Top Places in Beirut Tourists Should Know About
Beirut is the heart of Lebanon, filled with the most exciting opportunities for creating amazing memories. The combination of historical sites, great cuisine, and a bustling nightlife is one that makes it very unique and worth visiting.
For many, Beirut is the prime destination when they come to Lebanon. Often, when visits are short, many people don’t have the luxury of exploring all of Lebanon. However, Beirut offers a variety of experiences to have and places to visit that can be quite rewarding and memorable.
Here are some of the top places to visit in Beirut, that only Lebanese people know about that you will surely enjoy and leave you wanting more!
Hamra
Hamra Street is the most popular street in all of Lebanon, and before the Civil War this infamous street was once known as the “Champs-Élysées” of the city of Beirut. Since the 1970s and till this day it is one of the major commercial districts and is renowned for being the most dynamic area within the Middle East filled with fashion stores, coffee shops, restaurants, theaters and major hotels.
Hamra is also the art district of Beirut where plenty of art museums, exhibitions, and theaters are located. This densely populated area remains in between two of the best Universities in the country, the American University of Beirut (AUB) and Lebanese American University (LAU); and due to its close proximity to the universities it has not only influenced the culture but also inspired artist to create massive mural art pieces to illustrate stories and depict the real culture of the city on residential buildings.
During the day Hamra street is a friendly shopping area where you can window shop and enjoy the nice weather and atmosphere. At night, Hamra transforms into the perfect place for clubbing and partying.
Once you’ve mastered the entire street of Hamra, end your day with some local street grub of delicious foods with the best cultural experience from dozens of well-known and iconic restaurants scattered throughout every street and corner!
Beirut Souks
The Beirut Souks is a major commercial district in Beirut Central District. With over 200 shops spread over 128,000 sq m. It is Beirut’s largest shopping area. Beirut Souks are yet another architectural achievement, where the practicality of modern designs embraces historical and cultural heritage. The Souks turned into an “open area” offering a unique journey that takes the visitor far beyond the shopping mall experience.
Beirut Souks expose a bunch of local and international jewelry brands from classic to trendy, elegant to glamorous.
Whether you prefer interiors or modern outdoors, Beirut Souks restaurants and cafes will satisfy your taste with a unique historical setting. From the four corners of the world, enjoy all types of cuisines in venues that are exclusive to Beirut Souks in Lebanon.
Beirut Souks brings people together to celebrate life and share unforgettable moments of pleasure. From concerts to fashion shows, street animations, and outdoor events.
Music Hall Beirut
Music Hall is one of Beirut’s most iconic and legendary live music venues and cultural hub. Launched in 2003 is the perfect destination for those who appreciate immense live music, an exclusive atmosphere and tasty food.
It hosts more than 10 unique acts from around the globe per night ranging from a series of diverse stage performances of Latin, Gipsy, French and Oriental to Opera, Rock, Reggae, and many other genres, making it a must-visit for locals and tourists alike.
Described by international media as “the place where the heart of world fusion music beats”, the MusicHall is not just a theater venue and much more than a club. It is a live music stage representing a new and unique concept: very short live musical acts unveiling talents from around the world in a series of staged eclectic performances using the best technologies in sound and light equipment.
Al Mandaloun Club
Al Mandaloun Club is located in Ashrafieh in the busy Mar Mikhael street inside an old theatre.The whole theater has been renovated to give it a modern twist while looking like a train station. When looking for a fabulous night out to drink or dine, look no further than Al Mandaloun as it provides live musical performances and also has a VIP section.
Al Mandaloun is both classy and extremely fun … and that’s any day of the week. What makes it fun is the authentic Arabic band that is just superb and creates a frenzy of unrivaled dancing hysteria in all that go. Of course, the great cocktails sweeten the pitch but Al Mandaloun can be everything for everyone looking for an exceptional and authentic Oriental night out with a traditional but modern ambiance.
So the decor is stunning, the band amazing, the cocktails and drinks top notch … and throw into that mix an exceptionally high standard of food from their kitchen and we say you’re onto a winner of a night out. Don’t forget to book! Because it is busy every night of the week.
Beirut City Center Mall
Beirut City Center is centrally located in Hazmieh, with convenient access from all road networks and has a unique offer of over 180 specialty stores from Victoria’s Secret to Marks and Spencer, Pottery Barn and many more spread across 60,000 square meters divided into three floors. Beirut City Center is one of Lebanon’s largest modern shopping, leisure and entertainment destinations.
Beirut City Center offers an outdoor rooftop restaurant, a food court with many different food outlets, a multiplex cinema, a huge space dedicated to children’s entertainment, and Carrefour, a 12,857 sqm hypermarket spread over three floors having the lowest cost items of any supermarkets in the country and convenient indoor parking.
A visit to Beirut City Center will guarantee your expectation; you will definitely leave carrying full bags!
Pigeon Rocks (Raouche Rocks)
Raouché is a residential and commercial neighborhood in Beirut. There are numerous upscale buildings available for residence and commercial activities. When strolling along the promenade in Raouché, you can see a concrete jungle to the east, and the Pigeon Rocks to the west. The Pigeon Rocks located near the shore is the most famous scenery of Beirut.
The Pigeon Rocks consist of two huge rocks rising from the Mediterranean Sea. The two rocks, with one resembling an arched door, stand like gigantic sentinels guarding the Beirut coast.
Being the only natural offshore rocks in Lebanon, the Pigeon Rocks have become a popular spot for people to take scenic photos of the Mediterranean Sea. In the evenings you can enjoy a perfect view with the lighting of the rocks while sitting in some of the best restaurants in the area, or you can enjoy the morning view while drinking a wonderful cup of coffee.
Achrafieh
Located in the Eastern province of Beirut, Achrafieh is one of the oldest, most delightful places in Beirut with a lovely architectural combination of traditional as well as luxurious buildings. A vast number of both residential and commercial infrastructures like coffee shops, luxury stores, restaurants, clubs and several others make it the ultimate place for every day and night as well as touristic activity.
Several other smaller neighborhoods are located in this area, with the major ones being; Sassine Square which is known as one of the most famous commercial and social focal points in Lebanon.
Another is St. Nicolas where important buildings are situated like the Sofil building, Ivory Building, Sursock House, and the Sursock Museum. Last but not least, comes Tabaris / Abdel wahab where also, a lot of important buildings are found like the Achrafieh Tower, 812 Tabaris, Yared buildings, Metropolis, L’Hermitage, Fal Towers, Jardins de Tabaris, Sight II, and Beirut Heights.
Bonus: Gemmayze
Located right next door to Achrafiyye, Gemmayze is an old district full of tiny streets and breathtaking historic buildings from the French era. The area is mostly known for its bars, pubs, restaurants, and lounges which are scattered around the streets and alleyways. Beirut’s nightlife is always alive in this area, making “Gemmayze” a household name.