Day 1 in Beirut

Day 2 in Beirut

Titans Batroun

Welcome Party in Batroun

Exploring the citadel of Byblos and the IXSIR winery

Ward Café, Cedars of God, Khalil Gibran Museum, Nabu Museum

Anfeh beach

Beach day in Anfeh

Kalani seascape resort

Wedding Day

Wedding

Kalani seascape resort, Sea Side Road, Halat, Lebanon

Reception

Pierre & Friends

Post wedding lunch

Our Wedding Fund

Our Wedding

Our Story

Cultural activities around Batroun

Cultural activities in the Northern Area around Batroun and Byblos

Nabu Museum 

Nabu Museum:&nbsp;Situated on the coast of the Mediterranean&nbsp;stands the Nabu Museum. Named after the Mesopotamian patron god of literacy, the museum offers an exceptional permanent collection of Bronze and Iron Age artifacts representing Roman, Greek, Byzantine, Phoenician and Mesopotamian, and contemporary Lebanese cultures, in addition to rare manuscripts and ethnographic material.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nabumuseum.com/about">https://www.nabumuseum.com/abo...</a>

Khalil Gibran Museum

Originally a monastery&nbsp;for monks seeking shelter in the 7th century, the Saint Sergious&nbsp;hermitage, became Gibran Khalil Gibran's tomb, and was later turned into his museum.&nbsp;It now houses&nbsp;the content of Gibran's studio in New York, including his furniture, his personal belongings, his private library, his manuscripts and 440 original paintings.&nbsp;<a href="http://www.gibrankhalilgibran.org/Museum/">http://www.gibrankhalilgibran....</a>

​Deir El Natour Monastery, Anfeh

One of the brides all time favorite places in Lebanon, this stunning monastery is perched on the seaside and is surrounded by salt drying plains ( you can buy a bag of salt in the monastery, it makes for a great gift!). The little greek orthodox&nbsp;church inside is covered from ceiling to floor in hand painted scenes from the bible. Definitely&nbsp;worth a visit!

Baatara Gorge Waterfall

Rates one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world, this natural beauty is located in the Tannourine, roughly 1 hour inland&nbsp;from Batroun.&nbsp;The waterfall drops 255 metres&nbsp;into the Balaa Pothole, a cave of jurassic limestone.&nbsp;The cave is also known as the Cave of the Three Bridges.&nbsp;

Orchid Batroun

Ok, this isn't exactly&nbsp;cultural, but we highly recommend Orchid&nbsp;Batroun&nbsp;for a day in the sun with top notch views. This absolutely beautiful pool lounge&nbsp;overlooks the mediterranean and northern coastline.&nbsp;Eat and drink to your hearts content, and be sure to take some snaps on the stairs that lead directly into the sea! It's on the pricey side, but worth it.&nbsp;Entrance fee entitles you to a beach lounger.

Eat & Drink around Byblos

Eat, snack, drink

Restaurants:

Feniqia:&nbsp;There's a golden rule in the Med: restaurants outside archaeological sites are awful. But Feniqia is a glorious exception. A uniquely&nbsp;decorated rustic semi-open pavilion, it serves quality Lebanese dishes presented with real flair. The dark tahini with toast-your-own-pita is a sensational appetizer, while meat platters come arrayed on serious hardware. The charismatic owner always revs up a fun atmosphere. This place is packed out all the time, and there's usually people sitting on the pavement outside waiting for a table, so BOOK&nbsp;IN&nbsp;ADVANCE. If you can.&nbsp;

Khan Jbeil: This Lebanese restaurant offers up a solid spread of truly delicious food in a nice&nbsp;place! They bake their own bread and have great&nbsp;breakfasts, not to mention fun little twists on traditional Lebanese food. Think&nbsp;creamy hummus served in a metallic pot and decorated with chunks of Kafta balls bathing in tomato sauce. If you're staying in a place that offers medeocre&nbsp;breakfast, seriously consider coming here instead. Although the restaurant is indoor, it has a back area that has a skylight with some nice, natural light. You can also enjoy a shisha here.&nbsp;

Snacks:

Saint Georges Bakery (Afran Mar Gerges):&nbsp;&nbsp;If you're a fan of kaak, then these thin, crunchy and tasty delicacies are something you should&nbsp; definitely try. Kaak is a puffed Lebanese bread covered in sesame. It is usually the vehicle for something else like Labne or Kunafeh, however the Kaak at Saint Georges Bakery is a delicacy on its own, and watching the bakers work at the speed of light is almost as satisfying as the kaak itself! 

