Baalbek in the northern Bekaa Valley is one of the world's oldest cities and home to the most impressive classical ruins in Lebanon -- and arguably the most important Roman site in the Middle East.
Although the town predates Roman times, little is left of the Phoenician city of Baal or the subsequent Greek city of Heliopolis (City of the Sun). The architectural attractions still standing are entirely of Roman design, built in the 1st century AD. Some historians attribute the enormous scale and rich detail of the buildings to religious rivalry: Christianity was growing in popularity, and the Romans wanted to entice the local population to stick with pagan worship.
You enter the complex through the Propylaea, a colonnaded entrance, then proceed through a hexagonal court to the Great Court with its two sacrificial altars. Straight ahead, up a wide set of stairs, is what remains of the Temple of Jupiter. Only six of the original 54 columns still stand, but these alone convey the incredible scale of the building. They are said to be the tallest Roman columns in the world.
Though smaller than the Temple of Jupiter, the nearby Temple of Bacchus is a wonderfully preserved architectural masterpiece. Take your time walking around its outer portico, marvelling at the intricately carved stone. From here you also have a good view of the enormous foundation blocks that supported the Temple of Jupiter. Enter the Temple of Bacchus at its eastern end, climb the flight of stairs and pass through the ornate doorway. Look up at the famous keystone that 18th-century European travelers loved to sketch, convinced it was about to fall.
About a kilometre south of the main complex, in the quarry where the Romans cut their stone, lie the Baalbek Stones — unfinished megalithic blocks that were never moved, including one weighing an estimated 1,650 tonnes, the largest known hewn stone in the ancient world. They are open to visitors and startling to stand next to.
The Baalbeck International Festival, held annually in July or August, is one of the premier cultural events in the Middle East, with performances in the extraordinary setting of the temple complex. The Hotel Palmyra, built in 1874, is worth visiting whether you stay or not — its guest book includes Kaiser Wilhelm II, Jean Cocteau, and Fairuz.
Baalbek is about 85 km northeast of Beirut, roughly 1.5 hours by car across the Mount Lebanon range. It can be visited as a day trip from Beirut. Allow at least half a day for the site itself, not including travel time.