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A Taste of Rural Lebanon
Discover the flavours and hospitality of pastoral Lebanon
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- Price £1,345
- Was £1,495
- Price £1,345
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- Please contact us for flights from your nearest airport
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- Single sup £325
- Duration : 8 days
- Single sup £325
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- ACTIVITY
- OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
From the sophisticated capital city of Beirut with its top restaurants and excellent nightlife you will venture out and discover the legendary hospitality and culinary secrets of rural Lebanon. Prepare a traditional mezze in the village of Ehden, visit an organic farm in Deir El Ahmar, prepare fish the traditional way in Saida and cook with tumbleweed in Maasser Ech Chouf. Finally visit the stunning temples, mosques, courtyards and statues of the Roman site of Baalbek before discovering the delicious wines of the Bekaa Valley.
Experience real Lebanese food
Visit the Roman site of Baalbek
Prepare you own Lebanese mezze
Cook fresh fish on the coast
Taste the wines of Bekaa Valley
Visit an organic farm
Discover Lebanese hospitality and humour
· 05-Oct-2013 - 12-Oct-2013
· 18-Apr-2014 - 25-Apr-2014
· 04-Oct-2014 - 11-Oct-2014
For alternate dates or private trips please contact us
- Beirut
- Deir El Ahmar
- Baalbek
- Ksara
- Mymoune
- Ehden
- Maasser Esh Chouf
- Sidon
- Tyre
Among the most luxurious accommodation in Beirut, Midtown four star Hotel captures the beauty and charm of Lebanons nature and culture.
Day 1
Arrive into Beirut. Transfer to your hotel in Central Beirut. Rest of the day free. Meal plan: n/a
Day 2
Visit Deir Al Ahmar village for cooking class. After lunch visit Baalbek and Ksara winery. Return to Beirut for overnight. Meal plan: B, L
Day 3
Visit Douma village to learn how to cook duck
Day 4
Visit Baskinta and Mymoune villages to learn Kechek cuisine and jam-making. Return to Beirut for overnight. Meal plan: B, L
Day 5
Visit Ehden village and learn to prepare a traditional mezze. After lunch take a walk in a Cedar forest. Return to Beirut for overnight. Meal plan: B, L
For full itinerary, click on one of the links below
Experience real Lebanese food
Visit the Roman site of Baalbek
Prepare you own Lebanese mezze
Cook fresh fish on the coast
Taste the wines of Bekaa Valley
Visit an organic farm
Discover Lebanese hospitality and humour
Day 1
Arrive into Beirut airport where you will be met by a Travel The Unknown representative and brought to your hotel in downtown Beirut. The rest of the day is free. Overnight in Beirut. Meal plan: n/a
Day 2
After breakfast drive to the village of Deir El Ahmar and visit an organic farm. Next you will participate in a workshop in Wada (with the womens association of Deir El Ahmar) and learn how to prepare local food from fresh vegetables including tabboulé qamhiyé (wheat and meat), fatet laban(chickpea and yoghurt), babaghanouge (cream of eggplant) and taste a local speciality Sfiha Baalbakiyé. After lunch drive to Baalbek to visit its ancient ruins and finish with a visit
to the vineyards of Ksara for a wine-tasting. Return to Beirut for overnight. Meal plan: B, L
For centuries the temples of Baalbek (a.k.a the Sun City) lay under metres of rubble, obscured by medieval fortifications. Excavation and restoration work began in 1898 however and it has since been recognized as hugely important in Roman history as it acts as a model of Imperial Roman architecture. It is probably the most important Roman site in the whole of the Middle East. Baalbek's temples were built on an ancient tell that goes back at least to the end of the third millennium B.C. The temple was begun in the last quarter of the 1st century B.C., and was finished by the 3rd century AD. The temples were closed in 313 AD when Christianity became the Roman Empires official religion. Baalbeks collection of stunning temples, mosques, courtyards and statues are a must for any visit to Lebanon.
Lebanese wine tradition dates back 5,000 years, when the ancient inhabitants of Lebanon, the Phoenicians, first began tending vineyards. The Phoenicians exported wine to ancient Egypt, Rome, Greece and Carthage, introducing the world to viticulture and oenology. Lebanon is also said to be the place where Jesus performed the miracle of turning water into wine.
Château Ksara was founded in 1857 by Jesuit Priests who produced the country's first dry red wine and has preserved Lebanon's rich wine making heritage for over 150 years, laying down the foundation for Lebanon's modern wine making industry.