Coffee/Drinks:Édde Café: Otherwise known as ÉCafé, or Édde Yard, this restaurant is ideally located right off the old souq in the most central part of Byblos. It's beautiful and peaceful seating area&nbsp;under a canapé of pink bougainvillea&nbsp;is a haven for anyone hot, exhausted, and over stimulated. However we do not&nbsp;recommend the&nbsp;food here. Come have a coffee, a lemonade, or a scoop of&nbsp;ice-cream. Refresh,&nbsp;rejuvenate,&nbsp;and be on your way!&nbsp;

Haven-The Cabin: Exactly how it sounds, this&nbsp;glass and wooden cabin offers stunning views of the mediterranean sea! One of the most beautiful cafes in Lebanon.&nbsp;Come for your morning cup of coffee, or a sunset glass of wine. Also one of the best places in the area for real coffee. Not for food. A little inland from central Byblos.

Eat & Drink around Beirut

An impossible list to make

Beirut is one of the most iconic eating destinations in the world, so compiling a list of just a handful of places feels like an impossible task (every local&nbsp;has their favorites). The city isn't just known for its Lebanese food!&nbsp;Beirut has an array of international flavors, and don't even get is started on the nightlife...&nbsp;Here is a list of the&nbsp; bride's favorites:

Mayrig:&nbsp;Dishing up some of the best Armenian food in town, Mayrig offers a very authentic experience. Highly recommended for a good feasting. Book in advance.&nbsp; Liza:&nbsp;A&nbsp;contemporary Lebanese restaurant, Lizais set in a beautifully renovated old 19th century Lebanese&nbsp;villa that was once a family home. It feels like a&nbsp;celebration of Lebanese history and culture.&nbsp;The dynamic menu is fresh, light, and very, very good. The mezze starters include lamb tartar and smoky aubergine puree topped with tangy promenade seeds. Liza serves up a selection of homecooked options, like Kharouf bi Khams Bharat platter or the Moghrabiye Bel Sfarajal, both of which are delicious, and make a nice change from the usual Mixed grills! Leave space for the yummy sticky baklava, accompanied with rosehip and pistachio ice cream.&nbsp;The drinks are also wonderful! Come for dinner, book in advance, and, unless you want to sit alone, don’t book before 9PM.&nbsp;Tawlet:&nbsp;Stop eating. Keep it that way for the next 24hrs. Are you on the verge of collapsing? Now go to Tawlet. Originally a part of ‘Souk el Tayeb’, an organisation that promotes Lebanon's independent farmers and producers, Tawlet has evolved into a restaurant in in itself. There is no menu: just a daily buffet of traditional Lebanese dishes prepared by Ladies from all over the country, who rotate throughout the week. There's only one option: an all-you-can-eat buffet and only at lunchtime, but it’s SO WORTH the trip. Tawlet is a completely unique dining experience, and the lady responsible for that day’s menu is literally there serving you your food. At the end of the day, all the leftover food gets picked up by a charity organization and is distributed to the needy. You can also pick up some of the items sold at ‘Souk el Tayeb’, such as home made jams, orange blossom water, zaatar mixes&hellip;etc. Meat the fish:&nbsp;A great daytime eatery for high quality (not Lebanese) food. Think fresh green salads, a delicious range of eggs on toast, fruit smoothies, and kambucha. Meat the Fish also happens to be in one of the brides favorite neighborhoods in Beirut, Saifi Village. Walk around before/after to pop your head into some of the galleries, coffee shops, and retail outlets selling work from local designers.&nbsp;



Kalei coffee:&nbsp;Ah Kalei, we love love love you. They are so passionate about coffee that you get a little explanation of where your coffee comes from with every cup. The food here also happens to be delicious, but it’s limited to a range of tartines, eggs, and salads, so come for breakfast/brunch. There are now two branches of Kalei. Both are amazing and are housed in traditional old Beirut Villas.



