Beirut

-Beirut travel guide
One of the eastern and mysterious countries is Lebanon , with the capital in the city of Beirut, which is the administrative, cultural and economic center of the country, and also has the status of a global city (that is, a city of global importance in politics, economics, etc. ). Beirut is located on the Mediterranean coast, which allows it to be one of the best tourist cities, as well as the largest port of the state.

The climate of this region falls under the Mediterranean type, which means a very hot summer, the air temperature can be understood to be more than 40 degrees Celsius. Winter is relatively warm, since the temperature on the thermometer very rarely drops below 10-12 degrees Celsius.
The first mention of the city dates back to the 15th century BC. Over all these centuries, the city was attacked many times by enemies from the outside and uprisings of its own people, which grew into civil wars, which received the nickname Phoenix City. Modern Beirut covers an area of ​​100 square kilometers and consists of 12 districts. Most of the financial and administrative institutions of the country are located in the city center in the area of ​​Hamra, Verdun streets, as well as in the administrative district of Ashrafieh.

It is not strange, but the exact population of the city is not known, because the last time the census in Beirut was held in 1932, but according to some data, the population can vary from 300 thousand to 2 million people. Beirut, though an eastern city, is religiously diverse. There are Christians (39%), Muslims (59%), there are Jews, Druze, etc.

How to get there
From Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport, you can fly to Beirut by direct flight from Aeroflot airline in 4 hours, paying for a ticket from $ 255 one way. You can save a little to get to Beirut with transfers, such flights are offered by different airlines, for example, from Domodedovo there is a flight from Aegean Airlines with a transfer in Athens (17 hours) for only 153 dollars, but the time for the flight will take much more, about 22 hours

There are two more flights from Pegasus Airlines and Turkish Ai lines, which offer a transfer in Istanbul . The cost of tickets for these flights will be between $ 197 and $ 210, respectively. International Airport Beirut Rafik Hariri is located 7 kilometers from the city, which you will have to travel by taxi, as there are no public buses on this route. You will pay about 20-25 dollars for the fare, but do not hesitate to bargain, which can significantly reduce the price. There is another option: private minibuses, which are carried by airport staff, but they also take tourists. The fare on this bus is about $ 17.

Sights of Beirut Travel Guide
Many tourists who have already visited Beirut say that it will take at least 3 days to explore the city’s sights. Here are some of them:

1-The Archaeological Park, where you can see the Roman baths (terms), and other Phoenician ruins.

2- Nejmeh Square or Stars, located in the heart of the city and represents the whole area, built in the French style of the 20th century. In the "heart" of this square is located the clock tower (Rolex), which until recently was considered the highest building in the city. Opposite the tower you can see the oldest Orthodox cathedral of the city - the Cathedral of St. George.

3 - Samir Kassir Square is located close to Star Square, it could be ideal for resting in the shade of green trees, if it had not become home to several dozen, or even hundreds of birds, which at any moment can mark you.

There are more than 20 free public parks in Beirut, but there are also frequent ones, for which you will have to pay a certain amount of money. Among the municipal “green islands” are recommended to visit: the park Ghobayreh, and the gardens Ramlet el Baida and Jesuits. For tourists who like to visit museums, they recommend to go to the main museum of the country - the National Museum of Beirut, which contains 1300 different exhibits. The ticket costs about 5,000 local pounds (3.5 dollars).

The city has another interesting museum - the OUT Museum, as well as the previous one, it contains historical exhibits, but slightly smaller in size and importance. The entrance is free. Among the natural sights, it is recommended to visit the Pigeon Cliffs, which are located among the sea, and you can see them and beautiful views from the embankment.

• Currency
  Despite what currency you came to Beirut, with the American dollar, or the euro, in most places (in some places they still accept foreign currency) you will have to pay the Lebanese pound.
  
  You can exchange money in any bank or exchange office, you can also from private "money changers", but it is dangerous, although the rate of the latter is higher than in official institutions. In Beirut, plastic cards with American Express, Master Card, Visa Card, Diners Club payment systems are accepted everywhere.

-Restaurants Beirut travel guide
Beirut has a lot of restaurants and local cuisine, and different cuisines of the world (French, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, etc.). The price category of restaurants is also very diverse, from the most expensive ones, which represent haute cuisine dishes, to simple cafes, where mono is a tasty snack. Gourmet restaurants include: “Em Sherif Restaurant”, “Babel Bay”, “Liza”, “Mosaic Restaurant”, “Society”, “Kampai” and others. For more budgetary restaurants, but no less tasty, include: “Ferdinand "," Jai "," Appetito Trattoria "," SUD Restobar "," Onno Bistro ", etc. Special attention is paid to street food in Beirut, especially shawarma and black beans. These dishes in the city are eaten by everyone, regardless of status and income, so they recommend that tourists also try it in order to feel the local atmosphere. For those who missed the native tastes of face food,McDonalds», «KFC» и «Burger King».

-Where to stay in Beirut
Beirut is a metropolitan city that offers tourists a huge selection of the most diverse housing. The city has the largest selection of hotels with 5 and 4 stars, but with budget options it can be more difficult. Among the hotels that belong to the luxury class, you can choose: "Sofitel Beirut Le Gabriel" (prices from $ 205), "Four Seasons Hotel Beirut" (prices from $ 380), "Radisson Blu Martinez Beirut" (cost from $ 155) , "Kempinski Summerland Hotel & Resort Beirut" (from $ 265) and a few dozen five-star hotels. The four-star hotels include: “Saifi Suites” (prices from $ 145), “Ramada Beirut Downtown” (cost from $ 95), “Raouche Arjaan by Rotana” (price from $ 105), “Beverly Hotel Beirut” (room rates from 70 dollars), “The Key Beirut” (price from 115 dollars), etc.

-Precautionary measures
Beirut in terms of security is no different from other tourist cities. Among the criminal world, pickpockets are the most dangerous here, but no more than in Europe. For tourists, it is recommended to always take documents with you, as the police often check them on the streets. There are no restrictions on clothing, despite the predominance of Muslims. The only exception is to visit religious sites, there you need to monitor the appearance and observe local customs.