Day 3
After breakfast visit the duck farm in Douma. Prepare a lunch with duck products (cassoulet de canard). Have lunch in the old souk of Douma (cassoulet de canard, duck products, local wine). Visit a Moune place in the village and learn how to make rahet el halkoum, a regional dish. Return to Beirut for overnight. Meal plan: B, L
Day 4
Today we visit the villages of Baskinta and Mymoune. Partake in a walking tour of Baskinta village, visit a workshop and learn how to make Kechek dishes. Prepare lunch with the local community from local Kechek products. Eat lunch in a local guesthouse. After lunch drive to Mymoune to a local Mymoune workshop and learn how they prepare jam. Return to Beirut for overnight. Meal plan: B, L
Day 5
After breakfast drive to Ehden village for a walking tour. Here you will learn how to make kebbe ehdeniye as well as preparing a typical Lebanese lunch of mezza, tabboule, kebbe, etc. Lunch will be eaten in a local guesthouse. After lunch we will visit a Cedar forest for a walk in its beautiful surrounds. Return to Beirut for overnight. Meal plan: B, L
Day 6
After breakfast drive to the village of Maasser Esh Shouf for a walking tour. Here you will attend a cooking workshop with the Arc En Ciel Association and learn how to prepare local food with cereals. The main dish will be Hrissé (cereals with meat), and other specialities will include Akkoub with rice. Lunch will be eaten in the Arc En Ciel guest house. After lunch we will visit the stunning Beiteddine Castle before returning to Beirut for overnight. Meal plan: B, L
Day 7
After breakfast we drive to Sidon (Saida) and Tyre (Sur). We will go fishing (weather dependent) and then learn how to
cook fish in the Lebanese style and how to prepare a fish mezze. After lunch we return to Beirut. The rest of the day is
free. Overnight in Beirut. Meal plan: B, L
Sidon (a.k.a. Saida) is located at the meeting point of three continents and, as such, has been the crossroads of many
civilizations whose traces may still be seen today. It is known as the capital of the South. Sidons inhabitation goes back
as far as 6000BC. Its trade links with Egypt aided its rise during the Phoenician period in the 12th to 10th centuries BC.
Despite invasions in 1200 BC by Philistines and in 675BC by Assyrian king Esarhaddon, Sidon reached its pinnacle under
the Persian Empire (550 - 330 B.C.). At the end of the Persian era in 351 B.C., unable to resist the superior forces of
Artaxerxes III, the Sidonians locked their gates and set fire to their city rather than to submit to the invader - more
than 40,000 died in the blaze. After the disaster the city was too weak to oppose the triumphal march of Alexander
the Great in 333 B.C. This citys turbulent history of invasion and destruction is evident in its buildings and sites and
makes for a fascinating visit. The citys sea castle, lively port and excellent seafood also make it a popular spot for
locals.
Legend has it that Tyre , (or Sur in Turkish), was the birthplace of Europa (a Phoenician woman of high lineage from
Greek mythology after whom Europe was named) and Dido (Queen of Carthage). Tyre has a long and illustrious
history. In ancient times it was the most important city of the Phoenicians, amassing great wealth and power from the
export of purple dye. In the first century AD, Tyre was the home of a Christian community visited by St. Paul, and it
became a major stronghold of the Crusaders in the 12th century. Today, Tyre is the fourth largest city in Lebanon and
is famous for its ancient ruins, the Roman Hippodrome , which became a UNESCO world heritage site in 1984.
Day 8
After breakfast transfer to the airport for onward flight. Meal plan: B
Day 1
Arrive into Beirut. Transfer to your hotel in Central Beirut. Rest of the day free. Meal plan: n/a
Day 2
Visit Deir Al Ahmar village for cooking class. After lunch visit Baalbek and Ksara winery. Return to Beirut for overnight. Meal plan: B, L
Day 3
Visit Douma village to learn how to cook duck
Day 4
Visit Baskinta and Mymoune villages to learn Kechek cuisine and jam-making. Return to Beirut for overnight. Meal plan: B, L
Day 5
Visit Ehden village and learn to prepare a traditional mezze. After lunch take a walk in a Cedar forest. Return to Beirut for overnight. Meal plan: B, L
Day 6
Visit Maasser Ech Chouf to learn to make Hrissé (cereals with meat) and Akkoub (tumbleweed) with rice. Visit Beiteddine Castle. Return to Beirut for overnight. Meal plan: B, L
Day 7
Visit Sidon and Tyre. Go fishing (summer only). Learn to cook fish the Lebanese way. Return to Beirut for overnight. Meal plan: B, L
Day 8
Breakfast. Transfer to the airport for return flight. Meal plan: B
Among the most luxurious accommodation in Beirut, Midtown four star Hotel captures the beauty and charm of Lebanons nature and culture.
- Beirut
- Deir El Ahmar
- Baalbek
- Ksara
- Mymoune
- Ehden
- Maasser Esh Chouf
- Sidon
- Tyre
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TELEPHONE
020 7183 6371 (UK)
(347) 329 5524 (USA)
+44 20 8823 0705 (Other)
POST
Travel The Unknown
Hyde Park House
5 Manfred Road Putney
SW15 2RS United Kingdom
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Fill in as much detail as you can including the name of the trip you wish to book, the date of departure, whether you require international flights, the number and type of rooms required, any additional services desired (tours, transfers, overnights) and any special requirements. We will then contact you as soon as possible to complete your booking. Our contact details are below if you require any assistance.
TELEPHONE
020 7183 6371 (UK)
(347) 329 5524 (USA)
+44 20 8823 0705 (Other)
POST
Travel The Unknown
Hyde Park House
5 Manfred Road Putney
SW15 2RS United Kingdom
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Trip Notes - A Taste Of Rural ....pdf | 315 | KB |
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Regional Info.pdf | 340 | KB |
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Booking Conditions.pdf | 300 | KB |
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A-taste-of-rural-lebanon-accom....pdf | 119 | KB |
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Booking Form.doc | 61 | KB |
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Itinerary-trl.pdf | 194 | KB |
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