Beiteddine and Al-Chouf Cedar Reserve

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1. Built over 300 years beginning in 1788, the palace was the personal home of Emir Bashir Shihab II who wanted the mansion to be a place of singular beauty and legendary opulence. The castle was built on a hermitage called Beiteddine and featured all manner of amenity including a lush personal apartment for the Emir, a harem, and a rich guest house that was often offered to passing luminaries and dignitaries. Many of the surfaces were inlaid with intricate mosaics and designs, many of which have survived remarkably well to this day. Unfortunately, all of this grandeur is said to have come at a great price. While it is likely a false story, it’s been said that the emir ordered that the architect of his palace have his hands cut right off so that the Beittedin Palace could not be duplicated. In addition, he is said to have conscripted all of his healthy male subjects to work on the project for days at a time for no pay. Despite the possible labour tragedies associated with it, the palace was eventually taken over by the Ottomans and used as a government building before eventually being turned into a protected historic site. Today the palace still retains its stunning architecture and hand-made mosaics and is an important site for both visitors and the people of Lebanon.

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2. Al Shouf Cedar Nature Reserve is a nature reserve in the Chouf District of Lebanon. It is located on the slopes of Barouk mountain and has an area of 550 km2 (210 sq mi), nearly 5.3% of the Lebanese territory. The reserve contains the Lebanon cedar forests of Barouk, Maaser el Shouf and Ain Zhalta-Bmohray. It is an Important Bird Area (IBA) and Eco-tourism area. It hosts 32 species of wild mammals, 200 species of birds, and 500 species of plants.

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Avbokning

Fri avbokning till 24 timmar innan upplevelsen börjar, med full återbetalning.

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How it compares in Beirut

• Its from-price is 70% above the median of the 193 dagsturer we list in Beirut.
• It is shorter than most of them.
• By number of reviews it ranks 101 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).

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