November 22 marks the date upon which Lebanon secured independence in 1943. This years is the 68th anniversary of the event and, as with previous years, the date will be celebrated around the country.

The capital – Beirut – is home to some of the largest celebrations on this, one of the most important public holidays in the Lebanese calendar. Events usually revolve around a major military parade which makes its way through the city. Last year, fighter jets flew overhead while commandos demonstrated their training and skills whilst suspended from a hovering helicopter. Dignitaries from the Arab world and further afield come to pay their respects to those who suffered for Lebanon’s independence and to celebrate the continuing prosperity of the country.

Downtown Lebanon - photo by Abdallah K, Flickr

In addition the parade and top brass, the average Lebanese family also make a point of celebrating their heritage and love for their country on November 22. Flags are prominent, as are the national colors of red, white and green. Singing and dancing fill the streets, schools and homes of Beirut, and many families sit down to enjoy special meals together.

Visiting Beirut during the annual Independence Day celebrations will provide an angle on the city that view travellers get to experience. Most businesses are closed, so while the celebrations themselves are ongoing it’s worth just relaxing and trying to take in as much as possible.

If you are keen to take part, we recommend staying in a downtown Beirut hotel. This will put you in the heart of the action and will minimise the amount of time you need to spend moving around, which can be difficult due to the number of people present. The hustle and bustle of the festivities is all in good fun, but it’s also nice to be able to get back to the peace and quiet of a top Beirut hotel at the end of the day.

If you fancy venturing outside the capital, you’ll find Independence Day celebrations all across the rest of the country. Byblos, Tyre and Tripoli also play host to events.

If you’re thinking about planning a holiday in Lebanon toward the end of November, we’d advise you to be aware of Independence Day and, if possible, to build it into your plans. Celebrating Beirut style isn’t something that everyone gets to experience, so if you get the chance you should grab it with both hands!

Summer is heating up, which means it’s time for great outdoor concerts.  An all-star line-up of famous musicians are slated to perform at this year’s annual Byblos International Festival.  The several week event is a celebration of live music, the fusion of international and Lebanese culture, and the magic of Byblos, which transforms itself into the ultimate seaside venue.

Stage on the coast of Byblos. Photo by byblosfestival.org/venue

One of Lebanon’s oldest port cities just 30 km north of Beirut, the city of Byblos has been designated as a UNESCO Cultural Heritage Site. It was founded in 5000 B.C. in ancient Phoenicia.  Today, it is a beautiful modern city with a well-preserved historical district.  Iconic ruins such as Phoenician temples, Byblos castle, and the Crusader Fort still reminisce of ancient times.

The Byblos International Festival brings the city booming into the 21st century every summer.  Thousands of visitors, both Lebanese and international, flock to Byblos to take in the fun and music.  A huge concert stage, nestled between the monuments and the sea, lights up under the night sky.  The festival is famous for fusing the musical heritage of Lebanon with music styles from all over the world.

This year, the headliners are:

Don Quixote (28 June – 3 July)
Moby (5 July)
Scorpions (4, 6 and 7 July)
Florent Pagny (9 July)
Jamie Cullum (12 July)
Thirty Seconds to Mars (15 July)
Amadou Et Mariam (20 July)
Les Mysteres Lyriques (23 July)

Don’t forget to book your Byblos hotel in advance — accommodations fill up all summer long and especially during this spectacular event!

Lebanon is a place of deep and wondrous history.  Visit the four sites that have been awarded UNESCO world heritage status:

Anjar

The Anjar UNESCO World Heritage Site in Lebanon. Photo by Bengt B

Nestled in the fertile Beqaa Valley, close to Lebanon’s easterly border with Syria, the origins of the city capital of Anjar can be traced back to the 8^th Century. It was founded during the reign of Caliph Al-Walid ibn Abd al-Malik.

A complicated and beautiful series of buildings and fortifications, the city was completely abandoned less than fifty years after construction began. Gradually reclaimed by the desert, Anjar’s ruins were preserved until their rediscovery by archaeologists in the mid 20^th Century.

Hotel recommendation: Grand Hotel Kadri

Baalbek

The Propylaea entrance of Baalbek. Photo by Heretiq

Also located in the Beqaa Valley, Baalbek was founded by the ancient Phoenicians but retained its importance during the rise and fall of both the Greeks and the Romans.

Its temple complex – known to the Hellenes as Heliopolis – can be explored to this day, and continues to inspire awe and wonder in visitors to Lebanon.

