15 BEST THINGS TO DO IN BEIRUT IN ONE DAY

One day is never enough to fully explore and understand a city. Yet, since time is limited and we all want to travel around as much as possible, I have prepared the ultimate guide with the 15 Best things to do in Beirut in one day so you don’t miss any of the highlights. Hope you enjoy the guide as much as I enjoyed strolling around Beirut. 

You can start at 1 and keep going until 15, in order, as this is exactly the Beirut itinerary I followed on the one day I spent in Beirut during my Lebanon trip. The city is quite big yet all the highlights are located near each other so you can perfectly explore the city on foot. And if you don’t fancy going on your own, book a guided tour of Beirut here.

If you have more time to spend in Lebanon, check out the best day trips from Beirut. And, above all, make sure you learn how to exchange money in Lebanon’s black market ahead of spending your first cent in the country. Trust me on this one or risk end up paying $90 for a McChiken just as I did.

1. Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque

A great way to start your day of exploring Beirut is by visiting the Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque. This mosque is on Martyrs’ square, one of the main squares in Beirut. Pro tip: You’ll recognize this mosque by its blue Doms, which honor the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

The Mohammad Al-Amin mosque is really beautiful and well worth a visit. It was built between 2002 and 2007 and inaugurated in 2008 so it’s really modern. I loved the details on the facades and the wooden doors. Scheduling your visit at the time of the call to prayer will make it even more special. 

I was told it was possible for non-muslims to visit the inside of the mosque and that abayas were available for all women at the entrance. However, during my visit in January 2022 visitors were not allowed to enter the bulding. 

2. St. Georges Maronite Cathedral

Beirut is the most religiously diverse city of the Middle East. People here do not fight over religion and several communities coexist hormoniously around Beirut. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that St. Georges Maronite Cathedral is located literally next door to the Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque. 

The Cathedral may not be arquitectually as impressive as the mosque, yet you’ll be able to visit the inside for free. I really liked it and strongly recommend you to take a some time inside the building. The marble walls, lighting, and decorations are great. Certainly a must within the 15 best things to do in Beirut in one day.

3. Roman Ruins

There are several sets of roman ruins around Beirut, the most impressive being those located next door to St Georges Maronite Catheral. Yes, only a minute away from the Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque. 

You can only see the ruins from the barriers as these are located at a lower level than the current Lebanese streets. It’s a pitty not being able to walk around them, yet this means you won’t have to pay an entrance fee to enjoy the roman ruins in Beirut.

Staring at the columns and wondering how would those roman temples have looked back in the day is one of the best things to do in one day in Beirut.

4. Nojmed Square and St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral

The access to Nojmeh Square and St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral was blocked by barricades in January 2022. Thus, I wasn’t able to visit these spots when in Beirut.

A true shame as I have heard the Cathedral is really beautiful and worth a visit, while the square is a great place for some fresh air. Hope you are in better luck when visiting Beirut and can actually access these spots.

Would love to hear about your visit and first hand thoughts regarding wether I should keep these in the list of the 15 best things to do in Beirut in one day. If you make it, please leave a comment below or reach out through Instagram/Tiktok.

5. Beirut Souks

The Beirut Souks are anything but souks. Forget about open air markets, bargaining and souvenirs as you would find them in Morocco, Algeria, or nearby Syria. You’ll see locals here, that’s for sure, but shopping in modern malls and high end stores. Or what’s left of them after the recent Lebanon crisis.

Traditional souks were indeed located in this area before the war. In the current times, however, these have been replaced by modern shopping facilities featuring plenty of cafes, free wifi and toilets. Certainly a useful spot in this route of 15 best things to do in Beirut in one day.

The architecture is really nice and reminded me of my hometown, Barcelona. Although I visited on a Sunday and most of the stores were closed I really enjoyed the vibe of the area and hope you’ll do too. 

6. I Love Beirut Sign

You don’t wanna miss out on this photo as it’s one of the most famous shots of Beirut. Make sure to exit the Beirut Souks by Waygand Street to have a nice last picture of the area and stick an ‘I love Beirut’ stamp on your heart and camera roll forever. 

7. Downtown Beirut

Besides the souk and the I love beirut sign you’ll find Downtown Beirut. This is probably the nicest area of the city, with fancy buldings of outstanding old French architecture. 

The smaller streets make it safer to walk around and you’ll actually see traffic lights here. Certainly a nice area for a relaxed walk ahead of heading to the beachside of the city. 

