Lebanon is a confusing place because you can’t figure out how many days to spare, let’s face it.. It is very suitable for everyone to rant according to their personal interests because. “You can visit Beirut in one day”, “No, no! You need to set aside at least three days.”, “I don’t know where you haven’t been to, you haven’t been to Lebanon.” sentences do not stop. Even if your plan changes according to your activity in night life, the time you will spend to enjoy and your walking potential, I think you can finish the list of Places to Visit in Beirut in 2 days.. I suggested a 2-day plan for you to follow within the city with minimal taxi use and marked its contents on the map.

Places to Visit in Beirut – Day # 1

Assuming that you stay in Hamra, as most tourists do…After walking Hamra Street to the end, grab a corner for yourself in the garden of Dar Bistro, which is hidden under a building and serves organic products grown by itself, and have a nice breakfast. do it. Don’t keep your expectations high for the coffee though! This is not a cafe already famous for its coffee.

If you manage to connect to the internet, which seems to exist in the place, call an Uber and go to BEIRUT NATIONAL MUSEUM without wasting time.. In the museum, which consists of three main sections, you can examine the periods from ancient times to the arrival of the Ottoman Empire with their remains.. Despite the policy of every new religion to destroy the old, the mummies and mosaic artifacts that have survived are quite impressive.. For example, here I saw the mummy, which was taken out of its coffin and exhibited for the first time in my life.. The artifact from the time of the Civil War and the preservation story of the museum give goosebumps. I guess you will spend at least an hour in the museum, which we barely got out of in two hours.

National Museum of Beirut

Working hours: 09:00-17:00
Closed on Monday
Adult: 5000 LL
Child: 1000 LL

• GREEN LINE – Places To Visit In Beirut

After exiting the museum, you can start walking along the street that appears as Damascus on the map but is known to everyone as GREEN LINE. This is the place that most intensely reflects the civil war period, because the front line of two groups in conflict. The “No Man’s Land” of a time… Dividing Beirut on the map into East and West; This road, with Muslims on one side and Christians on the other, has not been used by anyone for years; whoever walks over to cross is instantly killed by the other group. Since there was no movement for many years and the road was completely covered with greenery, its name remained as the Green Line.. If you’re curious about the old version of A. You can check Abbas’ archive.

MIM Mineral Museum

Opening hours : 10:00-13:00, 14:00-18:00
Closed on Monday
Under 12: Free
13-18 years old: 2000 LL | Adult: 6000 LL

As soon as you turn towards the beach on the Green Line, you will see the MIM MINERAL MUSEUM. If you are planning a trip to Beirut for at least three days and the concept of the museum, which displays 1800 different minerals collected from all over the world, is of interest to you, do not hesitate to enter.. An artistic museum has been created with the aesthetic shapes naturally created by different minerals.. We preferred to walk on the streets with the sun penetrated into us and saved this place for later, but we couldn’t make it.

If you are tired or hungry by continuing to Beit Beirut, you can reach MONOT AVENUE, which is parallel to the Green Line. you can direct. This street, which is famous for its nightlife, is actually a small area.. Take your place in one of the restaurants famous for local Lebanese dishes such as Em Sherif or Al Falamanki. If you’ve visited all the museums I’ve listed so far, I suggest you save the time to linger around Monot Street for the next day, and continue your walk towards the sea, otherwise you may have trouble finishing the remaining places.

• DOWNTOWN – Places To Visit In Beirut

Today, the Lebanese people officially consist of 18 different religious and ethnic groups.. The fact that they lived together in peace for a while is their biggest source of pride.. When you come to the region where you will share their pride, the first thing you will see is MOHAMAD AL-AMIN MOSQUE.. Also known as the “Blue Mosque” due to its similarity to the Blue Mosque and its blue dome. Although I cannot say that it is very attractive for us, since it is both suitable for Ottoman architecture and was built in 2008, it is referred to as one of the most remarkable structures of the city.. The mosque, where clothes suitable for those who want to enter, are provided free of charge, is also open for worship.

Before moving on to the cathedrals just behind the mosque, don’t forget to walk to MARTYRS’ SQUARE and see the statues, one of the icons of the city.. The area called Martyrs Square, because it was built in memory of those who were executed due to their rebellion against the administration in the last period of the Ottoman Empire, is now the center of the protests.. In other words, Tahrir of Beirut… While Downtown and Corniche area are being completely renovated, leaving these heavily damaged statues with bullet marks on them without being renovated has only one purpose: To always remember the damage that war will cause to a society!

