Top Things to do in Lebanon
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What to do and see in Lebanon, Lebanon: The Best Castles
Discover the best top things to do in Lebanon, Lebanon including Domaine de Zekrit, Chateau Montagne, Umayyad Ruins of Aanjar, Byblos Castle, Beit Eddine, Beaufort Castle, Citadel Saint Gilles (Qal'at Sinjil), Crusaders Sea Castle, Moussa Castle, Chateau de la mer.
Restaurants in Lebanon
1. Domaine de Zekrit
2. Chateau Montagne
3. Umayyad Ruins of Aanjar
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 150 reviews
Reviewed By halcatra - Edinburgh, United Kingdom
It is not Baalbeck but it is absolutely charming place to visit. It is not an accident that Anjar is at the Unesco list. I would recommend securing around 1,5h for a walk around the ruins. It is worth taking a guide as you may learn a lot about the history of the place. In the winter season it is quite windy so wrap yourself up.
4. Byblos Castle
5. Beit Eddine
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 392 reviews
Reviewed By siatko
For some reason my wife and I did not really have this castle on our visit list but due to the weather not being great we decided to take the 45 minute drive and are so glad we did! Very pleasantly surprised at this little magical palace with great views of the valley, some beautiful colourful windows and amazing decoration on the walls and ceilings. Well worth a vista when in Beirut!
6. Beaufort Castle
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 30 reviews
Reviewed By JohnNKY - Ludlow, United States
Beaufort castle was built in the 12th century, although it's likely that earlier fortifications occupied this commanding position overlooking the Litani river, the Golan heights, and the surrounding valleys. From here you can clearly see Israel, and the Litani river is a thousand feet below. The castle changed hands several times during the crusades, and was later used by Fakhruddin's forces during the uprising against the Ottomans. When the Ottomans ultimately captured the fortress, they destroyed much of the eastern side and most of the top floors, yet the castle is so incredibly massive that much of it remains in spite of this. The castle's battle history continued into the 20th century, as it was a PLO base for a few years, and then was captured by the Israelis in the Battle of Beaufort Castle. The IDF had a base here until they withdrew in 2000. You can still see some of their bunkers and trenches outside of the walls, and a tunnel carved into the base by the PLO. You can also see the fairly recent damage to the outer keep done by Israeli bombers. It's a peaceful place these days, and mysterious, with many labyrinthine hallways and rooms to explore on several different levels. You have to watch your step in some spots, but overall the castle is quite well-preserved and still very impressive. Rumor has it that there's a secret passage in there somewhere built long ago that leads all the way down to the river, but that the IDF closed it off years ago. Note that there is some restoration going on at the moment, but it doesn't affect visitors much, and that admission is currently free. Take some sunscreen, a flashlight and plenty of water. No special permission is required to get this far south, but if you want to go a couple of kilometers further, to the actual border area, you'll have to get approval from the Army. This is a lot easier than it sounds, and they can actually do your background check at the checkpoint itself, although I'm told that this can take awhile, as much as two hours in a worst case. A better option is to contact Army intelligence in advance. The background check is free, you'll just need your passport. The area south of Beaufort is interesting as well, and worth the hassle of the background check. You'll see Israeli villages up close, UNIFIL troops and vehicles, and even some old wrecked weapon systems. The village of Wazzani contains a restaurant, Hosn al Wazzani, that lies directly on the border, and you can dine with your feet in the Wazzani river after a hot day of castle-climbing.
7. Citadel Saint Gilles (Qal'at Sinjil)
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 105 reviews
Reviewed By TheOptimisticStudent - Seville, Spain
I visited the Saint Gilles Citadel in March 2019 and it was an amazing visit. From the top platform, you had an awesome 180ish degree vista over the city, you could see all the different districts of the city (souqs) and it was possible to walk all through the ruins of this castle. My guide, a local Lebanese fellow, described it well: The crusaders from Europe were celebrated as heroes back home, but from the perspective of the arabic culture, they were monsters, torturing and killing helpless people. To see this huge castle on top of a city, where there are little wars every few months, leaves a huge impact on you. The visit was amazing though, the price was 5000LBP/person, I would calculate about 25-30 minutes for the entire visit!
8. Crusaders Sea Castle
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 168 reviews
Reviewed By AlbertoS59 - Sardinia, Italy
"Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon" (Mt 15:21). The Sidon's Sea Castle - ﻗﻠﻌﺔ ﺍﻠﺑﺤﺮ - on the port of Sidon, was built by the Crusader Knights of St John of Hospital and Jerusalem to guard the port and the city, on the islet where a temple dedicated to Melqart, a Phoenician deity, the patron deity of Tyre, once stood. The castle still stands proudly, despite its age, the neglect of man and the total absence of the Lebanese Institutions , busy - apparently - with "other" affairs. Roman columns, as you can see, and blocks of buildings from the old city were used for its construction. A small minaret, still visible, was later built. It is well worth a stop: there are many cosy restaurants opposite where you can satisfy your palate as well as your eyes.
9. Moussa Castle
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 128 reviews
Reviewed By GeorgeB722 - Beirut, Lebanon
Moussa's Castle is a unique place full of interesting artifacts and depictions of life in Lebanon over the ages. It contains an amazing collection of guns, swords, rifles, antiques, jewelry, etc. that date back hundreds of years and transcend Lebanon. This is definitely a worthwhile stop for all those interested in history.
10. Chateau de la mer
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 5 reviews
Reviewed By halcatra - Edinburgh, United Kingdom
It is a beautiful site, with amazing location. Who could possibly try to build the castle on the water? If you wish to know the answer, go to visit Sidon! Great history of the structure, beautiful scenery - I could not expect more. To visit the site properly you need around 45 minutes.
