Did I already say is a very exciting place? I found it really fascinating, here are some of the most interesting facts I can share:
- Beirut has an exciting nightlife, its streets are quite easy to walk, I never felt insecure while walking around at night, plus you will always find taxis or Uber. Among the neighbourhoods that have a great atmosphere, with all range restaurants and clubs are Hamra, and Mar Mikhaël. There, you will experience the easy-going mood of the people. If you are a party monster don’t hesitate in visiting those areas, especially the last one, all along the Armenia Street.
- Easy with the currency. In Beirut, you can easily pay with the national currency, The Lebanese Pound or with US dollars. It works pretty smooth. you can check the exchange rate here.
- Crazy driving (is true) horns, horns, horns! You end up getting used to them. Many taxi drivers will approach you, even when you don’t call them. But in general, it has good traffic, according to the locals very seldom they experience traffic jams.
- Delicious food! this one is not a surprise… If you like Lebanese food, you will feel in heaven! Many places to try out. The prices, of course, can vary according to what you are looking for, but sure you will find a very tasty option.
- Tolerance, this is a delicate topic, but what I observed was a very tolerant and diverse environment. In terms of religion, you can observe both Churches and Mosques not so far from each other. I was told by a local that Lebanese people respect each other and like to live in harmony. Regardless of being the first day of Ramadan, bars, clubs and restaurants were open and festive. They also have a lot of refugee camps in the surroundings.
- Layers of history. From ancient to contemporary times, Beirut is an open book. Well, The Romans were there (of course) and they left a precious range of archaeology. Also, the Ottomans and the French, leaving a precious and diverse legacy. On the other hand all around Beirut downtown and beyond, you can still see the buildings that were destroyed during the civil war.
- Gentrification, which city nowadays can skip this fact? I talked about this topic in this post. There is a serious transformation of Beirut’s downtown going on. I seriously wonder if there is that many people able to afford these luxurious urban environments. Anyway, luckily right in front of that madness is the pier, a truly democratic space, which is a terrace towards the beautiful Beirut’s coast where you can appreciate the iconic Pigeon Rock.
It was a really interesting destination. Many people asked me, is it really safe to go there? My answer is, what place is really safe now?
I think Beirut has learned a really valuable lesson with all the conflicts that it has recently experienced. I found the people kind and tolerant and is all I can say so far. So, is anyone considering Beirut as its next urban itinerary? I would say, good choice!!!