Evocative Lebanon: People, History & Landscapes

With group members arriving during the afternoon and evening, today is a 'free' day for you to arrive, be transferred to the start hotel, and to shake off any travel fatigue and get your bearings, before the start of your adventure in earnest, tomorrow.At an appropriate point in your itinerary, in line with our approach of making travel worthwhile, we will be invited to learn about a local charity called FoodBlessed, based in Beirut and tackling hunger among Lebanon's poorest. Any visit or opportunity to get involved will be optional.Overnight: Gems Hotel or similar

After breakfast and a welcome briefing, your adventure begins with a tour of this vibrant city, located on a peninsula at the midpoint of Lebanon’s Mediterranean coast. It is one of the oldest cities in the world, having been inhabited for more than 5000 years, and our tour will include the most famous sites: the Green Line (line of demarcation during the Lebanese Civil War from 1975 - 1990), the National Museum displaying the famous Phoenician gilded bronze figurines buried near Byblos, Mohammad Al Amin Mosque (also known as the Blue Mosque), ancient churches and Roman Baths. Enjoy delicious Lebanese cuisine for dinner before your first taster of the nightlife of Beirut!Overnight: Gems Hotel or similar

This morning we drive out from the city, to the ancient coastal city of Sidon (also known as Saida) (45 minute drive), an ancient coastal city, set amongst citrus and banana groves. It is well known for its fresh fruit and sweets, including a speciality cookie called sanioura. We walk through the old souks, picking up some fresh falafels for lunch, before continuing along the coast to Tyre (45 minute drive) for its archaeological sites and old Fisherman’s port. Overnight: Hotel Al Fanar

Jezzine, one hour drive away from Tyre, is a summer resort for Beirut dwellers, surrounded by mountain peaks and pine forests. We visit the impressive Niha Castle, carved into the rock face of a cliff, and before continuing on to your next destination (45-minute drive). There we enjoy a walk (1-2hrs) in the Masser el Chouf (barouk) reserve, admiring the beautiful cedar trees.Tonight we sleep in a guest house owned by the Achkar family in the village of Kheribe. They will share their beautiful old traditional Lebanese house with us. We will eat dinner and breakfast with them there. Please note that the house contains only a small number of rooms, and single beds (and bunk beds) only. Double beds and single-occupancy rooms are not on offer for this night.Overnight:Salim Achkar Guesthouse

We visit the elegant 19th-century Beit el Din Palace which showcases Arab design before driving to the stunning Chateau Kefraya in the Beqaa Valley to visit its vineyard and partake of a little wine tasting of the red, rose and white blended wines.We spend tonight in the beautiful nearby mountain town of Zahle, also known as the ‘City of Wine & Poetry’ and famous for the Battle of Zahle during the Lebanese Civil War, admiring its architecture and sophisticated nightspots. Overnight: Hotel Grand Kadri

We spend the morning in Anjar - a 30 minute drive away - a UNESCO World Heritage site, before visiting the incredible Roman ruins at Baalbek (45 minutes). The ancient city ruins at Anjar were only revealed in the 1940s and date back to 705 - 715, during the Umayyad period, under Caliph Walid Ibn And Al-Malak. They help demonstrate how construction, architecture and Islamic art were all developing during this time. From one UNESCO site to another: the Roman Ruins at Baalbek, previously known as Heliopolis during the Hellenistic period. Here we enjoy one of the finest examples of Imperial Roman architecture, built over more than two centuries. The complex includes two huge, and very grand Roman ruins: the Temple of Bacchus and the Temple of Jupiter, the most significant outside of Italy. Overnight: Palmyra Hotel

We drive 2 hours to the town of Bcharre. It is a small but welcoming mountain town with links to Kahil Gibran (1883-1931), author of 'The Prophet', who was buried in the 19th-century monastery built into the rocky slopes overlooking the town. We are in the Qadisha Valley (another UNESCO site), also known as the ‘Holy Valley’. Its rocky cliffs have served for centuries as a place of meditation and refuge and it comprises the largest number of monasteries and hermitages dating back to the very first spread of Christianity.We visit Our Lady Cannobine Monastery, partially cut into the rock and with some lovely 17th-century frescoes in the interior. And we have the opportunity to visit another monastery – the Monastery of Mar Lishaa - built into caves nestled deeper in the valley. This can be reached on foot, by following a section of the Lebanon Mountain Trail, which extends for 470km through over 75 towns and villages, attracting trekkers and day walkers alike – for 90min (expect rough terrain and some steep sections). It can also be reached by 4x4 for a small fee.Tonight we sleep in Qozhaya (St Antonio’s) Monastery if it is possible as often it is booked out for services, part of the UNESCO Word Cultural Heritage site, which is very much a “Living Treasure” hosting travellers, scholars and students alike. The rooms are a little spartan with single beds only, as you might expect from a monastery, but the beauty and history of the place make it well worth the visit. Tonight we enjoy a meal at the monastery’s cafeteria. If it's not possible to stay we will transfer to the delightful Palace Hotel near to the cathedral in Bcharre.Overnight: Monastery Saint Antoine or Palace Hotel

With far too much beauty to absorb in the Qadisha valley in one day, we treat ourselves to another, to explore it further, at our leisure. We visit Our Lady Cannobine Monastery, partially cut into the rock and with some lovely 17th century frescoes in the interior. Then we transfer to the town of Byblos, previously the ancient Phoenician port of Jebeil, is steeped in history. In fact, it is the oldest continuously inhabited town in the world. It was first occupied between 8800 and 7000 BC and is, unsurprisingly, another World Heritage Site. We visit the Old Souk and Citadel and spend the night in Byblos.Overnight:Ahiram Hotel, breakfast included

Heading back down the coast, we stop off at the Jeita Grotto and the Nahr al-Khalb valley on the way. One of the world’s great natural wonders, it is a system of interconnected karstic limestone caves spanning nearly 9 km, with the upper galleries housing the world’s largest known stalactite. Open to visitors on foot and by boat, it is a Lebanese national symbol and well worth the visit. The extent of our visit will depend on the weather! There may too much water to see both galleries, but we will enjoy the first gallery. Afterwards you will all be transferred back to Beirut (3-3.5 hours) for your final evening together in the bright lights of the city!Overnight: Lancaster Hotel

We transfer you to the airport for flights out of Beirut. Time to plan your next adventure but it will be tough to find somewhere that has as much to offer as Lebanon!