Get your cameras ready! , we are going to NIJMEH SQUARE! But it is not clear where we are passing through… There is also the Lebanese Parliament building in the square, which has been a bit eventful lately, and soldiers are waiting at every corner to protect it, you may not be able to pass through every street you want.. When you turn your back on the square where the Rolex Watch rises, did you teleport to Bologna or Paris; you probably won’t be able to decide. The striking point in the region, which was restored in accordance with its pre-war state, is that, on the contrary, the attractive architectural structures do not have a soul.. Until January 2018, pedestrian access to the square is prohibited except for tourists, so many places could not do business and closed their shutters, the buildings are empty! As for accommodation, there are not many residents because the prices are quite high.. After the enthusiastic New Year celebration in 2018, although the square was reopened to the public, it is clear that it was not fully recovered.

Before leaving the square, do not forget to enter the SAINT GEORGE ORTHODOX CATHEDRAL’, the oldest church in the city. don’t. After seeing so many churches in Europe, this place didn’t seem very impressive in terms of history or architecture, but later we realized that for the first time we see Arabic inscriptions on a church wall.

Our next stop is the proof that Beirut is truly an open-air museum. strong>ROMAN BATH RUINS. The places where the hot water system is located in the area consisting of four parts have survived to the present day.. The state buildings you see on the back of the ruins are “The Ottomans ruled for 400 years.. Is there any building from that period?” It will answer the question.

Black waters may have started to descend on your feet.. Time to take a coffee break at BEIRUT SOUKS before heading to the beach! If you have to walk further, you can go 500 meters and go to the other branch of Em Sherif.. If you fail to find it or see a queue in front of you, it is also an option to sit in Mandarine (not recommended) as we did, or wherever you catch your eye on that street.. Grid Café in Beirut Souks also made us happy.

If you don’t mind shopping, there is not much you can do in Beirut Souks, I think.. As I mentioned in the Lebanon Travel Guide article, it is the shopping mall built later in Beirut, the only Middle Eastern city without a traditional souk from the old period.. The famous “I Love Beirut” text, which is the background to the cliché photos of his Beirut trip, is announced here.. (I also marked Souk-el-Tayep on the map. A farmer’s market is set up until 14:00 on Saturday.)

• CORNICHE – Beirut Places to Visit

If your energy is up, it means you are ready to meet the sea! As you exit Downtown you will encounter ZAITUNAY BAY. This is the marina where yachts that make you feel once again that you are in the most luxurious district of Beirut and stylish restaurants that wink at Bebek. Unlike the war-destroyed buildings, the residences that do not fit into the frames will immediately catch your eye.. The answer to why the buildings dating back to the war that gave Beirut the title of “the city of contrasts” are still there among the new buildings shining like diamonds, is hidden in the inscription “Stop Solidere” hanging on the façade of the Saint-George Hotel; When you start walking along the promenade from Zaitunay Bay, it is impossible not to see it.

Solidere, the establishment owned by the late president Rafic Hariri and undertaking the renovation in the Downtown area. The system basically works like this: Solidere buys the building and renovates it by offering a certain amount of money to the building owners.. This is very advantageous for property owners who have come out of the war and do not have any financial resources.. But some building owners, including the Saint-George Hotel, who already have sufficient financing for the renovation refuse to sell to Solidere.. Come see that Solidere has become a monopoly in the region; otherwise, the renovation is not allowed.

The moment you turn your back on the Saint-George Hotel, the OLD HOLIDAY INN HOTEL, which is across the road, still stands undecided on what to do next.. One of the symbolic structures of the civil war… Although it did not attract much attention due to the buildings rising around it, the hotel was completed just before the start of the civil war, and was the tallest building in the region at the time.. With the confusion of the environment, it was evacuated before it could serve properly, and it was under the control of the militants, and over time, it became the power indicator of the two mutual groups because the group that took the highest building is considered to be ahead! take a break and focus on the life energy of people who run through CORNICHE in the afternoon, walk their dog, play ball with their children, or ride bicycles.. Let’s see where you will feel like with palm trees lined up by the rocky sea. For us, İzmir was no different than Kordon.

• RAOUCHE – Places To Visit In Beirut

PIG ROCKS where you will witness one of the most beautiful sunsets from this point on It will take you 45 minutes to walk to ‘, and at the end of the road you will go up a little bit.. If you wish, you can call Uber and go by taxi.. We couldn’t help ourselves from walking despite all our tiredness.. If you have time left before sunset, you can stop by AMERICAN UNIVERSITY of BEIRUT, which raised a legend like Zaha Hadid on the way, or roll on its lawns, or save it for other arrivals like we did.. Whatever your plan is, my number one advice is to come to Pigeon Cliffs at sunset.. You’re within 20 minutes’ walking distance, but now your feet can put pressure on you to take a taxi. At this point, remember that you can go in a shorter time by walking in the evening traffic.. After a little rest and relaxation at the hotel, you are ready to go to HAMRA STREET. I guess you will leave satisfied with many places, but if you want advice, I suggest you try T-Marbouta for local food and Bedivere for chill-out.

Places to Visit in Beirut – Day # 2

Today we are in the regions that will determine how many days you need to spare for Beirut. If you like to spend time in hip places and watch people pass by while sipping your coffee for hours, if you want to experience the famous nightlife, add an extra day or two to your plan. I put Al Soussi. I wouldn’t want you to come to this shabby restaurant, which is on CNN’s World’s Best Breakfast List, and return without having a luxurious Lebanese breakfast, because. I recommend you to use a taxi while coming here, but then again, force the base! (If you are not open to innovations about breakfast, I highly recommend Bartartine or Breakfast Barn, which I marked on the map.)

• SODECO – Places to Visit in Beirut

“This building what’s the deal here?” It is impossible to miss BEIT BEIRUT when you move up to Sodeco Square, which you will say. You must have seen it yesterday. Beit Beirut, one of the symbols of the civil war, whose entire front is covered with bullet marks, was an elite residence of the Barakat Family before the war, but became the location of the militants who controlled the Sodeco region during the war.. The building, which was predicted to be completely demolished after the war, was consolidated by Lebanese activists and turned into a museum and art gallery.

If you came to Beirut just to have a good time and hit the bottom of the fun, skip the building without looking, because it is possible that you will not be overwhelmed by seeing this place. not. Especially the story of the photos on the ground floor… Thousands of bullets that destroyed everything failed to destroy the negatives of the photo shop that was once located on the lower floor of the building; all photos are reproductions of them. I would love for you to see them all up close, but unfortunately, you can only enter this place if you are lucky enough to coincide with the exhibition time.. Entry hours and prices also vary according to the exhibition.

If you wish, you can spare more time today for MONOT AVENUE’, which you did not have the opportunity to visit the day before.. But you should not forget that during the day it is an extremely quiet area, there is not much to do. Continue walking parallel to the Green Line and continue towards SAIFI VILLAGE. While doing this, you are free to enter and exit the street you want because today is the day to get lost and find a mural.. If you manage to say goodbye to the colorful shuttered houses adorned with bougainvillea in the restored Saifi Village area, your new route is Gouraud Street.

• GEMMAYZEH – ACHRAFIEH

Now the most beautiful place in Beirut. You are in ACHRAFIEH, another of its touristic areas. Also frequented by young Beirut residents; home to numerous cafes, restaurants and nightclubs; On one side there are dilapidated buildings waiting to be renovated, on the other side there are super luxury houses; that you will walk in fear of the electric wires that have turned into Arabic hair that fall on your head in rainy weather; It’s a unique place where you won’t want to take your eyes off the pavement to avoid stepping on dog droppings.

If you’re tired of walking into the side streets and going up and down the stairs, you can take a coffee break in Sip.. If you are interested, you can spare 1-2 hours for the SURSOCK MUSEUM. Owned by Nicolas Ibrahim Sursock, this mansion now functions as a contemporary art gallery and museum that houses the works of Lebanese artists.. Especially the items reflecting the old period and the temporary exhibitions are interesting, but at some points, the information texts are only in Arabic and French.

Sursock Museum
Opening hours: 10:00-18:00
Thursday: 12:00-21:00
Closed Monday-Tuesday
Admission: Free

• MAR MIKHAEL – Places to Visit in Beirut

If you don’t want to enter the Sursock Museum or want to save it for later, proceed straight to MAR MIKHAEL’. We can say that the area, which is an old Armenian Quarter, is “the hippest place in Beirut”.. Musicians, painters, writers, actors…everybody is here. Therefore, a boutique design store or art gallery per step.. You realize once again that Beirut is a paradise for artists in the Middle East.. There is an intellectual air blowing even in the way people dress.

There are too many cafes and restaurants to recommend in this region, it is not possible to try them all in one day.. I will talk about it in detail in the article Eating and Drinking in Lebanon, but I can’t help but recommend alternatives for this article.. While you’re here, you can dine at Tawlet, an Armenian restaurant that closes in the afternoon, or you can enjoy yourself at Kalei Café, which is filled with sweetness from every corner.

It’s up to you whether you go to ABC Mall, the most famous and luxurious shopping center of the region, after you leave.. Spending time in the shopping mall while the streets of Beirut are hidden in every corner is not for me, so I did not go, but it is written on all blogs, I will not be missing. If you continue on your way without entering the shopping mall, you will find yourself in the SASSINE SQUARE’. Sassine, one of the oldest and most famous squares in the city, is also the number one meeting point for locals.. After dinner at Vedat Milör and Anthony Bourdin approved Le Chef, end with a delicious cocktail at Aaliya’s Books. I can’t think of a better place to review the two busy days.

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