Exploring Lebanon (II): Byblos and Jeita Grotto

Besides Beirut, one of the most popular and charming destinations in Lebanon is Byblos, one hour away from the capital, heading to the North, also in the coast. This interesting place is one of the oldest human settlements continually inhabited in the whole World and it offers to the visitant an unrepeatable opportunity to dig into this melting pot of civilizations which forms the history, not only of this, but of many other Mediterranean countries.

It is quite easy to explore the main points in Byblos since everything is in the same area. Through the old souk you can arrive to the harbor promenade with the ruins of the Crusader Castle on the left. Around this old citadel, built in XIII century, there are diverse vestiges from other ages, such as remains of Greek and Persian temples, a Phoenician necropolis and a Roman amphitheater. Inside the same complex, we can find a particular abandoned house, known as “The White House”, belonging to Al Housami family and built in the XIX century.

Another attractive place is the souk. Here you can’t miss the chance if you want to buy some souvenirs from Lebanon. Then In Beirut it is more complicated to find them apart of the airport, where everything usually is more expensive. At the end of the cobbled streets you can find the old harbour, an awesome spot where you can enjoy an epic sunset.

Between Byblos and Beirut it is one of the most spectacular natural marvels that you can visit, the Jeita Grotto. It is possible to arrive getting a bus to Jounie, coming back to Beirut, and then a taxi to the entrance. There are two parts, one to be visited by boat and other by foot. Unfortunately, during winter the water cave is closed, so I could only see the “dry” one. The inside is very impressive, with hypnotic stalagmites and stalactites, and frightening vaults with phantasmagoric shapes. I can say that it is one of the best places in terms of nature that I’ve ever seen. Photos are not allowed inside the cave, something that I finally thanked, since I just focused on enjoying the scene.

Entrada a una de las cuevas

It is well worth staying in Byblos, at least a couple of days, although I could see everything in only one. The second one I decided to continue exploring the north of the country, stopping at Batroun and Tripoli, which I will talk about in the next chronicle.

Exploring Lebanon (I): Beirut

I inaugurate this year with the first chronicles of a very pleasant experience in Lebanon, a country which is well worth visiting, especially for those love History. But, apart of vestiges from different civilizations, the land of Phoenicians is famous for its gastronomy and its natural landscapes, although this time I couldn’t enjoy so much of them due to the bad weather. I will start talking about my walks in Beirut, the capital, my base camp most of the time of this week traveling.

In one of the conversations I had with some local persons, I was told that Lebanon was like a state formed by different countries, with a lot of contrasts at the level of religion, society and culture. Such as contrasts can be discovered when we start walking in Beirut, a city where (finally) it is possible to walk. Some neighborhoods has a European style, similar to some areas in Paris, for example, while in other parts there is an atmosphere more typical of Middle East.

Most of the main monuments are located at Downtown district, between the iconic Nejmeh square and the Martyr’s monument. One of the highlights here is the magnificent Al Omari Mosque, a past cathedral built by the crusaders. Right next to the mosque we can find the St George Maronite Cathedral and, just opposite, between Roman ruins, the Ortodox Cathedral, also dedicated to this same saint. Right in this place it is located the Crypt Museum, interesting to know more about the history of the city.

Between 1975 and 1990, Lebanon suffered a devastating civil war, whose effects are still visible in many buildings in Beirut. Since then, the presence of checkpoints, with soldiers walking around several points of the city, is something very usual. It is very impressive when suddenly encountering a tank in a corner. Nevertheless, in this moment the situation of the country is stable, although it is recommended to avoid the border areas, both with Syria and Israel.

It was a time when Beirut was considered the main touristic and cultural center in Middle East. In spite of the consequences of the war, this cultural environment kept alive and nowadays it is reflected in the amount of events happening almost daily in its art galleries, screening rooms, museums, etc. In addition to this there are various restaurants, bars and night life, so we have a fantastic city, worth living for a long time.

Another attractive feature of Beirut is the sea. It is very pleasant walking by Corniche area, the seafront promenade of the city, enjoying the views of Mediterranean Sea. Heading to the West, it is possible to visit the district of Raouche, with the Pigeon Rocks, in front of the cliffs. According to the legend, here the mythologic hero Perseus killed a monster, which was petrified with the help of Medusa’s head, in order to rescue Andromeda.

Because of its history, the night life, the food and other reasons, I can say that I liked Beirut so much and I don’t discard to come back any time within my stay in Middle East. On the other hand, from here it is quite easy to arrive to other interesting places in Lebanon, which I will talk about in the coming posts.