Things to do in Beirut: where to stay, eat, drink & shop in Lebanon's capital

Top food, Mediterranean coastline and a buzzing nightlife make Beirut a travel destination to watch
Rasha Kahil1 April 2016

Flanked on one side by the Mediterranean Sea and sprawling towards the Lebanon Mountains that surround it, Beirut offers a heady mix of culinary feasts, daily cultural offerings and a buzzing nightlife. Be warned, though — bars only close when the last customer has left, so pace yourself as the nights are long.

What to do

Find your spot in the sun… The Sporting Club in Ras Beirut retains the nostalgic feel of the city’s pre-war nonchalance, with backgammon and shisha pipes. Eschew the glitzy resorts of Byblos for the more casual bathing spots of Batroun — Pierre And Friends and White Beach attract a younger, athletic crowd — or combine bathing with lunch at Jammal restaurant: ask for your table to be placed in the water and have your ‘catch of the day’ served to you in your bikini.

Where to drink

Start off in bustling Clemenceau with a whiskey at Salon Beyrouth, which takes its inspiration from Jazz-era salons. Internazionale in fashionable Mar Mikhael is a popular watering hole for the restless Beiruti creative crowd. Or follow the hordes to Badaro, where new pubs and bars such as shabby-chic Roy’s Public House have reinvigorated the area.

Salon Beyrouth

Where to shop

Discover emerging Lebanese designers at Starch in downtown Saifi Village, which sells jewellery, fashion and product design. (starchfoundation.org)For luxe leather bags, visit Johnny Farah (johnnyfarah.com), or shop Milia M’s exquisite ready-to-wear collection at her flagship store. (miliam.com)

Ring by Starch alumni Sevag Dilsizian

Plan Bey’s sister boutiques in Mar Mikhael offer the best of independent Lebanese arts and crafts. Look out for the colourful vintage Baalbeck Festival posters. (plan-bey.com)

What to see

The newly renovated Sursock Museum presents an extensive collection of modern art as well as a fresh roster of current contemporary art shows. (sursock.museum)

Beirut’s answer to White Cube, the Beirut Art Center’s upcoming audiovisual show Esma’/Listen includes works by Christian Marclay alongside prominent Lebanese artists. (beirutartcenter.org).

Designed by David Adjaye, the new AÏshti Foundation is a vast shopping mall and contemporary art space with a 2,500-strong collection. Admire a Richard Prince as you shop for some Chanel. (aishti.com)

Where to eat

Tuck into special regional lunch dishes at Tawlet, which hosts rotating cooks and farmers’ produce from across the country. (soukeltayeb.com/tawlet)

Lunch at Tawlet

Armenian cuisine reaches new heights at Onno in Badaro, a bistro famed for its manti (stuffed dumplings).

Meat the Fish is a perfect pit stop for peckish afternoons: the beetroot-infused smoked salmon is a treat. (meatthefish.com)

Head to Al Falamanki in Sodeco for a traditional four-hour Lebanese mezze feast. More hummous! (alfalamanki.com)

Where to stay

Hotel Albergo, in the heart of the chic Achrafieh district, has 33 rooms decorated in dazzling rococo style, and a rooftop pool with breathtaking city views. (albergobeirut.com)

Hotel Albergo

Beit al Batroun is a charming B&B in Thoum, an hour’s drive north of the city. Catch the sunset from any of the five rooms overlooking the Mediterranean, and enjoy a home-cooked Lebanese brunch served by charming host Colette. (beitalbatroun.com)

Beit al Batroun

Head south to Beit El Qamar, a small guest house set up by Lebanese designer Rabih Kayrouz and chef Kamal Mouzawak. The 19th-century Beiteddine Palace, which hosts an annual arts festival, is nearby. (soukeltayeb.com/beit-el-qamar)

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