A Taste of Rural Lebanon

Day 1

Arrive into Beirut airport where you will be met by a Trip Feast 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 women’s 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 Empire’s official religion. Baalbek’s 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. Sidon’s 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 city’s turbulent history of invasion and destruction is evident in its buildings and sites and makes for a fascinating visit. The city’s 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