Car Hire Beirut - Mini guide to Beirut

Beirut was once one of the Mediterranean’s jewels. Before the 17 years of civil strife wrecked havoc in Lebanon, this Middle Eastern city once rivalled Paris in culture and sophistication. Yet despite these setbacks, Beirut is still a city of contrasts, recent stability and restoration of the city’s former beauty are slowing attracting well-healed tourists back.

A great place to get acquainted with Beriut is the Hamra area, in the north-west of the city. Home to the city's banks, hotels, restaurants, cafes and main post office, it's a good area for shopping and enjoying the atmosphere. Nearby is the American University of Beirut which has a small museum of archaeology, with collections of Phoenician figurines. In East Beirut is the Sursock Museum, housing an Italianate-style 19th century villa. The exhibits include Turkish silverware, icons, contemporary Lebanese art and a small but interesting library.

The Beirut Central District, known by locals as 'downtown', is a living museum of the recent civil war. You can see parts of the area being restored, while some are an apocalyptic landscape of burnt-out shells. The most notable historical building still standing is the Omari Mosque, sometimes known as the Grand Mosque. It was originally built in the Byzantine era as a Crusader church, but was converted to a mosque in 1291.

For nature study, Pigeon Rocks is Beirut’s most famous natural feature. These offshore rock arches are set off Beirut's dramatic sea cliffs. It's also an ideal location for a picnic and mingling with the locals who congregate here to relax at dusk and enjoy the magnificent sunsets.

A drive along the Corniche, Beirut's coastal road, affords great coastal views and a chance to slow down and take in the sea air. A 40 km drive up the coast from Beirut is the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos. It’s one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, dating back 7000 years.

A growing number of airlines service Beirut, which has frequent connections to Europe, Africa, Asia and the rest of the Middle East. The national carrier, Middle East Airlines, also flies to Australia and Canada; and recently the US lifted its ban on travel to Lebanon.