The National Museum, otherwise known as the mat-haf, is one of the most underrated sites in Beirut. Ask any local and more often than not, they’ll tell you that they’ve never set foot in it. I think it’s well worth a visit: it has the world’s biggest collection of Phoenician sarcophagi in the basement level, displayed beautifully in a row with a mirror set behind them, so it looks like there are twice as many. Look out for the prehistoric items in the museum, including spears and flints, and the colourful Byzantine and Roman mosaics.
During the Civil War, the museum was on the frontline and you can still see bullet holes in the side walls. It was occupied by militiamen and snipers, and the surrounding area came to be known as one of the most dangerous in the city. The building suffered extensive damage. A lot of the artifacts were hidden away in basement rooms, and mosaics were covered with concrete. Despite the lack of local visitors, the museum is a national treasure which survived the war and managed to rise from its ashes.
Watwat
Single entry:
LBP
30,000
Find your way with 179 Insider Tips from our Local Spotters
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What you will be able to see is the bath's infrastructure, which includes fired clay or terracotta with some other mosaics that are still preserved.
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For your afternoon coffee or late-night chit-chat, this dreamy place is a definite go-to as it overlooks the beauty of Gemmayze's historical buildings.
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If you feel like playing some board games with friends, reading a book while sipping on your coffee, and delighting your palate with some food on the side, then Luna's kitchen is the right place for you.
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Their specialty dessert, Persian love cake, is a concoction of cardamon, pistachio, and zest of lemon. It tasted as delicious as it looked.
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I usually stop by Terghale for fresh juice and my friends mostly order shisha or coffee, and we can spend hours here sitting and reading in silence.
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Make sure to try the beetroot carpaccio and the tomato bruschetta as snacks. Their signature cocktails are delicious and I also fancy their minted lemonade.
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179 Insider Tips from our local Spotters
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