Beirut to Byblos Coastal Drive
Drive the spectacular Lebanese coastal highway from Beirut to Byblos, passing through Jounieh Bay, the cable car to Harissa, and a series of coastal towns that reveal the extraordinary scenery of the north Lebanese coast.
- 1
Jounieh Bay
Stop at Jounieh Bay where the broad arc of the coast is backed by the Lebanon mountains, the bay a popular beach destination with its own casino and nightlife that serve as a waypoint on the coastal drive north from Beirut.
- 2
Harissa Cable Car
Take the Jounieh cable car to the Harissa statue of Our Lady of Lebanon on the mountain above, the funicular ascending to a viewpoint over the entire bay where a massive statue of the Virgin overlooks the Mediterranean from the cliff.
- 3
Dog River
Stop at the Dog River gorge where ancient rulers from Ramses II to Napoleon carved commemorative inscriptions into the cliff face at the narrowest point of the coastal route, the stone carved timeline of military history unique in the world.
- 4
Coastal Villages
Pass through the coastal villages between Jounieh and Byblos where traditional Lebanese stone houses, small fishing harbors, and the mix of Christian and Muslim communities reveal the complex social geography of the north Lebanese coast.
- 5
Mountain Views
Admire the views of the Lebanon mountains rising directly from the sea along this coastal section, the dramatic topography of Lebanon compressed into a narrow strip where mountain and sea meet in an extraordinary landscape.
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Byblos Arrival
Arrive in Byblos and understand the drive as a journey through Lebanese history, the coastal route that Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, and Ottoman travelers all made connecting the port cities of the ancient Lebanese coast.