Those of you who follow me on Instagram will know that I went to Beirut in Lebanon for a few days back in January. I wanted to go somewhere really different, which would stimulate my mind, my soul and my taste buds! I knew I would be breastfeeding and I wouldn’t be able to travel on my own for quite a while. I’m obsessed with the Middle East and still love hearing stories from my Mum of when she lived in Egypt.
Perhaps that connection ads to the fascination. That makes me think of why one is so drawn to a particular area of the world. It’s something you can’t really explain. It was either Tel Aviv or Beirut and when researched both areas, I was just really more intrigued with the Lebanon. I wanted to go there and experience daily life, meet its people, walk its streets and have a real taste of Lebanese food!
I have travelled a lot and before I had kids have lived in a few corners of the world. There’s SO much of it I still want to see and anywhere which has a different way of life to what my everyday is, then I want to go there! Like Marrakech, it was a bit like going into another world. Obviously there were aspects of Beirut which I was very familiar with, but I was simply fascinated with everything the majority of the time I was there.
I simply love Beirut’s contrasts. The sea, the mountains and the old alley ways with the modern architecture right next door. There has been rapid rebuilding since the war ended but I could see lots of reminders of the unrest dotted around.
The whole time I was there, I was think about what it would have been like during the civil war. Beyond anything I could ever even try to imagine ,I’m sure. It’s the resilience that I’m fascinated with. Everyone I came across in those few days were happy, positive and strong.
I met with Dina who runs the London mums magazine website Kensington Mums (she goes between London and Bierut) and she took me around on my first day. She is so nice and it was brilliant to see some of the city with through a local!
I also met up with what seemed like the queen of Beirut , Mariana Wehbe. and she showed me around the Farmers Market on the Saturday morning. She owns a PR agency in the city and is havily involved in the creative industry there. There is so much going on that I wouldn’t even have thought of!! I loved hearing about what she was working on and her plans for beirut.
While I was there, I tried za’atar man’ouche! So yummy!! Traditional Lebanese bread with herbs. It’s run by Kamal Mouzawak who has farmers from all types of communities come together and sell their produce. We headed to Kamals famous restaurant Tawlet for lunch and I met all types of interesting characters and chatted with local chefs and journalists over glasses of rose and orange blossom water.
I was heavily pregnant at the time (I think i was around 28 weeks?) so I was wrecked by the end of the day, I would go back to the hotel each evening and eat a meal at the beautiful restaurant and get as much rest as I could. I stayed at the Movenpick hotel in Beirut, which was right on the oceanfront.
The sunsets were particularly beautiful from the balcony. (I collaborated with Movenpick when we travelled to Morocco last year and they were kind enough to trade a two night stay in return for social media and blog coverage.) Movenpick is 70 years old this year and their hotels are fantastic.
Great for families, solo trips and for work trips too. The food in the restaurant was so good- especially the hummus. I thought I knew what hummus was before I went to Lebanon! God no. This was chunky, full of traditional herbs and loaded with parsley. The rooms were spacious and clean and there was a good spread put on for brekkie. My favourite thing about hotels haha!
I got a massage twice at the Essential Spa (went back the next evening as it was so good!) and was really impressed with the staff there. Like Morocco, they treat you like royalty and really go out of their way to make you feel welcome.
I used the hotel taxis (they were lined up outside every day) to get around and got my airport transfers with them too. I got one of the hotel taxi drivers numbers and they picked me up wherever I was. I didn’t use the Ubers because I was travelling alone.
I literally bopped around to as many cafes and restaurants as possible! The food scene is unreal!! I had coffee at Sip Beirut (look at it’s beaut interior!) and then went up the steps to the Sursock Museum.
I had lunch at Liza (also went back the next day) which was one of the most beautiful places I have ever been to!! Dream decor. I popped down to Villa Clara in Gemmayze (which is like the Brooklyn of Beirut) for banana cake afterwards. I had to see it in person! I had looked at all of these places online and no pictures came close to what it was actually like to be there.
I also visited a really famous place called Fern Ghattas for Zaatar , which has been there since the 20’s! The atmosphere was amazing- just wanted to stay there for the day people watching and eating!
I really can’t wait to go back to Beirut and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to travel somewhere that will let you experience a load of different cultures, religions, traditions, architecture, music, art and history. There’s a reason they call it the Paris of the Middle East!