Mt Lebanon & the Chouf Mountains ﺟﺒﻞ ﻟﺒﻨﺎن وﺟﺒﺎل اﻟﺸﻮف

Mt Lebanon, the traditional stronghold of the Maronites, is the heartland of modern Leba- non, comprising several distinct areas that together stretch out to form a rough oval around Beirut, each home to a host of treasures easily accessible on day trips from the capital.

Directly to the east of Beirut, rising up into the mountains, are the Metn and Kesrouane districts. The Metn, closest to Beirut, is home to the relaxed, leafy summer-retreats of Brum- mana and Beit Mery, the latter host to a fabulous world-class winter festival. Further out, mountainous Kesrouane is a lunar landscape in summer and a skier’s paradise, with four resorts to choose from, during the snowy winter months.

North from Beirut, the built-up coastal strip hides treasures sandwiched between concrete eyesores, from Jounieh’s dubiously hedonistic ‘super’ nightclubs and gambling pleasures to the beautiful ancient port town of Byblos, from which the modern alphabet is believed to have derived. Inland you’ll find the wild and rugged Adonis Valley and Jebel Tannourine, where the remote Afqa Grotto and Laklouk, yet another of Lebanon’s ski resorts, beckon travellers.

To the south, the lush green Chouf Mountains, where springs and streams irrigate the region’s plentiful crops of olives, apples and grapes, are the traditional home of Lebanon’s Druze population. The mountains hold a cluster of delights, including one real and one

not-so-real palace – Beiteddine and Moussa respectively – as well as the expansive Chouf THE CHOUF MOUNTAINS Cedar Reserve and Deir al-Qamar, one of the prettiest small towns in Lebanon. MT LEBANON & MT

HIGHLIGHTS

Absorb 7000 years of history at the ruins at Byblos (p306 ), followed by 40 years of Byblos (Jbail) history at the Byblos Fishing Club ( p312 ) Remember how to tell your stalactites Faraya from your stalagmites at the spectacular Mzaar Jounieh Jeita Grotto ( p303 )

Take a heart-stopping ride on Jounieh’s Jeita Téléférique ( p304 ) BEIRUT Grotto Hit the slopes and après-ski parties of

wintertime Faraya Mzaar ( p299 ) Chouf Cedar Gape at the incredible mosaics at Beiteddine Reserve Beiteddine Palace ( p320 ) Palace Get back to nature with a hike among the cedars at the Chouf Cedar Reserve (p323 )

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0 5 km MT LEBANON & THE CHOUF MOUNTAINS 0 3 miles Qadisha To Tripoli Qubba Valley (30km) Moussalayha Castle Batroun

Rachana Assia Nahr Chabtine al-Jaouz Douma Maad

Tartij Tannourine al-Faouqa Hsarat

Amchit l ne be ri Mechmech Je ou Bentaael Laklouk nn Ta Byblos Aaqoura (Jbail) Ehmej

M E D I T E R R A N E A N Mashnaqa Qartaba

S E A Nahr Ibrahim A d o n i s V a l l e y Afqa Grotto

Mchati Safra

Ghazir Hrajel Raachine Faraya Mayrouba Ghosta Raifoun Jounieh Faqra Faraya Mzaar Mazraat Harissa K e s r o u a n e Faytroun Kfardibiane Aintoura Ajaltoun Nahr al-Kalb Jeita Qanat Bakiche (2250m) Na Jeita Grotto Jebel Sannine hr al-Kalb (2628m) Baskinta Nebaa Sannine Bikfaya Bteghrine Antelias Zaarour (2000m) Antelias Dour ech-Choueir BEIRUT Nahr Nabay Jdaidé Baabdat Qaa er Rim Brummana Beit Mery M e t n

Nahr Ras al-Metn al-Metten Jebel Hemoul Keniseh (880m) Zahlé Aabadiyé

Bouarej Aley Chtaura

MT LEBANON & Bhamdoun Sofar ὈὈὈQabb Bchamoun Elias Ain Dara Barr THE CHOUF MOUNTAINS Khaldé Chouf Elias Baissour Litani Aaramoun Cedar Reserve Aabey Ain Zhalta Nahr Kfarhim Damour Grotto ὈὈὈMajdel Deir al- Meouch Barouk Aamiq V a l l e y Masnaa Chouf Qamar Mountains Jebel Barouk Beiteddine (1980m) To Damascus (55km) Samqaniye Baaqline Kefraya Maaser Moukhtara B e k a a Barja ech-Chouf Mazraat To Sidon Gharifé ech-ChoufὈὈὈ (15km)

221-mt-lebanon-chouf-mts-syr3.indd1-mt-lebanon-chouf-mts-syr3.indd 294294 ὈὈὈ99/04/2008/04/2008 10:08:5310:08:53 AMAM