7 Reasons to Visit Lebanon

December 11, 2020

Although Lebanon often gets a bad reputation in Western media coverage, the country’s rich history, culture and diversity deserve positive recognition.

The Kadisha Valley in northern Lebanon. Saad. CC2.0

Located on the eastern Mediterranean coast bordering Israel and Syria, many people have heard of Lebanon for mostly negative reasons. Strife caused by a 15-year civil war and other regional conflicts has long dominated international news headlines in the Middle East, as well as the explosion in Beirut on Aug. 4. Despite this, Lebanon is a beautiful country with amazing scenery, culture, people, food and so much more. Here are seven lesser-known facts about this beautiful Middle Eastern country.

1. Variety of Landscapes

Although many people mistakenly refer to the entire Middle East as a desert, this could not be further from the truth. On the contrary, Lebanon’s small landmass has many different landscapes, from a Mediterranean climate by the coast with olive groves to the snow capped Mount-Lebanon to the beautiful and fertile Bekaa Valley. One other beautiful nature area is the Cedars of God in the Kadisha Valley, which is one of the last places in the world where the majestic Lebanon cedar trees can be found today. In ancient times, the wood of cedar trees was used for constructing religious buildings.

2. Ancient History

What Lebanon lacks in size it more than makes up for in history. Founded by the Phoenicians and later influenced by the Persians, Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, Ottomans and the French, this variety of civilizations has undoubtedly made a mark on the country’s history. The Phoenicians, who were well known for their skills in navigation and seafaring, traded with empires around the world and established colonies in other parts of the Mediterranean. Phoenicians are also credited with the invention of the first writing system with an alphabet known as “abjad.” Travelers can visit the historical cities of Tyre, Byblos and Sidon, which have distinct Phoenician influences. Additionally, some of the best Roman ruins in the world can be found in Lebanon, including sites in Baalbek and Faqra.

3. Religious and Cultural Diversity

A mosque and a church side by side in Beirut. Zagrebelnyi. CC2.0

Lebanon is one of the most diverse countries in the Middle East. Roughly 61% of Lebanon’s population is Muslim, with nearly equal numbers of Shiites and Sunnis, 33% is Christian, and an estimated 4.5% are Druze, a religion containing elements of Islam, Judaism, Christianity and classical Greek philosophy. However, travelers are unlikely to experience widespread friction between the different religious groups. Columnist Taha Meli Arvas traveled in Lebanon and observed that, “I didn't see any divisions between regions or religions … The people and cultures all blend in seamlessly and to an outsider it is all just Lebanon.” Arabic, French and English are spoken in Lebanon, but it is also common for people to speak the Lebanese dialect, which has notable influences from all three languages.

4. Amazing Food

Food lovers rejoice! Travelers will look forward to trying the endless culinary delights of Lebanon. One of the most famous dishes is kibbeh, a Lebanese national dish made up of a mixture of bulgur wheat, ground lamb, herbs and spices. Sfiha, an open-faced flatbread topped with meat, a delicious salad made of herbs known as tabbouleh, bulgur wheat, tomatoes and olive oil, is equally loved. Manoushe or “Lebanese pizza,” a toasted flatbread with za'atar (a herb and spice blend), is also popular, as are olive oil, hummus, falafel, shawarma and many others.

5. Friendliness and Hospitality

As a whole, Lebanon is relatively safe for travelers, with theft and petty crime being extremely rare. Similar to other Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries, hospitality is deeply rooted in Lebanese culture. It is considered a great honor to host guests. Lebanese are very family oriented and it is common for travelers to be invited into people’s homes for tea, coffee or a family meal. Prepare to be well-fed; it is considered polite for hosts to serve their guests multiple servings of food. You will likely not leave hungry!

6. Party Scene

Filled with trendy nightclubs and bars, Beirut is known as the de facto party capital of the Middle East. Naomi Sargeant, a managing director of city guide Time Out Beirut, describes the night scene as having an “East-meets-West feel.” Beirut’s fun-loving vibe speaks to the overall culture of Lebanese, despite a turbulent past. Similar to Europe, alcohol in Beirut is readily available and consumed.

7. Famous People of Lebanese Descent

Some famous people of Lebanese descent include the Latin singer Shakira (her father is of Lebanese descent), actress Salma Hayek, Fairuz, one of the most famous singers in the Arab world and a cultural icon of Lebanon, and Nadine Labaki, an actress, filmmaker and activist.

