Lebanon has the distinction of attaining nicknames associated with the imposing geography of Europe: the country is known as the “Switzerland of the East,” but Beirut, its capital and largest city, is in turn nicknamed “the Paris of the Middle East”; and in 2015, another heavy-weight title of marvel was added—it became the New7Wonders Cities. There’s absolutely no exaggeration in any distinctions as Beirut is the most exciting and frivolous of cities in the region: to the West, the Mediterranean bathes a shoreline of cliffs, giving rise to the famed Corniche, a cobblestone boulevard stringed with shops and cafes overlooking the sea.
 
From there, you may take an exquisite leisure walk on Avenue De Paris and Avenue De Gaulle, two of the city’s most essential veins and home to posh high-rise buildings, restaurants, and brand boutiques. Nearby is the equally famed upscale neighborhood of Rouche, packed with fine shops and restaurants overlooking a major landmark just off the Beirut coast—the Pigeon’s Rock, a bizarre rock formation shaped by the waves and admired by thousands of visitors.
 
Just away is Badaro, a lovely neighborhood of leafy streets worth a leisure daytime walk, and at night-time, a central hub for entertainment: cafes, clubs, bars, theatres…If shopping and frivolity are sought, look no farther than Hamra Street or Beirut’s elite “78 street”, the leading commercial and financial sector packed with even more great shops and pubs. As you go along, you will encounter Beirut’s “intellectual center”: right around is the American University of Beirut, The Lebanese American University, and a string of hotels, libraries, and upscale apartment buildings.
 
At night, the skies enliven with the lights of Casino du Liban, a little piece of Monte Carlo that adds to exciting nightlife for which Beirut is legendarily known. With an eclectic architecture combining French, Ottoman, and Art-Deco and set against an Alpine landscape, Beirut’s profile is a first-class European city.

Some 90 kilometers north of Beirut is this ancient Phoenician city set in the Beqaa Valley, one of the most beautiful, picturesque landscapes in the Middle East. Baalbek is the site of significant Hellenistic and Roman ruins, mainly the Temple of Bacchus and The Temple of Jupiter, both impressive architectural marvels frozen in time and well-kept, with a formidable plaza surrounded by imposing Corinthian columns and Roman avenues. The valley itself is a wonder of nature: nearby are Zahle and Chtoura, both picturesque towns with high-end cafes and hotels perched on Mount Lebanon, reminiscent of Swiss and Northern Italian cities (no wonder they call it “Switzerland of the East”).