Stand at the western end of the Corniche just before sunset and you will see why Beirut rewards a slow traveller: the sea on one side, the city rising behind you, and the walkers, joggers and cyclists of Paris Avenue and General De Gaulle Avenue all heading the same way, toward the Pigeon Rocks in Rawcheh.
Beirut suits people who like their cities layered and lived-in. The downtown core has been rebuilt and restored, the museum collections run from prehistory to the Mamluk period, and the cafe culture that earned the city its old reputation as the "Paris of the Middle East" is still very much in evidence. Many Beirutis speak French, English or both alongside Arabic, which makes getting around straightforward for most visitors.
This guide covers the landmarks, museums, green spaces and outdoor activities that the city's districts offer, with practical notes on when to go and what to pair with what. Each district has its own sights, so treat this as a starting set of highlights rather than a complete list.
Top things to do in Beirut
1. Walk the Corniche from the Beirut marina to the Pigeon Rocks
Paris Avenue links up to General De Gaulle Avenue, and both are known locally simply as the corniche. Together they stretch around the entire perimeter of Central Beirut, roughly five kilometres, and they are the best free introduction to the city's rhythm.
Start at the Beirut marina in the Downtown District about an hour before sunset and finish at the Pigeon Rocks in Rawcheh, in time to watch the sun go down. Walk, jog, skate, cycle or simply stroll, then take a drink at one of the outdoor cafes at the end.
2. Pigeon Rocks, Rawcheh District
A monumental natural arch jutting up from the Mediterranean, and the single most recognisable sight on this stretch of coast. The pleasure here is not complicated: sit at one of the roadside cafes and watch the light change over the water.
Come at sunset, and combine it with the corniche walk above so that the arch is your reward at the end of the route rather than a separate trip.
3. National Museum of Beirut, South Ashrafieh
The city's principal museum, with artefacts ranging in date from prehistoric times to the medieval Mamluk period. The collection deals mainly with Lebanon's archaeology and history, so it is the natural place to make sense of everything you will see in the ground around you.
It sits in South Ashrafieh, which puts it in the same district as the Sursock Museum, so the two can reasonably be paired in a single outing.
4. Sursock Museum, Ashrafieh
This museum exhibits contemporary and modern art, and the building itself is a perfect example of the typical 18th-century Lebanese palace. Even if the current exhibition does not draw you in, the architecture justifies the visit.
Pair it with the National Museum of Beirut in nearby South Ashrafieh to make a full afternoon of Ashrafieh's collections.
5. American University of Beirut campus, Hamra
By far the biggest and greenest park in Beirut, and a genuine refuge from the traffic. It is a working campus, so access is controlled: non-students may only enter through the main gate on Bliss Street in Hamra, and visitors are required to show ID.
Bring your passport or identity card, and treat it as a quiet hour between other stops in Hamra rather than a sight with opening hours to plan around.
6. Place de l'Etoile (Nejmeh Square), Downtown District
Built by the French in the early 20th century in the very centre of the Downtown district, the square suffered a great deal of war damage and has since been restored. It is under heavy security because the Parliament sits in the middle of it, and there are many army and police barrages limiting access.
Expect checks on the way in and plan your visit as part of a wider Downtown wander rather than a destination in itself.
7. Martyr's Statue, Martyr's Square
The statue stands in Martyr's Square, east of Nejmeh Square towards Ashrafieh. It is a straightforward landmark to fold into a walk between the Downtown core and the Ashrafieh side of the city.
Use it as a waypoint: approach from Nejmeh Square and continue on towards Ashrafieh, where several of the city's museums are located.
8. Beirut Hippodrome (Hippodrome Du Parc De Beyrouth)
Bet on an Arabian thoroughbred at the city's racecourse, which draws a dedicated betting crowd, often old taxi drivers. It is open on Sundays only, and foreigners should join the fun in the afternoon, when entrance is free with ID or passport required.
Bring your passport, and note that this is a Sunday-only activity, so it needs to be planned around rather than slotted in casually.
9. Beirut Balloon, Allenby Street, Downtown Beirut
A 30-passenger helium-filled balloon offering views from an altitude of 300 metres. The entrance is through the Biel Convention Centre, and you can look for it in the sky if you lose your bearings. It operates from 10AM to 10PM.
It sits on Allenby Street in the Downtown District, which makes it easy to combine with a Downtown walk that takes in Nejmeh Square and the surrounding streets.
10. Ramlet Al-Baida
At least one genuinely public beach in a city where most of the coastline has been converted into private clubs and spas. There is lots of sand and pounding waves, though the source notes trash and pollution, and possibly sewage releases into the water.
Go for the surf and the sunset rather than for swimming, and bring a beach towel. It is also said to be a bit of a gay cruising spot.
