You are here: Home > Travel Information > Destination Guides Text size A A A See what people from around the world are saying about cities we fly to and from DTNSyria: DTN Syria: Syria crisis hits Beirut - live updates: • Two die in Beirut clashes • Senior UN official escape bomb... http://t.co/VNM3vG21 a minute ago RaniMukherjeeS: Two Killed in Heavy Clashes in Beirut http://t.co/P719kuqd a minute ago anjali8t: Two Killed in Heavy Clashes in Beirut: At least two people were killed in Beirut in heavy clashes early on Monda... http://t.co/pyWwAZH8 a minute ago World / Asia / Lebanon / Beirut | Overview | Fast Facts | Arrive | See | Eat | Sleep | Connect | Business Beirut is a cosmopolitan, bustling city. The newly rebuilt Downtown area and the lovely Corniche by the sea, are restoring the city's reputation for culture and elegance. Address: Post Code: Tel No: Currency Lebanese Pound Address: Post Code: Tel No: Visa Requirements EU nationals, Canadians, Americans or Australians can obtain visas at Beirut airport (one month free; three months 50,000 LBP). Passports must be valid for six months and must not have an Israeli stamp. Address: Post Code: Tel No: Language Arabic, French Address: Post Code: Tel No: Timezone GMT +2 Address: Post Code: Tel No: Weather Hot summers, warm mild winters Address: Post Code: Tel No: Dialling Code 00 961 Address: Post Code: Tel No: Electricity 220V. European two- pin plugs are standard Address: Post Code: Tel No: Health and Safety There are no special health requirements for visiting Lebanon. Medical facilities are good. Payment is usually required in cash. Comprehensive travel and medical insurance are strongly advised. Address: Post Code: Tel No: Flights to Beirut arrive at Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport. The best way into the city is by taxi (LBP 40,000), which takes around 45 minutes, traffic permitting. Public transport is practically nonexistent within Beirut and most people use shared service taxis to get around- the usual fare is LBP 1,500. Address: Post Code: Tel No: The Saifi Village Visit the Saifi Village, where small art galleries, boutiques and artisan shops bring back the atmosphere of the old souk, which once stood here. Browse through the many antique shops and don't be afraid to bargain. Other spots that are perfect for strolling and soaking up the atmosphere include the cafés and bars of Hamra and the Downtown area which has been completely renovated. Here you'll find cobbled streets, smart shops and restaurants busy with prosperous Lebanese and visiting tourists. The Corniche, a wide boulevard by the sea, is the place to go for an evening stroll and a sun-downer in one of the many oceanfront bars. Address: Downtown Beirut Post Code: Tel No: Casino du Liban If you fancy a flutter head for the Casino du Liban, perched on cliffs above the sparkling sea in Jounieh. Address: Maameltein, Jounieh Post Code: Tel No:00 961 09 855888 National Museum Don't miss the National Museum on the Damascus Road for an introduction to the complex and lengthy history of this ancient country. The collection of Phoenician artefacts is one of the richest in the world. Address: Museum crossroads, Beirut Post Code: Tel No:+961 1 426703 Quick Lunch - Olio Olio, in Gemmayze, has wonderful pizzas cooked in wood ovens, sushi and Japanese fusion dishes. Get there early as the restaurant is very popular with locals. Address: Rue Gouraud Post Code: Tel No:00 961 1 563 939 Top Table - Centrale The stylish Centrale restaurant has the best of French cuisine, an excellent wine cellar and a very cool basement bar accessed by a glass elevator. This is where wealthy Beirutis go to see and be seen. Address: Mar Maroun Church St Post Code: Tel No:00 961 3 915 925 Cheap Eat - Le Rouge Le Rouge (Rue Gouraud) has great sandwiches, pizzas and pastas. Make sure you leave room for a slice of their famous chocolate cake. Address: Rue Gouraud Post Code: Tel No: On Business - Crowne Plaza Beirut The Crowne Plaza Beirut is a centrally located top class hotel with conference facilities