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Lebanon Travel Guide: All you need to know to visit Lebanon in 2022

Welcome to Lebanon

Lebanese are warm and welcoming people who will make your stay in their nation unforgettable. The country is also known for its rich history, culture, cuisine, and hospitality. Its natural grandeur will amaze you with beautiful mountains, rivers, and seas, and especially with its ancient architecture.

Introducing the ultimate Lebanon travel guide, let’s get started!

Document checklist for Lebanon

Visa
Health Declaration
Valid passport
Sufficient funds
Return airline ticket

Essential Lebanon travel information

Currency - Lebanese pound (LBP). $1 is equivalent to approx. LBP 1,515.04.
Daily budget for 1 person - The cost per day on your vacation in Lebanon can be around 169,684 (USD 112).
Languages - The official language is Arabic, but many people speak French too.
Socket type - Lebanon has three associated plug types, C, D, and G. Lebanon operates on a 230V supply voltage and 50Hz.
Time zone - Eastern European Standard Time (GMT+02:00).
Top 3 cities to visit - Beirut, Harissa, and Bsharri.
Top 3 landmarks/monuments - The National Museum of Beirut, the Baalbek temple, and Sidon Sea Castle.

Visa information for Lebanon

We don’t currently provide visa services for this country; however, we invite you to use our Visa Checker Tool to find out if you need a visa to travel to Lebanon.

Lebanon MOPH Pass explained

The Lebanon Covid-19 MOPH Pass is a health screening process designed to monitor incoming visitors' health in an effort to overcome the risks related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Nevertheless, since March 28, 2022, the Lebanon COVID-19 MOPH Pass is no longer needed to enter the country.

Typical costs and budget for Lebanon

Here is a rough idea of the costs you'll find during your visit to Lebanon.

Daily spending per person - For one person, the budget can be around LBP 169,684 (USD 112).

Meals - Daily spending on meals is around LBP 51,511 (USD 34).
Transport - Public transportation is around LBP 31,816 (USD 21).
Hotel - A hotel room costs about LBP 89,796 (USD 59,27) for one person, and LBP 179,592 (USD 118,54) for a couple.

A week-long vacation to Lebanon usually costs around LBP 1,159,013 (USD 765) for one person. Consequently, a two-person trip to Lebanon costs around LBP 2,318,026 (USD 1,530) for one week.

Transport and ways to travel around Lebanon

The easiest way to get around Lebanon is by using public transportation or renting a car. Here we will explain these options, so you can decide which is best for you.

Taxis - Shared taxis are a popular way to travel in cities. You can share your car with up to 6 people. There are no fixed rates, so you must negotiate the price before starting the trip.
Bus - This is the most used form of transport among locals. Intercity buses operate throughout the country. Also, it is the cheapest option to travel.
Car rental - If you want to rent a car to travel within Lebanon, it is also possible to do so by hiring Lebanese drivers so that the trip is much safer and quieter. This will be much more expensive, but it is a great and safe option.

Safety in Lebanon

Lebanon has a complicated political situation, so you should be careful when traveling to this country, as there may be terrorist attacks. The threat comes from Islamist extremist groups in areas such as the Syrian border and even in the Palestinian refugee camps.

It is recommended to avoid traveling to eastern areas near the borders with Syria and Israel, due to the side effects of the war with the first, and the conflict with the latter. Also, remember to avoid discussions regarding politics and religion.

Other tips for traveling to Lebanon to have an amazing trip:

Have travel insurance with you.
Know where the nearest police station is, in case you need some help.
For the solo female traveler, the advice is to not be around alone; always be with someone that knows the safe places, like a group tour or local people, or even make some Lebanese friends.
Avoid traveling to remote places; always visit the most tourist sites.

Weather in Lebanon

The best time to travel to Lebanon is in spring (May-June) and autumn (October-November), when the weather is much milder, the landscape is wonderful, and you can visit the archaeological sites without large crowds.

Popular cities and towns in Lebanon

Lebanon is a beautiful place to visit, it has fascinating cities that you must know about, so we will give you the top 5 most picturesque towns to see.

