Join us for a wine adventure of a lifetime as we discover the life and wine of the beautiful country of Lebanon! This is a country with a long and rich history, home to a fascinating cuisine, stunning beaches and Beirut, the Middle East’s party city.
Our journey will take us to visit some of the world's most beautiful vineyards in both the Batroun region and Beqaa Valley. We will also have time to check out the ancient ruins of Byblos as well as the famous Jeita Grotto cave system.
This is an extremely exclusive trip and will be run with a maximum of 10 people giving us great flexibility in our itinerary and the ability to adjust our tour depending on the group interests.
Friday 3 April 2020 Arrival at own leisure in Beirut and check into the Warwick Palm Beach Hotel.
Walking tour of Beirut. No country should be visited without uncovering its capital and this definitely holds true for Lebanon. Beirut is full of mysteries, and a tour is the only way to find out!
Evening meet up before we head out to for our first group dinner: a real Arabic night out! There will be a large selection of hot and cold Lebanese mezze with Lebanese wine, while a belly dancer and an Arabic singer will entertain us throughout the night.
After dinner we will enjoy a bar crawl in the Hamra area where you will get to know your fellow revellers.
Overnight in Beirut.
Saturday 4 April 2020 After breakfast we meet up with our local guide for a day of sightseeing in Lebanon.
First stop will be the Jeita Grotto - a one of a kind enormous and gorgeous cave! Discover one of the most fascinating grottos in the world with splendid and stunning rock formations and filled with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites.
After our grotto tour, we will enjoy a generous lunch with a large selection of mezze (hummus, mutabal, tabouleh, french fries, olives, cucumber) and a main dish - either fish of the day or grilled meat (kafta or tawouk) in the Byblos harbour.
After lunch we will have a two hour private guided walking tour in Byblos visiting the main landmarks of Medieval Byblos: the famous archaeological site with Crusaders Castle, the Souks, Saint Jean-Marc cathedral, Byblos port and the Byblos Fossil Museum.
After a busy day seeing the wonderful sights of this exciting country, we enjoy another special dinner with a tasting of some of Lebanon's greatest wines.
Enjoy Beirut’s famed nightlife.
Overnight in Beirut.
Sunday 5 April 2020 After breakfast we join our private air-conditioned vehicle for the journey to the wine and beer producing area of Batroun and taste North Lebanon’s fermented juices and local drafts!
We will start our day with a guided visit and tasting at the well-known IXSIR winery, one of the highest vineyards in the world at an altitude of 1,800 metres. Carefully handcrafted by IXSIR’s winemaker, the wines reflect the purity and freshness of the Lebanese mountains through richness, elegance and complexity.
From here, we will continue "La Route des Vins du Nord" with a visit to the organic family winery of Clos du Phoenix.
After a wine tour and a tasting here, we will enjoy a lunch at a local seafood restaurant at the shores of Batroun.
Our afternoon continues at Colonel, Batroun's famous micro-brewery, where you will get to taste five different beers, brewed for you with passion. Hic!
After a tour and tasting, we return to our hotel in Beirut with some famous Smiling Grape wine karaoke on the return journey...
Traditional Lebanese dinner with more wine tasting.
Overnight in Beirut.
Monday 6 April 2020 After breakfast we head to Beqaa Valley for day of discovering more delicious Lebanese wines!
Our first stop is Clos St Thomas, a professional and passionate family-run winery including a generous wine tasting session.
Next up is the delightful Chateau Khoury, a great example of the new dynamic wineries in the country that introduced some new grapes such as Riesling, Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer.
Our Lebanese lunch will be a full selection of cold and hot mezze, small bites, mixed grill and soft drinks at a local boutique restaurant.
Our final tour is at Chateau Ksara which includes a visit to the large underground Roman cellars.
Return to Beirut.
Head out for some farewell drinks with more wine tasting and a last meal together.
Tuesday 7 April 2020 End of tour.
Transfer to the airport can be arranged.
TOUR COST: £500.00
Price Inclusive of: Transport according to the itinerary Four star accommodation according to the itinerary. English speaking guides. Entrance fees according to the itinerary. Breakfast at the hotel each day. Meals according to the itinerary.
Price Exclusive of: Visa or LOI for Lebanon (many nationalities no longer require this – if you do we will help you with this process) Flights to and from Beirut. Dinners and the wines Meals other than those stipulated Activities outside the itinerary Other expenses such as drinks, souvenirs, etc. Single supplement (£40 per extra room per night)
