Ever wished that the Baalbek Temples, the Beaufort Castle, and the Cedars forest were all a short jump away? Ever wanted to explore these beauties and indulge into a Lebanese cultural experience, but they cost you barrels of gas to get there? Your problem is solved! There’s a loop that overdoses you with Lebanese culture, history, and nature that is just 15 minutes away from Beirut in the beautiful town of Broumana.
Park your car in the center of Broumana; it could be around Wardieh Gas Station and Bank Audi or around Printania Hotel and Cicada Bar.And since this walk is recommended to be done in the morning, you won’t have to worry about finding a parking spot.
If you parked near Wardieh Gas station or Bank Audi, go towards the intersection next to the restaurants and take the road to your left, and when you reach the intersection at Printania Hotel and Cicada Bar, take the road towards the left leading to Gout Frais and Peanut House then continue on this road. This is where our journey begins!
Now we are walking on the Eastern road where you can feast your eyes on out-of-this-world views of the Lebanese Mountains,
This part of Broumana rewards us every season with white almond flowers blooming in the spring, purple prickly pear cacti glowing in the summer, ears of sumac hanging in the fall, and layers of snow blanketing it in the winter. You are very lucky if you experience the latter as the town averages 3 snow days a year.
To your left you can find the Quakers cemetery of Lebanon, where the founders of the prestigious Broumana High School are resting, as well as the Palestinian-American political activist and writer Edward Said.
We then reach the Grand Hills Hotel and Suite, the world’s largest suite by Guinness world records, an empire of a 7 storey tower, 2 private pools, a health club, outdoor art masterpieces, and hanging gardens. They used to charge 80000 dollars per night! Too bad that they have closed their doors since the pandemic.
Don’t forget to turn right when you reach the intersection near the hotel.
We now reach a captivating viewpoint, where your eyes roll down the pine forest dense hills of Broumana to the Bustling Suburbs of Beirut eventually the port and the skyscrapers in Downtown Beirut ending in the far horizon of the sea. I wouldn’t want to be her during the Beirut Explosion…
To the opposite side of the street stands a huge building complex built in the traditional Lebanese way, with flowering geranium and rosemary vines hanging from the many balconies on the facade, and wooden arched doors on the bottom hiding behind them late-night bars and pubs.
Directions: After passing Broumana High School, take the alley before Sourdough Cafe leading to the main road, then cross the road and mount the staircase to reach a narrow road.
This is where the adventure spices up! This is Old Broumana, crammed with traditional Lebanese red-roof houses and a maize of endless stairways and alleyways. Feel free to explore the mazes but don’t lose track of the narrow road or you might get dirty looks from the Tetas!
You will encounter a little domed structure made of stone with a cross-bearing door, which is actually the tomb of members from the Abillama Dynasty that ruled parts of Lebanon in the Days of the Lebanese Emirate in the 16th and 17th centuries.
We reach the Al-Kanayes neighborhood, the last phase of our hike, and head right in the alley that offshoots from the narrow road. The Saydet el Aiqouna el Ajaibia convent, unravels its splendor, with its bold facades and 19th century architecture.
The alley leads us to a 1500 year old oak tree that stands tall in front of a church. What a cool shade it gives with its immense leafy branches!
Churches dominate the neighborhood, such as the maronite Deir Alaazariye Chapel and Mar Chaaya Cathedral, to the Saint George’s Orthodox Church pavilion. Nothing ends a walk better than a moment of prayer and serenity.