11. Beach clubs on the Beirut coast
Very few of Beirut's beach clubs actually have sandy beaches, and most have been converted into spas with swimming pools and paved terraces, but they all have access to the sea. Some are completely private and members-only, though you can often get in by paying for a guest ticket if you go in with a member.
Saint George Yacht club in Ain El Mreisseh and the Riviera Beach and Yacht Club at the Riviera Hotel are two popular options, where access for non-members is US$20 per day. Long Beach Club is another good place, with its entrance just to the left of the Ferris wheel on the Corniche right before the hill. Bring a beach towel.
12. Scuba diving Beirut's shipwrecks
With 300 sunny days a year, 36 shipwrecks, walls, canyons, caves, ray habitats and shark habitats, Beirut has something to offer a serious scuba diver. The wrecks include the French WWII submarine Le Souffleur, the British freighter Alice B which sank during the civil war in the 1980s, the Macedonia freighter which sank in 1962, the National Star freighter in 1991, the Mediterranean flagship of Admiral Sir George Tryon HMS Victoria which sank in 1893, and the British Lesbian which sank during WWII.
Submerged historical sites along ancient Phoenicia's shore add Phoenician and Roman marble stones, granite columns, pathways, old stone anchors, amphorae and bits of pottery. Dive centres around Beirut include Calypso Beirut Diving Club at the Movenpick Hotel & Resort on General de Gaulle Avenue in Raouche, NISD (National Institute for Scuba Diving) at Solidere Beirut Marina in Downtown Beirut, and LD (Lebanon Divers) at the Mardelli Building, 2nd Floor, Saide Street, Ashrafieh.
13. Beirut Art Center, Sin El-Fil District
The first non-profit public space in Beirut, housing an exhibition space, screening and performance auditorium, bookstore, mediatheque, cafe and terrace, and designed by architect Raed Abi Lama. It focuses on contemporary and modern art.
It is on Rue 97 in Sin El-Fil, in Greater Beirut, and the same area also holds Matignon Gallery, which shows Lebanese and international contemporary art.
14. Archaeological Museum of the American University of Beirut, Hamra District
A museum of archaeology and history in the Hamra District. It pairs naturally with a walk through the AUB campus itself, since non-students enter that campus through the main gate on Bliss Street in Hamra and must show ID.
Do the two in one trip: the campus for the greenery, the museum for the collections, with your identification in hand for both.
15. The Silk Museum - Bsous
One to consider if you are into the silk industry. It is set in an old silk factory, which is the main part of its appeal.
It sits outside the central districts, so treat it as a half-day excursion rather than a stop on a city walk.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at the National Museum of Beirut in South Ashrafieh, where the collections run from prehistoric times to the medieval Mamluk period, then walk to the Sursock Museum in Ashrafieh for contemporary and modern art in an 18th-century Lebanese palace. If you have time left before lunch, cross into Hamra and enter the American University of Beirut campus through the main gate on Bliss Street, ID in hand, for the greenest space in the city.
Afternoon. Move to the Downtown District. Look for the Beirut Balloon on Allenby Street, entering through the Biel Convention Centre, then walk to Place de l'Etoile (Nejmeh Square) and on to the Martyr's Statue in Martyr's Square, east towards Ashrafieh. Expect security checks around Nejmeh Square, since the Parliament sits in the middle of it.
Evening. Begin at the Beirut marina about an hour before sunset and follow the corniche, Paris Avenue linking to General De Gaulle Avenue, around the Central Beirut perimeter. Finish at the Pigeon Rocks in Rawcheh in time for the sunset, and take a drink at one of the roadside cafes while you watch the light go.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to walk the corniche?
Start at the Beirut marina about an hour or so before sunset and finish at the Pigeon Rocks in Rawcheh, so that you arrive in time to watch the sun go down. The route links Paris Avenue and General De Gaulle Avenue and stretches around the entire Central Beirut perimeter.
Can non-students visit the American University of Beirut campus?
Yes, but only through the main gate on Bliss Street in Hamra, and visitors are required to show ID. The Lebanese American University campus in southern Hamra/Qoreitem also requires ID to enter.
Do I need to pay to get into a beach club?
Some clubs are completely private and members-only, but you can often get in by paying for a guest ticket if you go in with a member. At Saint George Yacht club in Ain El Mreisseh and the Riviera Beach and Yacht Club at the Riviera Hotel, access for non-members is US$20 per day. If you would rather not pay at all, Ramlet Al-Baida is a public beach.
When does the Beirut Hippodrome hold races?
It is open on Sundays only. Foreigners should join the fun in the afternoon, when entrance is free, with ID or passport required.
Pick the districts that match your interests, check which day the hippodrome and the festivals fall on, and start building your Beirut itinerary around a sunset on the corniche.