goats, sheep etc ... a great and modern cheese and others ... their premium products, great demand. The Jesuits, on adjacent slopes Ksara, installed a telescope, cultivated vineyards in the famous wines. Their university U.S.J. it has installed its Faculty of Agriculture.


Tannayel became an agricultural region of great wealth where the vines and all kinds of fruit trees are maintained: peaches, apples, pears etc. cherries ...

Photo By Ali Badawi

It even created a 'pond' of great beauty adding to the spectacle of a plain water mark fraîcheure charm which reflect sky, clouds, trees ...

Long driveways or paths lined with trees with their prospects to take us far horizons dreams of escape to a house suitable for meditation and retreat, where the shadows with their blue language relax us ...

This house became the retirement home of the old fathers who are still engaged in work or intellectual or pastoral or gardening ...

A small chapel of the convent, very sober receives villagers around to offices. Many flee to space walks in the four directions; far from any pollution.

The environment in Tana it is healthier, it is a 'field' or 'Una Finca a farm in Spanish. Fathers, have arranged to Ksara an observatory and a seismograph, the first in the region and better equipped. Ksara cellars, already famous in Roman times which we always see and underground shade and freshness are shown have been multiplied. Their visit is part of the program any good tourist agent.


Tourists warned head every day he Tana to visit and sourcing quality products, and allow children who have the passion to observe the animals for breeding or frolicking in the shade of large trees .

To begin we can start with afqa :) 

Afqa “The Return Of Adonis & Ishtar”

Photo By Ali Badawi

The Legend of Adonis and Ishtar has never 
escaped my memories, and visiting the place where Adonis was born and died is truly magical. Adonis was born and died at the foot of the falls in Afqa Village and the ruins of the celebrated Temple of Ishatr “Ashtaroth” or “Aphrodite in Greek” or Venus in Roman” is located there honoring her legend.

Photo By Ali Badawi

In accordance with the Greek Mythology Legends, Afqa is associated with the cult of Aphrodite and Adonis. According to the myth, Cinyras, the King of Cyprus seduced his daughter Myrrha who was transformed into a tree that bears her name. After several months, the tree split open and the child Adonis emerged. He was reared by Aphrodite, who became enamored of him, causing her lover Ares to grow jealous. Ares sent a vicious boar to kill Adonis. At the pool at the foot of the falls of Afqa, Adonis bled to death from a deep wound in the groin. Aphrodite despaired at his death and out of pity for her the gods allowed Adonis to ascend from Hades for a short period each year. Each spring at Afqa, the melting snows flood the river, bringing a reddish mud into the stream from the steep mountain slopes. The red stain can be seen feeding into the river and far out to the Mediterranean Sea. Legend held this to be the blood of Adonis, renewed each year, at the time of his death. Also in the fertile valley surrounding the river, millions of scarlet anemones bloom, known as Adonis' flowers according to legend, they spring from his blood, spilled as he lay dying beneath the trees at Afqa, and return each year in remembrance.

Photo By Ali Badawi

The Temple to Ishtar or Aphrodite or Venus was built at the river falls where all sorts of obscenity were practiced and it remained there till Emperor Constantine ordered the aforementioned Temple to be demolished in the year 523, before AD. Eventually was converted into a Christian Church and all believers used to come there. The Lebanese Muslims and Christians used to believe that this place is miraculous and used to bring their sick people so to be cured there where vows are addressed to el Sayidah al-Kabirah "the Great Lady” or Saydet Afqa. The remains of Venus Temple now are some large remains over the roof of a building that slopes toward the south which is The Imam Husseini Mosque while Our Lady of Afqa Church is on the other side and it is an old church standing at the entrance to Afqa facing Mnaitira Village.

Afqa or Aphca in Latin means a famous historical site. Nfac in Syriac means to exit or flow, since Nahr Ibrahim flows from Afqa. In the Semitic language Afqa means a fortified place, as the town was a stronghold for the worship of the Phoenician god, Adonis. The Persian translation could give the best meaning since it means the Awakening or The Return and that’s connected to the return of Adonis every year. Also Afqa was known in ancient times as Apheca or Afeka and the word can be interpreted as "the source".

Afqa Village is located in Jbeil Casa and it’s standing with an altitude of 1,200 meters and its Grotto is made up of a cliff in the shape of a wide, spacious crescent moon with an altitude of 600 to 700 meters. In its midst lies a cave where water flows between the rocks like waterfalls. I’ve visited the Grotto and the ruins of the surrounding pagan temples and had to jump over the ruins stones so to get inside the waterfall and enjoy that magical scenery. Off course, that was not enough and I’ve checked the cave and was surprised by the beauty there. 

Lebanon a really good place :)

Lebanon is one of the best touristic destinations in the Middle East. Because it is rich in monuments and natural places. And hospitable people. 

I'd like to announce in this list the most important touristics places that anyone can had: 

*Archaeological sites:
- Baalbek, Jbeil, Saida, Sour, Bayt El Dine, Niha, Anjar, Trablous, Achmoun, Afqa, Batroun, Wadi Kadicha, Balamand.

*Natural places:
-Jeita, Kfarhim, Arz L Chouf, Ehden, Arz Tannourin, Sour. 

And much more places in my blog..