Baalbek is a city where time stands still. Built of stone blocks weighing up to a hundred tons transported to the site by muscular force alone, the temples of Baalbek have survived majestically to the present day. In the fifth century, historians listed them among the 'wonders of the world', referring to them, for the first time, as 'the temples of Baalbek'  the name by which they are still known today. For over half a century the ruins of Baalbek have dazzled the world. Each summer, its famous festival is one of Lebanon's most important cultural events. On the steps of the Temple of Jupiter or inside the Temple of Bacchus, Herbert von Karajan, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Fayrouz and many others have enchanted entire generations. The beauty of the ancient site shines forth in the glow of the spotlights and, on starry nights, the applause of the crowd seems to awaken the very gods from their slumber.

Known to be the fishing centre of Lebanon, Sidon is an old fashioned city just like Tripoli. It is very popular for the cultivation of most of the country's fruits, including bananas, mangoes, apples, and other fruits not found anywhere else in Lebanon. In addition, Sidon serves as a very  important, strategic oil pipeline terminal that extends from Iraq and Saudi Arabia to other recipient countries. Sidon's nightlife is dominantly spirited up with Arabic music, dancing, and traditional entertainment. What makes Sidon special is that it is home to many delightful, mouth-watering Arabic sweets' stores, which make up most of the markets.

Lebanon's second largest city (and the second most populous), Tripoli is where you can breathe history and relive the glorious old days of the country. Locals are warm and friendly and homes and cafes inviting with their wonderful smell of freshly brewed coffee. Pop into a quaint old style restaurant or accept an invitation to a Lebanese home as you stroll through the markets and lanes of this city.

For history buffs, there's no better place than Tripoli to explore the real Lebanon. A good place to start is the Citadel which is where you can explore ruins of a fort that dates back to the time of the Crusades.

The harbour is perennially buzzing with activity and is a key port of entry for goods in and out of the region. It also serves as the entry point for shipments to land locked countries further inland in the region and also serves as a port to Syria, Iraq and Jordan which lack harbours of their own.

The tourist hub of Tyre is where you must go to explore a number of Lebanon's most coveted historic sites and some of the most gorgeous locales. Tyre is also your gateway to a UNESCO world heritage site that boasts of the best preserved hippodrome from Roman times, a remarkably well preserved city from the ancient times and ruins that hold several stories and the key to much of Lebanon's past. You'll even find references to the city in the Bible - it is believed that Tyre existed as early as the 3rd millennium B.C.

Tyre is located in the far south of Lebanon and was once a twin city, split between a number of small islands and a coastal town. The Phoenician city of Tyre was honoured as a great island city and even called ‘the queen of the seas'. However, after the Arab Israeli wars in 1982, much of the city was destroyed. Efforts to rebuild it and restore it to its former glory are still on, so you can watch as the city regains its old lustre.

The town of Deir El Qamar is no less than a living museum, with its unusual winding and narrow streets that lead out to dramatic palaces and buildings that reflect an old world architectural style. Buildings here are well maintained and regular restoration work has preserved the past at its best.

Turn around a road lined by feudal style architecture and you may well chance upon a charming stepped street or perhaps an enclosed garden.

The Ottomans are credited with bringing the capital from Ba'aqline to here in 1590 when Prince Fakhreddine Al-Maani II - one of the most important of the Ottoman rulers - decided to extend the boundaries of Mount Lebanon to this town. The remains of the Ottoman Empire in Lebanon are visible even today, in the form of places of worship dating back to that age and include a synagogue, some churches and a mosque.