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<p style="text-align: center; font-family: Verdana; background: yellow; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" align="center"><strong>Major Attractions</strong></p>
<p><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Verdana', 'sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /><span style="color: #808080; font-size: xx-small;"><strong>Beirut</strong></span></span><span style="color: #0364ab; font-size: xx-small;"> <span style="color: #000000;">| </span></span><a href="index.php?option=com_jetour&amp;view=otherpages&amp;otpage_id=10"><span style="color: #0364ab; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Mount Lebanon</span></a><span style="color: #0364ab; font-size: xx-small;"> <span style="color: #000000;">| </span></span><a href="index.php?option=com_jetour&amp;view=otherpages&amp;otpage_id=11"><span style="color: #0364ab; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;">Bekaa</span></a><a href="Template1.aspx?MenuID=107"></a><span style="color: #0364ab; font-size: xx-small;"> <span style="color: #000000;">|</span> </span><a href="index.php?option=com_jetour&amp;view=otherpages&amp;otpage_id=12"><span style="color: #0364ab; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;">North</span></a><a href="Template1.aspx?MenuID=107"></a><span><span style="color: #0364ab; font-size: xx-small;"> | </span></span><a href="index.php?option=com_jetour&amp;view=otherpages&amp;otpage_id=13"><span style="color: #0364ab; font-family: Verdana; font-size: xx-small;">South</span></a></span></span><strong><span style="line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /><br /><br /></span></span></span></strong><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US">A bewildering composition of cultures and faiths perched on a breathtaking sweep of Mediterranean coastline. The most populous city in Lebanon, Beirut, the capital and home to the first law school in the world, dating back to the Phoenician Era, Beirut is a tourist attraction to all visitors from around the world. Known to be the commercial and busiest city in Lebanon, Beirut also has several night clubs, restaurants and other entertaining places Not to mention the famous market at the Martyr's Place known as Souk el Barghout , where hundreds of tourists pass by and enjoy a delightful meal , or even a cup of coffee at the enjoyable outdoor cafes available, and enjoy the sights of by passers walking and mixing in with the Lebanese public. In addition to those, this great capital provides the other restaurants and hangouts that people of all ages can go and have a wild time with Oriental, Pop, Blues, and Jazz Music provided by the many fine restaurants.<!--?xml:namespace prefix = u1 ?--></span><!--?xml:namespace prefix = o ?--></span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Beirut was named the top place to visit in 2009 by The New York Times. It was also listed as one of the ten liveliest cities in the world by Lonely Planet in 2009.</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><strong>Museums</strong></span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Archaeological treasures at the <strong>National Museum</strong> and the <strong>AUB Museum</strong>; contemporary Lebanese art at the Sursock Museum.</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The <strong>National Museum of Beirut </strong>is the principal museum of archeology in Lebanon. The collection was begun after World War I, and the museum was officially opened in 1942. The museum has collections totaling about 100,000 objects, most of which are antiquities and medieval finds from excavations undertaken by the Directorate General of Antiquities. About 1300 artifacts are exhibited, ranging in date from prehistoric time to the medieval Mamluk period.</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">During the 1975 Lebanese Civil War, the museum stood on the front line that separated the warring factions. The museum's Egyptian Revival building and its collection suffered extensive damage in the war, but most of the artifacts were saved by last-minute pre-emptive measures.</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Today, after a major renovation, the National Museum of Beirut has regained its former position, especially as a leading collector for ancient Phoenician objects.</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Hours: Daily, except Mondays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The American University of Beirut Antiquities Museum, or <strong>AUB Museum</strong>, is the third oldest Museum in the Near East. Featuring a permanent collection of a wide range of artifacts, it traces man's progress in the region from the Early Stone Age to the Islamic period. The museum also hosts regular temporary exhibitions, lectures and children's programs.</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Hours: Weekdays (Mon – Fri) from 09 a.m. to 5 p.m.</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The <strong>Robert Muavad Private Museum</strong> is located close to the Grand Serail, in a restored, 100-year-old, Oriental Gothic mansion, which once belonged to the collector and politician Henri Pharaon. The museum's expositions feature pieces from Pharaon's antique art collection and Robert Mouawad' jewellery collection.</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The vast array of artifacts from the Phoenician, Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Arab periods attest to a time during the first half of the 20th century, when collectors could purchase historical items from antique dealers who had direct access to archaeological excavations in Lebanon and Syria.</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Pharaon's Melkite icon collection from the 17th and 18th centuries is unique, displaying the fine handiwork of the artists of this Arab Christian sect. The motifs of Chinese porcelain on panels of Syrian tiles from Aleppo and Damascus are also quite interesting, as is the extensive carpet collection.</span></span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The <strong>Sursock Museum</strong> should be visited for understanding the progress of Islamic visual arts, particularly in the Middle East. The museum’s building can be bit confusing for those who understand basic, architectural styles. The building’s design seems to have fused some Italian concepts with Oriental and Persian styles of architecture to create a unique configuration. Built during the 19th century, the Sursock was once a royal, private villa. More surprisingly, the exhibits inside include Japanese etchings engraved around some rare samples of Islamic art.<br /><br /></span></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US">Hours: Every day from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US">Located in an industrial sector of the city, <strong>the Beirut Art Centre</strong> (BAC) is Lebanon's leading contemporary art institution. Its principal goal is to produce, present and promote local and international contemporary art. Along with its main exhibition space, the BAC has a screening and performance room, a mediatheque and a bookshop. The centre organizes at least four major personal or group exhibitions per year, as well as lectures, concerts, shows, video séances and workshops.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US">Beirut Souks: Bab Edriss, Dowtown Beirut</span></strong><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br />Although it is widely believed that a marketplace was already located here way back in the Phoenician times, and that the Souk is almost as old as the city itself, don't expect to find an authentic, Oriental market, with ancient, winding streets and alleyways at the Beirut Souks. During the Civil War (1975-1991), the former city marketplace was practically destroyed, to open again at the end of 2009 in its new, 21st-century form.</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br />Several, local architects participated in the Souk's redesign and the end result is a truly monumental, ultramodern shopping emporium - a city within a city, with hundreds of stores, restaurants, cafés and various entertainment opportunities. Here one will find the best-known European and North American fashion and luxury brands, from Zara and H&amp;M to Chloe.</span><span style="line-height: 115%; font-size: 10pt;" lang="EN-US"><br /><br />Next to the Souk is Beirut's Harvey Nichols, the Aishti luxury department store, which carries the crème de la crème of European luxury brands, which are very expensive here.</span></span></p>
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