Beirut #1 place to visit in 2009

Of the New York Times’ “Best 44 Places to Go in 2009”, Beirut came out on top.

First of all, Lebanon is Mediterranean. It is not full of sand and camels. In fact, it’s a coastal strip with a mountainous backbone. This means you can sun yourself on the beach and then drive up the mountain for 40 minutes to go skiing.

Anything you want, you can probably find this there. There’s a ton to do and see, from outdoor sports to nightlife to religious centers to all the history lying about the place, there’s no lack of things to do.

Lebanon contains 5 UNESCO world heritage sites: Anjar, Baalbeck (formerly Heliopolis), Byblos, Tyre (where the Hippodrome is located), and Wadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) which is where to find the Forest of the Cedars of God. It also boasts one of the finalists in the new 7 wonders of the world, Jeita Grotto. It is AMAZING and completely worth its nomination.

Check the Link:

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/01/11/travel/20090111_DESTINATIONS.html?8dpc

Enjoy!