8. Zaitunay Bay

As someone born and raised by the Mediterranenan I truly felt at home here. It’s Beirut’s leisure port, where the rich in town moor their yachts and recreational boats. It’s nit as fancy as the one in Baku Azerbaijan, yet well worth a visit.

Along the bay you’ll find a nice promenade with plenty of cafes, restaurants and bars. The area is full of locals walking their dogs, jogging, or just enjoying a cup of coffee in the sunshine. Joining them is without a doubt one of the 15 best things to do in Beirut in one day. 

9. Bab Idriss

This is where all the fancy skyscrapers and villa-looking houses are. Walking around this neighourhood is undoubtedly one of the 15 best things to do in one day in Beirut. 

I couldn’t believe my eyes when looking at never-ending modern towers that dominate this part of the city. The same applied to those fancy villages which felt like little palaces. I wouldn’t complain if I had to live here for a while, it’s a really atractive area and well worth a detour.  

10. Hamra

Hamra is the major commercial district of Beirut. The area is famous for its fashion stores and jewelries, as well as for it’s fancy restaurants and lively nightlife. 

This is the best area in town to exchange money at a decent rate, go shopping, and dine out. Do not miss it on you day in beirut. It is also a great place to stay overnight. Hotels such as Le Commodore and Gefinor Rotana ara amazing options in the area. 

11. American University of Beirut

The American University of Beirut is a private university chartered in New York with an overseas campus in Beirut. It was established over 150 years ago and is the most well known university of the Middle East.

The campus, overlooking the Mediterranean sea, consists of 64 buildings located over 250,000 m2 and is really beautiful. I strongly recommend visiting it to anyone interested in academia and how students’ life diferes from one country to another.

12. Beirut’s Corniche

Beirut is a coastal city and its Corniche is no other than the pedestrian walking path that goes along the urban seaside. Just like the ones in Oran and Algiers in Algeria, or even Dakar in Senegal.

Walking from one end of the Corniche to the other can take over an hour. Along the way you’ll see locals enjoying a day out with their families, having a picnic, liking ice-cream, smoking shisha, fishing, swimming and having fun.  

Along the Corniche you’ll also find the Beirut Luna Park, a small amusement park which will certainly be one of the best things to do in one day in Beirut with kids. 

13. Pigeons Rocks

The Pigeon Rocks, also known as Raouche Rocks, are huge and beautiful rock formations emerging from the sea and located close to the South end of Beirut’s Corniche. These rocks make the best spot in town to enjoy sunset and are certainly one of the most photographed areas in Beirut.

It is possible to take a steep path down to the sea from where you’ll be able to see the rocks from below. I’d encourage you to go down, admire the rocks from every angle, relax by the sea, and ensure to make it back to the Corniche in time for sunset to see how the sun goes down behind the Rouche Rocks. 

There are plenty of boat trips offered around the rocks. All going inside and around these rocks at every time of the day. I can’t tell you the prices for the local ones cause I wasn’t interested and didn’t ask. They kept saying it wasn’t expensive though. You can also book a sunset cruise in Beirut with a tour operator here.

14. National Museum of Beirut

The National Museum of Beirut is the principal museum of archeology in Lebanon. Here you’ll find over 100,000 objects, most of which are antiquities dating from anytime between the prehistory and the arab times. 

Please check the opening hours before visiting. The museum is closed on Sunday afternoons and all day on Mondays.

15. Enjoy local cuisine

Lebanese cuisine is famous worldwide for a reason. And one of my favourite national cuisines for a reason as well. Home of hummus, shawarma, falafel, baba ganoush and many more specialties, both vegeterians and meat-eaters will find themselves in paradise in any nice restaurant in town. Dig in and enjoy!

Treating yourself with a nice meal is undoubtedly one of the 15 best things to do in Beirut in one day. Some of the best restaurants in Beirut to sample Lebanese cuisine are Babel Bay, Le Petit Gris, Abu Naim, and Leila Restaurant.

Recap on the best things to do in Beirut

Beirut, in Lebanon, is a beautiful city to explore. It features ancient ruins, mosques, and churches. It’s home to a wonderful corniche where to blend with locals and enjoy sunset. Some interesting museums and modern neighbourhoods, and the most amazing cuisine.

There’s lots of great places to see in Beirut, all of them included in this post on the 15 best things to do in Beirut in one day. Likewise, there’s awesome day trips from Beirut to further explore Lebanon. Just make sure to book your excursions online in advance or only pay for these in cash once you’ve got some local currency at the best rates.

Please leave a comment below with any questions. Or reach out via my Instagram and/or Tiktok pages for additional information and insights on my travels. Have a wonderful trip to Beirut.