Beirut is the largest city and the capital of Lebanon. It is also the country’s main and largest seaport. This city plays a vital role as the center of major political, economic and cultural activities. During the Lebanese civil war this city faced great destruction but soon after the war came to an end, reconstruction of this historic city had begun and once again this city gained a repute as a popular tourist destination and was ranked the top place to visit in 2009 by The New York Times, in the same year this city was listed as one of the ten liveliest cities in the world by Lonely Planet.
Today the city has a great and well-developed transportation network consisting of trains, a seaport and a wide network of buses not only connecting the city with the rest of the state but also with some neighboring nations. Taxi service is also available in the city but like other major cities in the world, taxis are a little expensive means of transportation.
The city is well served by Rafic Hariri International Airport, located in the southern suburbs of the city. This airport is an important aerial gateway to Lebanon, providing services to most of the international and domestic flights to Beirut. This airport also caters many airlines having flights to many other parts of the world including China, Canada, United States, Brazil and many other destinations worldwide.
Beirut was also known as the “Party Capital Of the Arab World” because of being home to many nightclubs, bars and clubs etc, especially the Monot Street had an international fame as a party place. Today Mar Mikhael and Gemmaize are the two major districts emerging as the new entertainment zones in the city with several nightclubs, bars and cafes offering a variety of night activities for nightlife lovers. The city is home to many museums including the National Museum of Beirut, exhibiting more than 1300 artifacts, the city also hosts The American University of Beirut Archaeological Museum, the third oldest museum in the Middle East. Beirut is a beautiful city and a popular tourist destination also known as “Paris of the East” and is visited by around 4 million visitors each year.
