About Beirut, Lebanon:
Located on a peninsula around the middle of Lebanon’s Mediterranean coastline, Beirut (Arabic: بيروت, Bayrūt) is the capital and largest city of Lebanon. Beirut was under French administration from 1920 to 1943 as part of the French Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon. Beirut was described as the “Paris of the Middle East” during its “Golden Age” between the mid-1950s and the start of the Civil War in 1975. This nickname highlighted the city’s role as a vibrant, cosmopolitan hub for culture, finance, and tourism in the region.
Today, Beirut has an estimated population of about 2.4 million in the greater metropolitan area.
Arabic, French and English are the most widely used languages.
Catholic places of interest in Beirut, Lebanon:
Beirut and its surroundings offer several significant Catholic attractions.
St. Elias Greek Catholic Cathedral (Eastern rite in communion with Rome)
Saint George Maronite Cathedral (Maronite rite in communion with Rome)
Catholic places of interest in the Beirut, Lebanon area:
Within 100 miles, or less, of Beirut are several other Catholic places of interest.
Annaya: Monastery of Saint Maron (Tomb of Saint Charbel) Popular pilgrimage location.
Byblos: nearby ancient city with crusader-era churches
Harissa: Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon
Traveling to Beirut, Lebanon:
By air: Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport (code BEY) is the only operational commercial airport in Lebanon. It is located in the Southern Suburbs of Beirut, about 5 miles (9 km) from the city center.
Many airlines serve Beirut, including the Lebanese national carrier, Middle East Airlines (MEA); along with major international carriers such as Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Air France, Emirates, Lufthansa, Etihad, Royal Jordanian, Pegasus Airlines, Egyptair, Eurowings, Air Canada, Kuwait Airways, Jazeera Airways, and American Airlines, offering connections from around the world, often via hubs in the Middle East, Europe, and Turkey.
By sea: Beirut is Lebanon’s main port and has a modern cruise terminal (Quay 5). Despite Lebanon’s economic situation and past unrest, some cruising activity continues, with new marinas potentially boosting future visits. Cruise lines that have previously included Beirut as a port of call on Eastern Mediterranean itineraries include PONANT, MSC Cruises, Costa Cruises, and sometimes smaller luxury lines like Silversea. These cruises are typically seasonal, occurring during summer or autumn.
Thomson Cruises (now Marella) previously stopped in Beirut, and the port was home to Abou Merhi Cruises’ Orient Queen before it was damaged in the 2020 explosion.