Beirut - It is the Lebanese capital and the the largest and most populous city in the country. It is also a vibrant city where you can stroll through the old town, the largest commercial port in the nation.
Harissa - It is a beautiful city, home to the Lady of Lebanon: a statue of the Virgin Mary that looks at the Mount of Lebanon and gathers thousands of believers curious to feel peace and have a unique panoramic view.
Bsharri - This city has great museums and local restaurants, it’s also a very eye-catching place for tourists thanks to the Cedars of God, a reserve of cedars that you should visit in which you can see the Kadisha Valley.

Must do and see in Lebanon

These are the best tourist attractions, historical sites, and valleys to see when you visit Lebanon.

The National Museum - It is the largest museum in the country, located in Beirut, with more than 1,300 artifacts and archaeological pieces. Here you can explore works of prehistoric art and much more that will surprise you.
Baalbek - These Roman ruins’ interesting history will make you hallucinate! The city was once known as Heliopolis, the City of the Sun. Now it’s one of the most important ruins of the Roman Empire. You can feel its power in tons of stone that reflect its rich history. Baalbek is one UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, designated for its history as a Phoenician city and its vast ruins, one of the best surviving examples of Roman architecture.
Sidon Sea Castle - This castle was built as a fortress in the 13th century. It is one of the most significant places in Lebanon. It has witnessed several wars, so it has been damaged and rebuilt, but without losing its essence, which surprises visitors who observe it. It is also in the middle of the sea, which is fascinating.
Kadisha Valley - It is close to Beirut; you can take a day trip and be impacted by the natural beauty of its mountains and rivers. This valley is also known by the name of the Kadisha Gorge and was the place of the first Christians to flee persecution. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its fascinating history as one of the most important Christian monastic settlements.
Cedars Of God - They are one of the most recognized symbols of Lebanon. For centuries these trees were praised for their strength and greatness. The Phoenicians used their wood for ships and the Egyptians for their resin in graves. Today, deforestation has deteriorated them. However, there is still a chance to see and appreciate what was once a place of strength and pride.

From Roman ruins to incredible nature, are you ready to visit Lebanon?

Typical Lebanese food to try

You need to try Lebanese cuisine to know more about this beautiful country.

Lebanese people and their food traditions

To feel much closer to the local traditions of the Lebanese people, you need to discover the flavors that flood every corner of this small country; so food is a great option to understand the culture of this Middle Eastern nation.

Here are some popular Lebanese meals to try:

Shawarma - It is one of the most well-known Lebanese street foods throughout the Middle East. It’s made with pieces of beef, chicken, and lamb roasted on a vertical grill. The Lebanese Shawarma sandwiches are served with pita bread accompanied by french fries, lettuce, onion, hummus, and garlic.
Maamoul - They are traditional Lebanese semolina dough cookies made from nuts such as almonds or pistachios and then baked. They are trendy for religious holidays or family gatherings.
Kibbeh - It is a hybrid of avocado meatballs and croquettes made of ground meat, onion pine nuts, and bulgur wheat. This Lebanese food is prevalent throughout the country, so you should try it on your trip.

Vaccine information for Lebanon

Here you can find all the information related to the Covid vaccine and other requirements about health recommendations for visiting Lebanon. Just click on the CDC website.

Lebanon has an ancient wine culture

Wine culture dates back 7,000 years. The Phoenicians were among the first wine producers in the world, trading wine for 3,000 years.

Lebanon is experiencing a wine renaissance by betting again on wine production.

Fun facts about Lebanon

This Lebanon travel guide will give you some fun or interesting facts you should know:

Lebanon is one of the world’s oldest countries, with thousands of years of history.
Lebanon has one of the world's highest numbers of cigarette consumers, with over 2,000 cigarettes smoked per person per year.
The Temple of Baalbek is one of the world's best-preserved and most extensive Roman ruins.
Lebanon was once French during the French colonial era. After World War I and under the 1916 Sykes-Picot agreement, France won Lebanon. France created the constitution in 1926 for the Lebanese Republic, which remained until 1943 when the country gained independence.
Lebanon is the world’s fifth-largest receiver of refugees. In 2019, it received 1,392,174 refugees. As such, it also ranks highly for net migration.