Mezyan:&nbsp;A tapas/mezze restaurant and bar with a brick pizza oven, and a homey and artfully high-design feel, before tapas (that are not just Lebanese mezze) became popular. &nbsp;Immediately, Mezyan became a hit - the must go to location for Beirut’s young (and not so young), hip, usually lefty, intellectuals, artists, musicians, designers. The menu still features a mix of Lebanese mezze and Spanish / North African inspired Tapas. The food is heart and yummy, and very affordable! On weekends the whole restaurant turns into a makeshift bar/club as of 11PM and it’s so fun!&nbsp;

BarBar:&nbsp;A Lebanese streetfood eatery that has been around forever, and is on one of the main arteries of Beirut, Hamra Street. Every Lebanese person has an opinion about BarBar! There are many different BarBar shops all on the same street. One is specialized in falafel, another in all things baked in dough (like manakeesh), one in shawarma, one in fresh juices and icecream&hellip; all of the cheap eats staples are there and they’re pretty damn good for breakfast, a snack, or at 3AM. Easy, cheap, delicious, done, bye.&nbsp; For more street food options check out this very well done article on EATER&nbsp;Street food:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eater.com/2018/1/16/16874854/best-breakfast-beirut-lebanon">https://www.eater.com/2018/1/1...</a>



FOR&nbsp;DRINKS-&nbsp;





No where in Beirut offers just drinks (we’re food orientated people ok!), however here are some of our drinking highlights. The food isn’t bad at most of these places either!



Salon&nbsp;Beyrouth:&nbsp;Inspired by jazz era salons, this resto-bar offers an artful variety of food, whiskies and delicious cocktails in a warm ambience, with service set to timeless standards.

From nights of live jazz to indulgent brunches, Salon Beyrouth values refined comfort and quality, cultivating a familiar setting inviting at anytime of day. We love going for evening drinks, but try to catch it on one of it’s heaving live jazz nights.&nbsp;





Ales and Tales:&nbsp;One of Hamra’s many super cozy resto-pub, Ails and Tails is always pretty busy. Hit it up as part of a bar hopping walk around the area. The upstairs area is particularly comfortable, with long couches, books, and games. If you nab yourself a couch you may find it hard to leave&hellip;





Ferdinand:&nbsp;Ferdinand in Hamra, is a bar that offer class and sophistication in a stylish setting, perfect for chilling with friends. With soft lighting, beautiful original tiles, dark wood fittings and cosy sofas, Ferdinand’s is a sumptuous bar that is world away from the loud chaos of some of Hamra’s other bars. It’s the ideal place to go if you want to have a fun evening and not worry about someone bumping into you and spilling your mojito all over your nice new shoes. The staff are friendly and can rustle up just about any drink you ask for.&nbsp;You can actually hit Salon Beyrouth, Bedivere, Mezyan, Ails and Tales, and Ferdinand in one evening of bar hopping.





Bedivere:&nbsp;Bedivere Eatery and Tavern is a Medieval theme bar and restaurant with plenty of armour on the wall and ye olde lights (with ye olde lightbulbs), which creates a brilliantly fun atmosphere. You can fill yourself up with a flagon of beer, or you can order a tasty cocktail, or potion, as they call them. They also serve a good selection of very tasty food. The Bedivere burger comes with boulders of tender beef tumbling out of molten cheese stuffed buns. Just in case you get sick of Lebanese food. Which you won’t cuz it’s the best.&nbsp;&nbsp;





Central station: Taking its name from the old Beirut Station that once stood nearby, Central station’s location has the raw energy that suggests it’s still the center of action. The space combines dark wood with quirky touches, such as the railway carriage wheens suspended from the ceiling. But it’s not all about the interiors here. Their SERIOUSLY good selection of drinks, cocktails, and bar snakcs has landed them a place on the very prestigious world’s best 50 bars list, and it has been ranked the best bar in the middle east and Africa&nbsp;





International:&nbsp;Internazionale defines hip in Beirut. It’s one of the original bars of the now pumping Mar Mkhael street, and brought in such a cool crowd, that hundreds of bars and restaurants soon followed. Be sure to check out the black-and-white photograph on the inside wall, which features the owner's supercool grandfather. Not recommended for food, just drinks.&nbsp;





Electric Bing Sutt:&nbsp;Beirut's love affair with all things Asian is elevated to new heights (and prices) with this new small plates fusion lounge-restaurant. Inventive cocktails feature Asian herbs and spices like yuzu and shiso; the small plates (including sous vide beef short ribs and cumin lamb) are unique in Beirut. The red lighting, evocative of an Amsterdam X-rated show, is a strange choice. The food is hit and miss, but the drinks and interior is all hit, so maybe just come for a drink.&nbsp;

