Gemmayzeh climbs east from downtown along Gouraud Street, a long narrow avenue lined with old Ottoman houses, art galleries, and the densest concentration of bars in the city. By day it is sleepy; by night it transforms into the spiritual home of Beirut's going-out scene.
The neighbourhood was within direct line of sight of the 2020 port explosion and many buildings were shattered. Restoration is ongoing, and several of the heritage stairways — including the famous Saint Nicolas Steps — have been rebuilt. Walk it slowly to take in the patched balconies, the street art, and the surviving palaces of late-Ottoman Beirut.