Although Lebanon was going through difficult times even before the explosion in Beirut, the country has so much to offer. Learning more about other countries and cultures helps to promote coexistence and peace.

Click here to donate to the Lebanese Red Cross to provide humanitarian and medical assistance in Beirut after the devastating explosion and amid the continuing effects of COVID-19.

Following the Blast in Beirut, How Ready is Lebanon for Visitors?

September 9, 2020

The Aug. 4 blast in Beirut’s port devastated the city but also affected the entire country. Shock waves reverberated throughout the region, being felt as far away as Cyprus and Jordan. The cause was obscene negligence in the storage of ammonium nitrate, a component of many explosives, and the effect is 300,000 people left homeless, up to 220 dead, and parts of the city center in ruins. The scene harkens back to Lebanon’s tumultuous history of war and civil strife and effectively takes Beirut off the map in terms of international tourism.

This is all the more saddening given Lebanon’s storied history, vibrant culture and natural beauty. Lebanon has earned an unfortunate reputation as an unsafe travel destination due to its fraught political history and geographical proximity to war-torn nations such as Syria. Though a history of war still lives in the nation’s collective memory, most people view it as a piece of the past. Before the blast, Lebanon reported a record number of visitors, with just under 2 million travelers passing through in 2018 alone.

A cursory glance at the country reveals why. Though small, Lebanon’s landscape is astonishingly diverse. Its coastline holds balmy beaches and resorts, many started in the 1950s during the country’s first tourism boom. Farther inland, the Lebanon Mountains offer slopes for skiers of every skill level for a fraction of the cost compared to the Swiss Alps.

Hasroun, a village in northern Lebanon. Paul Saad. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Natural beauty is not the only wonder found in Lebanon. The Temple of Bacchus, one of the best preserved Roman ruins in the world, displays the full glory of Lebanon’s past, demonstrating the variety of influences it enjoyed due to its historical role as a Mediterranean trade hub. Arts events like the Cedars International Festival have drawn artists from around the world, including Shakira and Andrea Bocelli, with massive crowds in tow. Beirut’s nightlife alone was enough to draw thousands to its late-night parties with strobe lights, pulsing music and freely flowing liquor.

A concert in Byblos. Hisham Assaad. CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

No longer. The blast damaged 2,000 venues in Beirut, many of them deciding not to rebuild. Months prior to the blast, the COVID-19 pandemic decimated the service industry, and a prolonged economic crisis which has endangered the lower and middle classes strained the balance sheets of nightclub owners. The explosion further compounds their plight.

Equally bleak are the prospects for recovery. Rebuilding the city is estimated to cost $15 billion, a quarter of Lebanon’s GDP in 2019, and talks with the International Monetary Fund for a $10 billion bailout have led nowhere. The prime minister, along with most of his cabinet, resigned shortly after the explosion, leaving Lebanon in both physical and economic ruin with no leadership. The Lebanese dollar has lost 80% of its value while inflation has reached 112%. This has left thousands of people struggling or unable to buy food. The situation, by any metric, is abysmal.

Lebanon’s tourism prospects are about as dire as those for its economy. Clearly, it is unwise to travel in the midst of a global pandemic to a country whose hospitals are already full. While tourism would pump much-needed dollars into the economy, it would be difficult to find food and lodging in a country not far removed from famine. Before travelers begin to think of visiting Lebanon, the country must rebuild. Only time will tell how long that process will take.

Michael is an undergraduate student at Haverford College, dodging the pandemic by taking a gap year. He writes in a variety of genres, and his time in high school debate renders political writing an inevitable fascination. Writing at CATALYST and the Bi-Co News, a student-run newspaper, provides an outlet for this passion. In the future, he intends to keep writing in mediums both informative and creative.

Fighting to End Child Marriage in Lebanon

December 8, 2019

Ghassan Idriss knows firsthand the harmful effects of child marriage on society. Having married at a young age to a woman even younger than himself, Idriss and his wife faced struggles that so many other couples in his home country of Lebanon grapple with. Now, with three daughters of his own, Idriss is doing everything he can to educate those around him about the dangers of this antiquated institution. By hosting talks, he’s using his voice to spark change within his community.

Fighting to End Child Marriage in Lebanon

January 23, 2019