Introduction to Lebanon
Lebanon is famous for its beauty, cultural diversity and welcoming people. No matter what the season, there is always something special to enjoy. A pilgrimage through Lebanon is a journey through the history of some of the world’s greatest civilizations, with over 5,000 years of recorded history, the country is a trove of archaeological wonders, waiting to be discovered by visitors to this ancient land. Lebanon features in the Old Testament and its cities were major outposts and seaports in Roman times. Take this opportunity to see the beautiful landscapes and explore the archaeological sites of Lebanon.
This tour is available for groups of 15 or more pilgrims
Please email info@special-pilgrimages.co.uk or call 01702 394000 if you are interested in setting up a group tour
Sample Itinerary
Day 1
London / Beirut
Fly from London to Beirut International Airport where you will be welcomed by our representative and transferred to your hotel in Beirut for check in, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 2
Beirut / Beiteddine / Deir el Qamar
Visit Beirut and discover the lively Cornish, the Pigeon’s Grotto and the renovated downtown. Continue to the National Museum. Built in 1930, the Museum houses a collection of ancient antiquities covering about 60 Centuries of history. Depart to the Chouf mountains, Located south east of Beirut, the region comprises a narrow coastal strip notable for the Christian town of Damour and the valleys and mountains of the western slopes of Jabal Barouk and the name of the local Mount Lebanon massif. Chouf is the heartland of the Lebanese Druze community. The Emirs of Lebanon used to have their residence in Chouf, most notably Bachir Chehab II, who built the magnificent palace of Beiteddine during the first half of the 19th century. Visit another historical town, located just below Beiteddine; Deir Al Qamar (the monastery of the Moon). Then we will continue to the Beiteddine Palace, the eighteenth century Arabian night’s type retreat. We will admire graceful arcades, ornate ceilings; rich marble mosaics, tinkling fountains and beautifully panelled rooms. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Beirut.
Day 3
Sydon / Tyr
Departure to the South. Phoenician Tyre was queen of the seas, an island city of unprecedented splendour. It grew wealthy because of her far-reaching colonies and her industries of purple dyed textiles. Visit the Arch of triumph, the public baths, the hippodrome and continue to visit Sidon, the largest city in south Lebanon. Visit the caravanserai, the old souks and the sea castle, a fortress built by the Crusaders in the early 13th century on a small island connected to the mainland by a causeway. Dinner and overnight at your hotel in Beirut
Day 4
Byblos / Harissa / Jeita
Departure to Jeita. Visit of the grottoes, Lebanon’s natural miracle, a striking nine kilometres of labyrinth and galleries on two levels. The lower river level offers a unique tour by flat-bottom boat past “weeping willows” and gigantic stone flowers. Equally striking is the upper grotto where monstrous mineral animals crouch in shady corners. Continue to visit Our Lady of Lebanon in Harissa where you will enjoy the beautiful view of Jounieh. We will then proceed to Byblos, the oldest harbour in the world. Visit the archaeological site and admire around the acropolis traces of all periods since the Neolithic times. It is a city full of history where Christianity was dominated by the Crusaders’ passage and their building of a cathedral in the 12th century. Visit the souks before returning to your hotel in Beirut for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5
Becharreh / The Cedars / Qozhaya
Depart North to visit Becharreh, the birthplace and museum of Gibran Khalil Gibran, the Lebanese famous world known poet, artist and novelist. We will continue to the Cedars. At more then 1,800 meters, the Cedars fascinate with their majesty and great age. Lunch will be served in a mountain retreat in the cedars. Dinner and Overnight stay in the monastery of St Antoine Qozhaya.
Day 6
St. Anthony's Monastery
Full day with the monastery community. Dinner and Overnight stay in St. Antony’s of Qozhaya monastery
Day 7
Visits of the Valley of Qadisha / The Bekaa Valley
Visit the Valley of Qadisha and walk in the Bekaa valley before we proceed to Chtaura. Dinner and Overnight at Massabki hotel in Chtaura
Day 8
Baalbeck / Anjar / Ksara
Chtaura is the agriculture centre city of the Bekaa valley in Lebanon . We will have a Labne snack, which is a delicious Lebanese sandwich. Labne is the specialty of that area , it is made by draining whey from plain yogurt in a thick cotton cloth (overnight) and has a distinctive sour taste like yogurt. it looks like white cheese. We will continue our route to Baalbeck, the famous site for its exquisitely detailed yet monumentally scaled temple ruins of the Roman period, when Baalbek, then known as Heliopolis, was one of the largest sanctuaries in the Empire. It is Lebanon's greatest Roman treasure, and it can be counted among the wonders of the ancient world, containing some of the largest and best preserved Roman ruins. We will visit the temple complex made up of Jupiter’s Temple, Bacchus Temple adjacent to it and a short distance away the Temple of Venus. Afterwards we will drive to Ksara, one of the most famous wineries in the region. We will taste a selection of the best white, rose and red wines ever produced in the Middle East. Continue to Anjar. Visit of this Umayyad-period town that was excavated only 40 years ago. Dinner and Overnight stay at Massabki hotel in Chtaura .
Day 9
Beirut / London
After breakfast you will be transferred to Beirut International Airport for your return flight to London.
