Temple of Bacchus
Often called the most spectacularly preserved Roman temple anywhere — its cella ceiling and frieze are largely intact.
No. 03 — 10
Baalbek
Bekaa Valley
The largest and best-preserved Roman temples in the world — a UNESCO site of breathtaking scale.
Sights
Home to some of the largest and best-preserved Roman temples in the world, including the Temple of Bacchus and the Temple of Jupiter. A UNESCO World Heritage site that is truly breathtaking in scale.
The Itinerary
Top Places to See
The shortlist we always send first. If you have only one afternoon, start here.
Temple of Jupiter
Six surviving columns of the largest Roman temple ever built — each 22 metres tall.
Stone of the Pregnant Woman
A 1,000-tonne monolith still half-quarried in the local hillside — one of the largest stones ever cut.
Great Court & Hexagonal Forecourt
The processional approach to the temples, with surviving altars and exedrae.
Insider Notes
Quietly Highlighted
The corners that don't always make the guidebooks but reward the curious.
01
Ksara Caves
A short detour into the Bekaa drops you at Lebanon's oldest winery, with cellars in 2,000-year-old Roman tunnels.
02
Anjar
A separate UNESCO site of Umayyad-era ruins, often paired with Baalbek on a single Bekaa day.
What to Do
Entertainment & Atmosphere
Where the place comes alive — concerts, festivals, beach clubs, and the best ways to fill an evening.
Baalbeck International Festival
Lebanon's flagship summer festival — opera, ballet, and headline concerts staged inside the temples since 1956.
Sunset at the temples
Time your visit late afternoon: the limestone goes amber, then rose.
The Table
Where to Eat
Tested addresses across categories — from village mountain food to fine modern Lebanese.
Palmyra Hotel
The 1874 hotel that hosted Cocteau and de Gaulle — its dining room is a time capsule worth a long lunch.
Al Ajami
A reliable Bekaa institution for grilled meats and warm bread straight from the saj.
Tawlet Ammiq
A short drive west — a wetlands-side outpost of Tawlet serving Bekaa village cuisine.
To Take Home
Souvenirs Worth the Suitcase Space
Locally made, locally sourced, and small enough to fly with — what to actually buy.
01
Baalbek brass & coffee pots
The town’s coppersmiths still hammer traditional Arabic coffee dallahs and trays.
02
Bekaa wines
A bottle from Ksara, Massaya, or Château Kefraya is the most travel-friendly souvenir of the valley.
03
Baalbek hashish-free arak (and a story)
Pick up a local arak from a Zahlé distillery on the drive back — the Bekaa is the country’s arak heartland.
Continue the field guide
