Things to do in Byblos
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Byblos
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Best months. Mild weather, green countryside in spring, warm sea in autumn and comfortable walking.
Peak summer, 30 to 35 degrees, festival season, highest prices and crowds. Do sights early and swim midday.
Shoulder month, pleasant early then rain increases, with fewer crowds and good value.
Winter. Rain, rough seas and mountain snow close high roads. Town is quiet and cheapest, not a beach season.
What's on
- Byblos International Festival July to August, dates vary by year
Lebanon flagship summer music festival in the historic harbour setting. Verify the edition before booking.
- Assumption Day 15 August
A major Maronite feast with church and town celebrations around the harbour, in peak heat.
- Easter March to April, dates vary
Church services and family town life in spring weather, with some closures on feast days.
Best things to do in Byblos
Byblos Castle
Seven thousand years of Phoenician, Roman and Crusader layers in one compact seaside site.
Byblos Old Souk
Restored stone market lanes that are best after sunset, when the cafes and restaurants fill.
Byblos Port
An ancient working fishing harbour made for a sunset walk back toward the castle and old town.
Saint John-Marc Cathedral
A Crusader era church from 1115 that is still a living church, two minutes from the souk.
Memory of Time
Lebanese fossil fish explained by experts, and the most distinctive souvenir you can buy in Byblos.
Byblos Wax Museum
A quick, dated but charming telling of Lebanese history in wax scenes near the castle.
Byblos Public Beach
The free municipal beach where local families swim, with clear water below the old town.
Edde Sands
The big resort beach day in Byblos, with pools, cabanas, spa and several restaurants.
Where to stay in Byblos
Old Town / Harbour
first trip, couples, no car
Castle, souk, harbour, restaurants and beach are all within a 15 minute walk.
Bahsa / Sea Road
sea views, families
Directly on the water by the public beach, a short quiet walk from the old town.
Hills above Byblos
quiet, longer stays with a car
Guesthouse calm and bay views above town, a short drive down to the port.
Think twice about
- Highway and commercial strip east of the Old Town
Noisy, traffic choked and built for cars, with an unpleasant walk to the souk after dark. Base in the Old Town instead.
- Isolated seaside highway resorts south toward Halat and Amchit, without a car
You are stranded between highway and beach and need a taxi for every dinner in Byblos.
- Far south near the Israeli border, Syrian border areas and Beirut southern suburbs
These areas are no-go zones. Byblos is not a base for exploring them.
Best restaurants in Byblos
Babel Bahr
The splurge seafood dinner near Byblos, with ceviche, grilled whole fish and refined mezze.
Aal Baher
A local seafood institution since 2006, built on fresh fish and repeat local custom.
Bab El Mina
The consensus harbour seafood lunch, with calamari, ceviche, kibbeh and shrimp by the port.
Feniqia
Lebanese food in a setting beside the ruins that no other restaurant in town can match.
Malena
A well reviewed Lebanese seafood spot a short walk from the castle, good for mixed groups.
Locanda - A la Granda
A relaxed souk dinner of Lebanese and international dishes for groups avoiding seafood only menus.
Chez Pepe - Pepe's Fishing Club
A harbour institution that is half seafood restaurant and half personal museum of Byblos history.
Adonai Le Petit Libanais
A small, calmer Lebanese Mediterranean restaurant near the castle, away from the port terraces.
Outdoor things to do in Byblos
Bubbles - Club For Divers
Patient local dive instruction for reef and wall dives off the Byblos coast.
Byblos Port
A private half day charter north toward Batroun with swimming stops, priced by the boat.
Barbara bikes
Bike rental and guided coastal rides between Byblos and Batroun, including sunset rides.
Paragliding Jounieh
A tandem flight from the Harissa heights down to Jounieh Bay, Lebanon signature adventure.
Jeita Grotto
Two vast limestone caves, one walked and one seen by boat on an underground river.
The Shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon
A mountaintop shrine reached by cable car, with panoramic views over Jounieh Bay.
Baatara Gorge Waterfall
A 255 metre waterfall falling through three natural limestone bridges, at its best in spring.
Batroun
A smaller coastal town for swimming, its Phoenician sea wall, old souk and lively evenings.
Best hotels in Byblos
Byblos Sur Mer
Five star harbour front boutique hotel with sea views, a pool and a seafront deck.
Edde Sands Hotel & Wellness Resort
A large beach resort with pools and spa, but read recent room reviews before paying luxury rates.
Aleph Boutique Hotel
The best all round mid range base, central and clean with a rooftop breakfast terrace.
Majestic Byblos Grand Hotel
A larger four star hotel with a pool and free parking, practical for families with a car.
Monoberge Byblos Hotel
A small, strongly rated hotel in town, well placed for the old city.
Byblos Fishing Club Guesthouse
A tiny harbour guesthouse three minutes from the citadel, inside the Byblos postcard.
L'Hotel De Mon Pere
A quiet small hotel on the heights with bay views, away from the port crowds.
Ahiram Hotel Byblos
Simple beachfront rooms with sea balconies, walking distance to the castle, port and market.
Is Byblos expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | $50 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | $110 a person |
| Splurge | $250 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Edde Sands: a few days ahead
- Byblos International Festival: weeks ahead
- Bubbles - Club For Divers: a few days ahead
- Byblos Port: a few days ahead
- Paragliding Jounieh: a few days ahead
- Baatara Gorge Waterfall: a few days ahead
- Afqa Waterfall: a few days ahead
- Qadisha Valley: a few days ahead
- Book old town hotels weeks ahead in July, August and on festival weekends.
- Book festival tickets and that night room as soon as dates are announced, and verify the edition is happening.
- Book private drivers days ahead and reconfirm waterfall flow for Baatara.
- Reserve Babel Bahr and harbour terraces for weekend dinners in season.
Is Byblos safe?
- Lebanon's security situation is severe and fast-changing. Check your own government's current advice before booking.
- Travelling against official advice can invalidate standard travel insurance.
- Avoid the Israeli border area, the Syrian border, refugee camps, military areas and any protest or crowd.
- Do not photograph soldiers, checkpoints or military vehicles.
- Everyday risks in Byblos are petty theft in crowds, aggressive highway driving and rough winter seas.
Byblos travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Souk souvenir first prices start high. Walk the whole souk, compare and haggle politely.
- Edde Sands hotel reviews are weak for luxury rates. Day visit it and sleep elsewhere.
- Feniqia recent service reviews are polarised. Go for lunch, not a make or break dinner.
- Baatara can be dry in late summer. Go in spring or skip it.
- Confirm the total cooked price before any fish priced by weight is grilled.
- Do not exchange money at the first airport or tout rate offered.
Getting around Byblos: public transport and more
- Walk inside Byblos: old town, castle, harbour and beach are within 15 minutes.
- From Beirut use a private taxi, a shared service taxi or a minibus from Cola or Charles Helou toward Jbeil.
- Hire a driver for Jeita, Harissa, Baatara, Batroun and Qadisha day trips and agree the full itinerary in advance.
- Carry US dollars in small bills plus Lebanese lira for tickets, parking and tips. Cards are not reliable at small venues.
- Byblos is Jbeil on road signs, buses and maps. Search both names.
Who Byblos suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Byblos your trip
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