As befits a country named for its resident mountains, Lebanon welcomes hikers with a series of unexpected and deeply lovely trails. We begin in Beirut—captivating, edgy, and on the rocky road to reclaiming its historic glamour—then set off for a look at Beiteddine (House of Faith) and the Phoenician city of Sidon, followed by a couple of World Heritage Sites: Baalbek, one of the most impressive Roman ruins anywhere, and the Umayyad ruins of Anjar. Now into some of Lebanon’s finest sceneries, beginning at Bscharreh, perched on the edge of the rugged Qadisha Valley, a monastic haven for Maronite Christians. We’ll do some tranquil hiking and picnicking in the Qadisha before heading out on the 275-mile-long Lebanon Mountain Trail to the Cedars Nature Reserve, populated with more than 600 plant, 80 bird, and 52 butterfly and moth species, not to mention the country’s signature cedars, trees old, beautiful, and full of personality. After heading down to the ancient Phoenician seaport of Byblos, and Harissa, graced with a huge statue of Our Lady of Lebanon, we spend another night in Beirut before setting off on a walk along the Baskinta Literary Trail, a beautiful path dedicated to some of the country’s great writers, names—like Georges Ghanem and Mikhail Nouaime—unknown to us, perhaps, but cherished in this intellectually revved-up country.

Day 1: arrive in Beirut • 2 excursion to Sidon and Beiteddine • Day 3: excursion to Baalbek and Anjar • Day 4: Bscharreh, walking in the Qadisha Valley • Day 5: walking in the cedars, from Tannourine to Deir Houb • Day 6: Byblos, Harissa, and Beirut • Day 7: walking along the Baskinta Literary Trail • Day 8: depart for home.

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