for up to 600, and car parking (a must in this crowded city) for 420 cars. Book now Address: Hamra Main Street Post Code:113 7512 Tel No: Lap Of Luxury - The Albergo The Albergo is a luxury boutique hotel with large suites and a wonderful roof garden. Rooms are furnished in a mixture of styles which reflect Beirut's cosmopolitan location. Book now Address: 137 Abdel Wahab El Inglizi St Post Code: Tel No: Cheap Sleep - The Cavalier Hotel The Cavalier Hotel, one of the oldest, privately-owned hotels in Beirut, has quiet rooms, very friendly staff and is centrally located in the Hamra district. Book now Address: Abdel Baki Str. 1 9452 Beirut, Lebanon Post Code: Tel No: Coffee And Chat - Café Younes The Café Younes (Al Diwan building, Neemat Yafet St) has a street-side terrace in a quiet part of Hamra, excellent service, and a choice of more than 20 styles of coffee. Address: Al Diwan building, Neemat Yafet St Post Code: Tel No: Formal Presentation - Meridien Commodore Hotel The Meridien Commodore Hotel in Hamra has conference facilities for up to 650 people with a dedicated team on hand to cater for all business needs. Address: Hamra, Commodore Street, Riad El-Solh Post Code: Tel No:00 9611 734 734 Evening Drinks - The 961 The 961 (Medawar St, Gemayze) is Beirut's first micro-brewery. This cool, minimalist, urban space features a vast choice of beers, and very good Lebanese fusion cuisine. Good spot for Sunday brunch with jazz music. Address: Medawar St, Gemayze Post Code: Tel No: General Etiquette Lebanon is characterised by its ethnic and religious diversity, with 17 officially recognised religions, in a population which is roughly 60% Muslim and 40% Christian. Arabic is the official language but most people speak French and English also. Despite the Arab majority, you will find much more Westernised behaviour here than elsewhere in the Arabian peninsula. Women play an active and open role in business. Dress codes are more liberal, and in Beirut short skirts or shorts are acceptable (if not elsewhere in Lebanon). But family is still central, and intertwined with the business world. You are more likely to be invited home than elsewhere in the peninsula. Always accept if you can. Rules are similar to the rest of the region: always eat with the right hand, be prepared to be pressed to more, and leave a little food on your plate when you've had enough. Gender divisions are less rigorously observed but the politics of the area remains a highly contentious subject. Avoid offering forthright opinions on such topics as Lebanon's relationship with Syria or Israel. Address: Post Code: Tel No: Business Etiquette Despite the laxer dress code, formal business wear is advisable, a suit and tie or equivalent. Personal contacts are important here, as is the building of a personal relationship with your counterpart. It may be useful to establish some kind of local presence, either distributor, agent or partner. Lebanon has plenty of eager middlemen, so you can afford to be choosy getting the right person. Address: Post Code: Tel No: General Business Information The working day in Lebanon is 9 am to 5 pm. The working week differs from the rest of the Arab world, being a Western Monday to Friday, with some businesses and ministries also open on Saturday mornings. Some companies have shorter working hours during Ramadan, which is not a good time to do business. Public holidays include regular Christian, Orthodox Christian and Muslim holidays (variable dates). Also: 1 January, 1 May (Labour), 6 May (Martyrs), 13 May (Resistance and Liberation), 22 November (Independence). Traffic is fairly chaotic, you would be wiser to hire a taxi, distinguished by red licence plates. These are unmetered, so to avoid argument agree your price before you set off. International dialling code: +961. Address: Post Code: Tel No: Print City guides Beirut Flights Book flights to Beirut now Lowest fares Departure airport -please select- Aberdeen (Dyce) Belfast City Dublin East Midlands Edinburgh Glasgow Leeds Bradford London Heathrow Manchester Norwich
