Beirut, Beiteddine & Deir el Qamar Small-Group Tour | Lunch Incl.
- 8 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- 2 languages
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
One tour, three completely different versions of Lebanon. The morning is Beirut — seafront, downtown landmarks, a mosque and cathedral sharing the same square, Roman baths in the middle of a rebuilt city, and the deliberately unrepaired Civil War facade that tells you more about this country than a week of reading. The afternoon is the Chouf Mountains — Beiteddine Palace, one of the finest 19th-century palaces in the Arab world, and Deir el Qamar, Lebanon's first capital and one of the best-preserved Ottoman villages in the country. Lunch included in Deir el Qamar. One guide connects it all. This is the tour that answers the question most first-time visitors ask on day one: how do I see as much of Lebanon as possible in a single day without it feeling rushed? The answer is this itinerary, this guide, and a group of no more than twelve.
Inclusions
What's included
- Lunch in a local restaurant (if option selected)
- Beirut city highlights — Pigeon Rocks, seafront, mosques, cathedral, Roman Baths & more
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Beirut
- Entry/Admission to Historical Sites (if option selected)
- Professional expert guide
- Deir el Qamar village — mosque, church & historic square
What's not
- Gratuities (optional)
- Food or drinks unless specified
Itinerary
8:30 AM — Hotel pickup Your guide meets the group at your Beirut hotel. The city tour starts immediately — Pigeon Rocks is five minutes away.
Pigeon Rocks & Zaitunay Bay The limestone sea stacks off Raouche — Beirut's most photographed natural landmark — then along the seafront to Zaitunay Bay marina. Your guide sets the geographical and historical context for the city before the downtown walk begins.
Drive along the Corniche el Manara — Beirut's Mediterranean promenade, the city's democratic common ground. Drive past the Holiday Inn — its Civil War facade deliberately preserved, the most honest five seconds in Beirut.
Downtown Beirut — the guided circuit Your guide leads the group through Beirut's most essential downtown stops — all within walking distance, each with a distinct story that connects to the next. Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque · 10 min ⛪ Saint George Cathedral · 10 min Martyrs' Square · 10 min Place de l'Étoile · 10 min Beirut Souks · 10 min Roman Baths · 10 min
Beiteddine Palace — the presidential palace of Lebanon Built between 1788 and 1840 by Emir Bashir II — the ruler who unified Lebanon's mountain factions. Three interconnected courtyards with hand-cut tilework and carved cedar-wood ceilings. Beneath the palace: Lebanon's finest collection of Byzantine mosaics — floor panels of extraordinary quality that most visitors walk straight past. Today the official summer residence of the Lebanese President. Your guide covers the full story of Beiteddine and what it represents in Lebanese political and cultural history.
Deir el Qamar — Lebanon's first capital, still going Meaning "Monastery of the Moon" — a honey-stone Ottoman village that served as Lebanon's first capital under the Ma'an dynasty and remains one of the most perfectly preserved historic villages in the country. The cobblestone square is framed by 17th and 18th-century mansions. A mosque and a church stand metres apart — four centuries of coexistence in a single hillside view. Your guide explains the political and religious significance of this village to Lebanese mountain identity.
Fakhreddine Mosque & Saydet el Tallé Church The 17th-century mosque of Emir Fakhreddine II — the Druze ruler who built an empire from the Bekaa to the Sinai — and the hilltop Maronite church with panoramic views over the Chouf valleys. Same hillside, four centuries, two communities. Your guide explains why this matters in a country where coexistence is never accidental.
Lunch in Deir el Qamar — included Lebanese mountain mezze at a local Deir el Qamar restaurant — grilled meats, fresh bread, Chouf valley views. Fully included in the tour price.
Return to Beirut — approx. 5:30–6:30 PM Drop-off at your Beirut hotel. City, palace, and Lebanon's first capital — three versions of the country in one guided day.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.9
- 57
- 41
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- 10
Ratings come from 8 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Know before you go
- Pickup
- Pickup is included for everyone.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 12 travellers
- Operated by
- Beirut Daily Tours
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How it compares in Beirut
- Its from-price is 11% below the median of the 193 day trips we list in Beirut.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 44 of 193.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Beirut
Beirut is Lebanon's capital on a Mediterranean headland, a Phoenician port city with Roman remains and mountains rising close behind.
Beirut juts into the Mediterranean on a rocky headland, with the snow-streaked peaks of Mount Lebanon rising behind. Founded by the Phoenicians, it became the Roman city of Berytus, famed for its school of law, and the remains of Roman baths lie in the city centre. The Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque, with its blue domes, and the nearby churches of St George show the mix of faiths.
Top-ranked sights in Beirut: Jeita Grotto, Our Lady of Lebanon (Notre Dame du Liban), Byblos (Jbeil).
Special offers in Beirut
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
