November 9 – Arrive to Beirut International Airport. Meet your Village Experience representative and transfer to hotel located in the heart of Beirut. Our hotel is a member of the “Small Luxury Hotels of the World” club! Settle in and relax for the evening.

November 10 – Meet our guide in the morning and embark on a tour of some of Beirut’s most iconic sites including Martyr’s Square and the National Museum. Enjoy a traditional lunch and coffee. In the afternoon, visit St. George Cathedral, Mohamed Al Amin Mosque, and the Roman Baths. Return to hotel in the late afternoon. (B,L)

November 11 – Today we will head South to explore Sidon, Tyre, and Echmoun. Sidon is considered to be between 6,000 and 8,000 years old. It is dominated by a 13th Century Sea Castle and port channel harbor. Tyre houses remains of Arab, Byzantine, Roman, Greek, and Phoenician ruins. Recent excavations are revealing new finds every day! Echmoun is the site of the temple of the Phoenician God of healing, Echmoun. Dating to the 2nd Century BC and set amongst the Gardens of Bustan El Sheik, this is a great stop! Return to hotel in the late afternoon. (B,L)

November 12 – Morning boat tour to Pigeon Rock. This rock formation was formed in the prehistoric era by a geological movement. We’ll then explore the souks and markets and watch local artisans making their crafts. Enjoy a leisurely lunch and coffee. Return to hotel in the afternoon. (B,L)

November 13 – This morning, we’ll check out of our hotel and head to the Jeita Grotto – one of the world’s most extensive grottoes and river chambers. Get ready for a beautiful display of stalagmites and stalactites. We’ll then venture over to Harissa to see the giant Virgin Mary Statue known locally as The Lady of Lebanon. From there, we drive to Byblos for a tour of this 7,000 year old city – known to be one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world. Remains of Neolithic, Middle Bronze Age, Amorite, Egyptian, Hyksos, Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, and Crusader can be found here – incredible!  Check into hotel for the evening. (B,L)

November 14 – Today, enjoy some free time in the morning to explore, photograph, sip coffee, and relax in Byblos.  Then, we’ll head to Batrun for a walking tour and visit to the famous sea wall. Continue on to Tripoli and check into hotel. (B,L)

November 15 – Spend today discovering Tripoli – the second largest city in Lebanon. We’ll visit the Citadel of Raymon de Saint Gilles – the largest fortress in all of Lebanon. We’ll then visit ancient mosques and souks in the old part of town and take some time to try local foods. Return to hotel in the afternoon. (B,L)

November 16 – Morning drive to the famous ruins go Baalbek – a UNESCO World Heritage site. Baalbek is known for having colossal constructions from Roman times built over two centuries. Here, we will explore the Temple of Jupiter, the Temple of Bacchus, and the Temple of Venus. Stop for lunch at a local winery and then proceed to cross the border into Syria. Check into hotel in Damascus. Our hotel is a former Ottoman Mansion built in 1836 and lovingly restored into a boutique hotel in the heart of the city. (B,L)

November 17 – Today, we will enjoy a walking tour of the main cultural and religious sites of Damascus. Damascus was settled sometime before 4,000 BC and is considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world showing signs of a long succession of ancient civilizations including Amorite, Assyrian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ummayad, Mameluk, Ottoman, and French. We will visit the Ummayad Mosque – named for Islam’s first ruling dynasty. We’ll then visit the Mausoleum of Saladin – the  leader who liberated Jerusalem from the Crusaders. We will explore Straight Street – the ancient street with spans the length of the old city from East to West and visit one of the city’s main gates, Bab Sharqi. We will visit the Chapel of St. Ananias – one of the oldest chapels in the world. We will also spend time in the many souks of the city. (B,L)

November 18 – Morning visit to the National Museum of Damascus. This museum features a fragment of the oldest known alphabet in the world and an 1800 year old Synagogue transported piece by piece from Duro Europos on the Euphrates River…among other treasures. Then, visit the Shrine of Lady Zainab – the burial place for the grand daughter of the Prophet Mohamed. Today, it is a pilgrimage site for Shia Muslims. Return to hotel in the afternoon. (B,L)

November 19 – Morning drive to Ezra and Bosra. Bosra is one of the most important sites of Roman influence in Syria and houses a fully intact Roman Theater. It was one of the leading Nabatean cities before becoming the capital of the Roman province of Arabia in 106 AD. Ezra houses one of the oldest buildings in Syria – the Church of St. George. Return to hotel in the afternoon. (B,L)

November 20 – Today, we visit the ruins of the ancient city of Palmyra. Excavations show that this area has been inhabited since the Upper Paleolithic Age (40,000-10,000 BC!). It was first occupied by the Canaanites and then the Arameans before yielding to the Romans in the first century AD. We will spend the day exploring this incredible site and it’s many temples, arches, columns, tombs, and forums. Return to hotel in the afternoon. (B,L)

November 21 – Check out of hotel and head to Maalula for a tour of this mountainside town. Maalula is home to a population that still speaks a dialect of Aramaic, the language of Jesus Christ, and two historic Christian Monasteries – one Greek Orthodox and one Greek Catholic. Continue on to cross the border back into Lebanon. Check into hotel for the evening. (B,L)

November 22 – Transfers to the airport in Beirut today. (B)

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