The capital
Every trip starts in Beirut, a city of seafront promenades, restored Ottoman houses, buzzing restaurants and late nights, with the scars of its history never far away. It is also the best base for day trips to the Jeita Grotto, Harissa and Byblos. Plan three or four nights here.
The northern coast
Forty minutes north, Byblos is one of the oldest continuously inhabited towns on earth, with a crusader castle, Phoenician ruins, a tiny harbour and an old souk made for wandering. A little further on, Batroun is the relaxed beach town: Phoenician sea walls, fresh lemonade, seafood, wineries and the coast's best summer evenings.
The holy valley and the cedars
Inland from Batroun and Tripoli, the road climbs to the Qadisha Valley, a deep gorge of cliff monasteries and hermit caves, with the town of Bsharri and the ancient Cedars of God above it. It is the place for hiking in summer and skiing in winter.
The Chouf mountains
South east of Beirut, the Chouf holds the stone village of Deir el Qamar, the palace of Beiteddine and the largest cedar reserve in the country. It makes a peaceful two night escape from the city.
Places to check carefully
Baalbek's Roman temples, Tyre, Sidon and the Bekaa wine country are among the great sights of Lebanon, but several governments advise against travel to the south and to parts of the Bekaa. Read your government's current advice before including them, and use the free trip planner to build a route around what is open.