Details

Photos

Wedding Party

Registry

Q + A

Uber and Careem both work in Beirut, and are extreeeemely affordable! We highly recommend you use either of these Apps&nbsp;to get around the city.&nbsp;We DO&nbsp;NOT advise you to use a&nbsp;taxi off the street. they don't speak English and you need to negotiate a price with them, and in our experience, uber/careem is actually cheaper.&nbsp;Please note that all taxi's including Ubers/Careems have red license plates. Please make sure the license plate is red before entering into a car. All rental cars have green license plates, and regular cars have white license plates.Unfortunately these apps do not work outside of Beirut. If you're a seasoned third world country driver,&nbsp;then we suggest you&nbsp;rent a car (get the good insurance, scratches are quite possible). We are also looking at some bus options to transfer our guests from Beirut to both Byblos and Batroun on the 26th of June. Prices for this will be confirmed closer to the time, depending on demand.&nbsp;There is also a large range of private taxi companies that we use all the time and that are totally legit. These are more comfortable, and better for long distance trips.&nbsp;

Getting around Beirut and beyond

If you want a truly unique, oriental experience, this is the hotel for you. More on the luxurious side, but definitely worth the experience. Checkout the website for more details!

BEIRUT- Hotel Albergo

41 luxurious suits, walking distance to downtown Beirut.&nbsp;Clean, consistent, and in a nice neighborhood.&nbsp;

BEIRUT- O Monot Hotel

Explore all&nbsp;Beirut has to offer&nbsp;from Saifi Suits, located right in between east and west Beirut. 4 star boutique hotel, in a great area.&nbsp;

BEIRUT- Saifi Suits

309 hotel is located in the heart of Ras-Beirut, on Bliss Street, just a minute away from AUB (American University of Beirut). Its ideal location offers you easy access to any destination. Because of its location, the hotel is surrounded by great street food, cool bars, the seafront, and&nbsp;a plethora of restaurants. This is a very authentic neighborhood of Beirut.

BEIRUT- Three O Nine hotel

a colorful oasis in the heart of Beirut’s historic Gemayze district,&nbsp;Saifi Urban Gardens has so much to offer. This is an old&nbsp;traditional Beiruti&nbsp;house converted into a very&nbsp;cool&nbsp;hotel/hostel. It has a&nbsp;variety of accommodation options, a cafe, and a bar. Check out the website to see what's on offer!&nbsp;

BEIRUT- Saifi Urban Gardens 

If you're looking at Air BnB options, here are the neighborhoods we recommend you&nbsp;stay in/be close to:

Hamra

Mar Mkheil (Spellings&nbsp;may vary)&nbsp; 

Gemmayze (Spellings may vary)

Saifi village&nbsp;

Monot&nbsp;

Downtown Beirut&nbsp;

If you would like us to have a look at any Air BnB's you're interested in, please feel free to email the bride at dimahamati@hotmail.com

BEIRUT- AIR BNB

Brand new duplex rooms in the heart of&nbsp;Batroun old town!

BATROUN- GUEST HOUSE BATROUN

A beautiful, traditional Lebanese villa converted into a guesthouse.Pricey, and off the beaten path (we recommend you have a car here), but a truly unique Lebanese experience, and the perfect place to have your morning coffee.

BATROUN- Beit al Batroun

A cute, clean guesthouse in the buzzing city of Byblos, about 10 minutes away from the wedding venue and another 10 minutes away from Batroun, where the bride and groom will be staying!

BYBLOS- Aleph boutique hotel

A beachside resort, literally 3 minutes driving from the wedding venue! Simple, clean rooms, child friendly, and easily accessible. We would recommend to have a car if you choose to stay here as it is a 7 minute drive to byblos, and a 15 minute drive to Batroun.

WhiteLace Resort

Just a 3-minute walk from the Citadel and Old Souk, Byblos Fishing Club Guesthouse is located next to the famous ancient harbour of Byblos. It features a famous restaurant called Fishing Club that overlooks the harbour. The simply furnished accommodation at Byblos are fitted with wooden furniture.&nbsp;The location is just perfect for those that want to be in the heart of Byblos.

Byblos Fishing Club Guesthouse

A&nbsp;bohemian&nbsp;yoga studio offering a few guest rooms right in the heart of the old town of Batroun. Great location, walking distance from all the highlights, including the sea. Also very close to a parking lot.

