(Monastery Carved in Rock 97 km From Chtaura)
Ten kilometers before the town of Hermel is the Mar Maroun Monastery (Saint Maroun), a rock-cut structure in three levels. It is said to be the temporary refuge of the successors of Saint Maroun, founder of the Maronite Christian sect in the fourth century AD. Below these remains is the Aasi River, the classical Orontes, with its blue-tinted water.

(A 2,000-Year-Old Monument in the Middle of Nowhere 90km)
Located ten kilometers before the town of Hermel, this twenty-seven meter-high monument on top of a hill can be seen for miles in every direction.
Three of its faces are carved with hunting scenes that suggest the pyramid-topped structure is a tomb, probably of a Syrian prince of the first or second century BC.

(Lebanon's Greatest Greco-Roman Treasure 41 km From Chtaura)

This great temple complex in the northern Beqaa is strategically placed at the highest point of a well-established trade route between Tripoli and Damascus/Palmyra. The site itself goes back more than 4,000 years.

The huge temples of Jupiter and Bacchus with the circular temple of Venus just to the southwest constitute the Acropolis. A fourth temple dedicated to Mercury was situated on a hill overlooking the city to the east, but only the staircase is visible today.
Nothing in the whole of Roman antiquity was as large as the temple of Heliopolitan Jupiter. Constructed during the first century AD, it is probable that sacrifices were performed on the courtyard of its great altar.

The temple of Bacchus, started around 150 AD, is the best-preserved Roman temple in the Middle East. The entrance through its lofty monumental gate is one of the loveliest sights of Baalbeck. This temple was the venue for the famous Baalbeck Festivals which began in 1955 and continued through 1974, featuring international artists, famous musicians and classical drama. This festival was resumed in 1997.

The beautiful Temple of Venus was built in the third century AD and has a unique circular design.
Although Roman in construction, these temples show considerable oriental influence in their planning and layout. Many of the giant stones used in building the temples weighed hundreds of tons and several are over a thousand tons each. The enormous energy and outlay needed could only be provided by imperial Rome as part of its policy of uniting the indigenous people and the Roman colonial population in the same faith. At night the temples are dramatized by lighting arranged by the Ministry of Tourism.
Modern Baalbeck: The town has a number of pleasant hotels, restaurants and cafes. The entrance to the temples is usually enlivened by one or two camels adorned with multicolored tassels which visitors can ride for a small charge. Baalbeck is known for its hand-embroiderd caftanes and abayas. The use of metal studs " tark" makes their work unique.

Chtaura should be your base for visiting the Beqaa, for this is the area's banking and commercial center. Hotels, film, gasoline and picnic supplies are readily available.

Local cheese and yogurt are also popular here; don't leave town without them!
Chtaura is a traditional rest stop and travelers should follow the Lebanese custom of stopping for toasted sandwiches and coffee or cold drinks at any of the numerous snack bars that line the main road. All have restrooms and some are open 24 hours.
Chtaura is the starting point for private or shared taxis, locally known as " service" (with the accent on the second syllable). These can take you to different destinations within the Beqaa as well as to Beirut and Damascus.

Banks have English and French-speaking personnel who are happy to be of help. Foreign exchange operations at banks are handled Monday-Friday 10:30-12:30. You can also have your money exchanged at small exchange shops on the main road. Which are perfectly legal. But be careful, traveler's checks and credit cards are not negotiable everywhere. Some banks and many hotels, accept international credit cards.

(18 KM from Chtaura)

Go north from Chtaura to Ablah. From there take a right turn to Rayak. This small town is the site of the Lebanese Army and Air Force base. It was also once a railroad terminal, the oldest in the Middle East. The now rusted and abandoned terminal buildings give Rayak the feel of a town out of America's Old West.

A popular restaurant near the railroad terminal makes a good stop for lunch or dinner.

 

(Eighth Century Islamic City 15 km From Chtaura)

Anjar, just off the highway to Damascus not far from the Syrian border, became an important commercial center during the Umayyad period. Founded in the early 8th century by the Damascus-based Umayyad rulers, this beautiful city was on the main caravan route from the coast to Damascus. Today its isolated location on the rich plains of the Beqaa gives it a particularly dramatic aspect.
The vast complex of streets, columns and arches, only discovered and identified in the 1940's, is a site of major interest. Set in a large rectangular enclosure, each wall had an imposing gate protected by towers, and each of the four gates was connected to the one opposite by a straight wide street. The columns and arcades differ in type and size. This suggests that the architects of Anjar borrowed freely from the remains of Greco-Roman and Byzantine buildings in the area, among which was the fortress of Gerrha whose source, "Ain Gerrha," gave its name to the site.

The two main streets, cutting across the town from east to west and from south to north, were lined with mosques, bathes, enclosures for livestock, palaces and other residences. The presence of no less than six hundred shops suggests that along with being a summer resort for the caliph, Anjar also served as a commercial center.
The site of Anjar was well chosen, for nearby is the main source of the Litani River. In this area, near the Armenian town of Anjar, are a number of excellent restaurants, many offering fresh trout. The Ministry of Tourism illuminates Anjar at night thanks to arrangements.

(The Bride of the Beqaa 8 km From Chtaura)
Zahle is known as " Arouss El-Beqaa," the bride of the Beqaa, and is much appreciated for its healthy climate and good food. It is also the seat of government for the Beqaa. All amenities are available here, with hotels, good shopping and souvenir shops. Zahle's many Bardaouni River, which flows out of Mt. Sannine through a wooded gorge shut in between tall perpendicular rocks. Along this branch of the Litani river there is one open-air restaurant after another. All are protected from the sun by awnings and leafy trees, while streams, fountains and pools cool the air. To get to this area you drive right through the town.

Zahle is the home of the mezze and of arak, so in this pleasant spot one can enjoy a typically Lebanese pastime: the long leisurely lunch. The bardaouni is just as popular in the evening where dinners can become quite festive. But don't worry about being caught without a wrap when the air grows chilly; these obliging " restaurateurs" are prepared with woolen abayas for their guests. In winter, most of the riverside restaurants are only open on weekends.

A walk in the hills overlooking Zahle leads you to Iron and Bronze Age tombs. In Wadi El Arayesh are Byzantine and Roman sarcophagi.