The Essentials
The practical layer under the sightseeing: how the city is laid out, how to move around it, which airport you're landing at, and the history that explains what you're looking at.
Neighbourhoods
TODO — what each part of Beirut is like to walk around, and who lives there.
Browse 2 neighborhoods →The EssentialsBeirut, the City
A promontory, eighteen recognised sects, three languages in one sentence, and a state that has largely stopped functioning.
Read more →The EssentialsA Short History of Beirut
Berytus, an earthquake, silk, a French mandate, a golden age, fifteen years of war, and 4 August 2020.
Read more →The EssentialsGetting Around
No metro, no timetable. Shared taxis, ride-hailing apps, and short walks within districts.
Read more →The EssentialsWhen to Go
April to June and September to November. August is hot, expensive and full of the diaspora — which is also its appeal.
Read more →The EssentialsWhat You Should Know
Cash dollars, the generator, the Israeli stamp rule, what not to photograph and what not to ask.
Read more →