Darma Ji Batroun

Travel

Batroun is overflowing with options to satiate anyone's&nbsp;appetite! Whether it's dinner, snacks/streetfood, or drinks, here are some of our favorites:

Eating:La Marin:&nbsp;Fresh Lebanese seafood and mezze&nbsp;literally ON the ocean! Le marin serves up all the traditional Lebanese seafood staples, with the most extensive menu of the lot, however it's the seating that's worth coming for. They have a large summer terrace that is actually built into the sea.&nbsp;Reserve in advance and be sure to get a table as close to the edge&nbsp;as possible! The fried lady fingers (fish) here are particularly yummy.&nbsp;









Bistr'eau: A quiet seafood and mediterranean restaurant with a&nbsp;welcomed twist.&nbsp;This&nbsp;spot overlooking the marina&nbsp;promises a great culinary experience under old stone&nbsp;arcades with a beautiful view. It offers up the traditional Lebanese fair and the not so traditional (think baked camembert, prawns wrapped in crunchy vermicelli, fresh salads, and even a Liege waffle!). It's a little on the upscale side as it's&nbsp;attached to the L'auberge de la Mar hotel. most of the seating is indoor, however they have a terrace with a couple of tables. Nab one of these&nbsp;if you can!









Chez Maguy:&nbsp;A family run&nbsp;Lebanese seafood and mezze&nbsp;spot in a lovely old villa&nbsp;overlooking the sea, but with a quirky&nbsp;bohemian, colorful atmosphere. The floor os kinda slanted and everything is mismatching, but it works!&nbsp;Service is&nbsp;hit and miss (don't come hangry), but it's worth going&nbsp;for the cute summer vibes. The seafood is fresh and beer is cold.&nbsp;







Oysters: Another&nbsp;family run business perched in the corner of the marina overlooking the 5000 year old Phoenician wall, but its got more of a beach shack vibe. The menu is written on a chalkboard, but the boys will help you decide what to eat.&nbsp;The seafood is fresh with some more creative plating (think fried calamari served in big shells). Dad goes fishing, mum cooks the catch, kids are your waiters... tick tick tick.&nbsp;Rays: Get alllll the chilled out vibes here! Ray's is located right in front of a the small free beach, and has a few benches outside. Most people come here for a drink and a bite to eat, however they have a whole saj section on their menu, and open early for breakfast. If you like people watching and looking out at the sea, this is a good place to be.&nbsp;













Snacking/Street food:&nbsp;













Hilmi's Lemonade: Did you know Batroun is famous for its Lemonade? That's because the Lemons here are pressed together, and mixed with sugar, before a little orange blossom water is added. Batroun has two major Lemonade hotspots.&nbsp;Hilmi's famous lemonade is now sold from a roadside stall by the highway 7km south of central Batroun. As well as the straight-up version, there are numerous quirky versions, cocktails, sundaes and low-cal manifestations of the stuff, which is undeniably delicious on a hot day.













Limonade&nbsp;Tony Daou: The minty fresh Lemonade here is one of Baton's specialities, and is on the main street of the town. Let us know which one you prefer!&nbsp;Kitchen by Georges Maalouf:&nbsp;This little hidden gem is a great place to grab some fresh seafood&nbsp;wraps, (think shrimp sandwiches),&nbsp;and batata harra (Spicy cubed potatoes). It's&nbsp;humble, small, and cheap, and you may have to mime out what you want to eat. But it's good. Menu (if there even is one)&nbsp;is on a chalkboard. Abou André: Your one stop shop for crispy falafel straight out the fryer! Grab a sandwich or a platter with all the trimmings&nbsp;to go, or dine in at one of the few tables they have. Abou André has become a chain, however their logo is still written in arabic, so you may have to ask around, or check on google maps. A platter of falafel usually comes in half dozens or one dozen. You should always get tahini, a plate of pickles (the pink ones and some chilis are the best!), and some arabic bread, along with some tomatoes, some mint, and some radishes. They also have fried eggs on the menu, along with a few&nbsp;other great breakfast foods like Fatteh, Hommos Balila, Foul, and different variations of homous, so it's not a bad idea to come here for brunch!Raft Hallab 1881: The iconic Raft Hallab has been serving up Lebanese desserts in the region&nbsp;since, you guessed it,&nbsp;1881, with it's sister chain in Byblos being their flagship shop.&nbsp;They have a very extensive menu of all things sweet, so it's a great way to taste a little bit of everything and decide what you like! They also do a mean Knafeh, with both cheese and Kashta. