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Located in Mount Lebanon at 60 Km from Beirut,
Faqra is the most extensive Roman site in the area, and is home to a rich
collection of tombs, temples, altars and columns.
The most spectacular monument in Faqra, is the
natural bridge "Jisr al Hajar" carved by the wind and water over the
centuries. The 34-meter high bridge is so perfect, it makes it difficult to
believe it was not made by human hands.
Faqra is also famous for its private luxurious
resort Faqra Club, with its 200,000 square meters overlooking Beirut and the
Bay of Jouneih. |
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At 20 Km North of Beirut, lies one of the greatest
treasures of Lebanon's archeology: the Jeita Grotto.
Extending for more than six Kilometers, the
astounding caves, unfold before their visitors an overwhelming network of
stalactites and stalagmites, and a vast display of wondrous sculptures
fashioned by nature, with only the help of water and time.
The visit to the grotto includes a 600-meter boat
ride inside the lower galleries, and a 650-meter stroll inside the Upper
Galleries. |
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Most known today for its traditional handmade
cutlery and its two famous waterfalls, Jezzine once played an important role
in the history of Lebanon.
It is in the eastern part of this town that Emir
Fakhreddine, hid from Ottoman prosecution in the Grotto today named after
him.
Along with its many delightful traditional houses
and hotels, Jezzine is home to a rich collection of statutes, pottery,
tombs and Roman temples that were discovered there.
Attraction in and around Jezzine include the Farid
Serhal Palace, the Church of Our Lady of Bisri, dating back to 1252, and the
Monastery of Our Lady of Machmouche, built in 1732. |
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A garden city, surrounded by citrus and banana
plantation, Sidon is another beacon of Lebanon's history.
The city's main attraction is the Sea Castle, a
fortress built by the Crusaders in the 13th century on a small island linked
to the mainland by a causeway.
Not far from the castle, is the picturesque old
Souk, where craftsmen still ply their trades, and fishermen sell their catch
of the day. Other historic buildings and attractions include the Khan el
Franj, the Castle of St-Louis, the rest house, the old ports, and the soap
museum.
A growing city with a modern seaport, Sidon is the
commercial, financial and administrative center of South Lebanon. |
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An 11 square Km artificial lake created by the
erection of the Litani river dam, as part of a major hydraulic project
carried out in 1959.
The Litani, Lebanon's longest river reaches
Baalbeck, and runs across the Bekaa valley over a distance of 160 Km, before
reaching the Mediterranean in the North of Tyre.
The Qaraoun dam is 60 meter high and 1350 meter in
lengths. Its production reaches 185 megawatts and its water is used for the
irrigation of 31000 hectares in the South and 8000 hectares in the Bekaa.
Visitors are always welcome at the dam, and
special tours including speedboats ride on the lake can be arranged. |
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Located at 85 Km north of Beirut, Tripoli is the
country's second largest city and is also known as the capital of the north.
Most famous for its delightful sweets and its medieval history and Mameluk
architecture, Tripoli has a charm and a character of its own.
In the narrow alleys of the city's old souks,
trailers, jewelers, tanners and soap makers continue to do the work their
great grandfather started in the 14th century.
Tripoli's most impressive monument is undoubtedly
the St-Gilles Citadel, which was built by the Crusaders in 1103. The Lion
Tower, that was built by the Mameluks to defend the city, is also worth
checking.
The famous "hammams" (traditional bathing houses),
and Madrassahs (theological schools), that Tripoli is famous for, are also
not be missed. |
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Ancient Tyre, famous for its purple dye and glass
industries, was founded by the Phoenicians in the 3rd millennium BC.
The city, which for some time was one of the most
prosperous mercantile centers on the eastern Mediterranean, originally
consisted of a mainland settlement and an island city.
In 332 BC, Alexander the Great blockaded the
island city for seven months, and eventually had to use debris of the
abandoned mainland city to build a bridge to the island and finally break
down its fortifications. Tyre, is also host for Roman ruins, including a
well preserved road passing through a monumental archway, and a hippodrome
built in the 2nd century AD, and considered the largest and best preserved
in the world today. |
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Located at about 54 Km inland from Beirut, Zahleh
is the third largest city of Lebanon and is the administrative and
commercial capital of the Bekaa valley. This attractive town, with the
charming stone houses has earned the title of "The city of Wine and
Poetry", because of some 50 poets and almost as many excellent wines and
araks it has produced over the last century alone.
Zahleh's main attraction is the Berdaouni River's
Wadi al Arayesh, along which line up dozens of open-air restaurants, where
visitors could enjoy some of the finest Lebanese cooking and famous Mezze.
Zahle is also the place for downing Arak, the
local firewater.
Good food is not all that Zahleh has to offer. In
the hills surrounding the city , hide some archeological treasures,
including sarcophagi dating back to the iron and bronze ages, as well as
tombs from the Roman and Byzantine times. |
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