Byblos

The Crusader Castle in Byblos, Lebanon. Photo by Citypeek

Located on the coast mid way between Beirut and Tripoli, Byblos is one of the world’s oldest Phoenician cities.

As with many other beautiful coastal towns on the Lebanese Coast, Byblos has been constantly occupied since pre-historic times and has many visible layers of history on display. Persian walls, Roman roads, Byzantine buildings, Crusaders’ Castles – the whole town is a miniature reflection of Lebanon’s history.

Hotel recommendation: Byblos Sur Mer

Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab)

Cross in Qadisha Valley, Lebanon. Photo by Bdell555

Lebanon’s biblical history and connections to biblical antiquity are well known. The Qadisha Valley is home to some of Christianity’s earliest and most important monastic sites.

Its shadowy glades and rocky outcrops seem to have changed little since the days of the apostles and continue to offer peace and space for spiritual reflection to those who visit Lebanon.

The nearby Forest of the Cedars of God is an ancient woodland that has survived for thousands of years. It is one of the best known homes to cedrus libani, the Lebanon Cedar which graces the Flag of Lebanon.

Hotel recommendation: Hotel Chbat

Tyre

Tyre, Lebanon. Photo by Petteri Sulonen

The ancient and mighty Phoenician capital; a rock (the literal translation of its name) upon which great empires were built. Home to mythological luminaries such as Europa and Elissa (Dido), Tyre is also believed to be the birthplace of purple dye – an incredibly expensive and prestigious substance in the ancient world.

Located on the coastline to the south of Beirut, close to the modern border with Israel, Tyre is Lebanon’s fourth largest city and is home to many outstanding Lebanon Hotels from which to explore its wealth of ancient treasures.

Hotel recommendation: Al-Fanar

The Casino du Liban is known for many things: outstanding entertainment and shows, breathtaking location overlooking the Mediterranean and close proximity to the best hotels in Lebanon.

And speaking of outstanding shows, a new musical is in town, and this time, it portrays the life and works of Lebanese philosopher and writer Gibran Khalil Gibran.

“His words are hymn to love; they are love itself!” is an expected reaction from anyone who has been touched by the prophecies of Gibran. The musical has been acclaimed by critics from the art world so make sure not to miss it whilst in Lebanon.

The other good news is that you’ll get a 5-star treat in the best hotels in Byblos and Jounieh for an unbelievable price, courtesy of Lebhotels.com:

-Sun Hills Suites Hotel Jounieh: Rooms starting at $140/night including taxes and breakfast.
-Byblos Sur Mer Hotel Jbeil : Rooms starting at $209/night including taxes and breakfast.
-Regency Palace Hotel Jounieh: Rooms starting at $149/night including taxes and breakfast.
-Edde Sands Hotel Byblos: Rooms starting at $121/night including taxes and breakfast.

Finally, we would like to know what is your favorite book by Gibran Khalil Gibran? Your favorite poem? Let us know

The lunar calendar has struck nine for Muslims in Lebanon and around the world. For a whole month Muslims shall celebrate the month of Ramadan, fasting until the evening and then having their iftar after the addan calls for prayer from the minarets.

Being the hospitable people they are, Lebanese Muslims will definitely invite you out for their huge meal in the evening, known as iftar, it is where you will eat all you can and whatever you like, since there is always much to choose from.

Lebanese Christians and other religions try to keep solidarity with their Muslim brethren and eat in the evenings, so restaurants will crowd up intensely then. Hotels will rejoice with people going there during the month of Ramadan, but there is always a place for you, in one of the hotels in Beirut, or hotels in Byblos, the ancient Phoenician city of charm, perhaps hotels in Bhamdoun?

Whatever your choice LebHotels wishes you a Happy Ramadan, and would love to have you in Lebanon at anytime of the year.

They always tell us Lebanese and Italians are so alike, but it seems that both sides have gotten over the issue of comparison, and have decided to finally get together in a beautiful piece of art on stage. This Friday July 30th at 8:30pm, Byblos’ festival lights up once more with a vibrant performance of Mozart’s “Le Nozze di Figaro”.

Le Nozze di Figaro is a comic opera, an operetta of a story happening in one day. Witness Italian and Lebanese singers on stage, and enjoy the beautiful voices merged together in one piece of work.

Hotels in Byblos are awaiting your presence to serve you with the finest during your stay for the coming weekend.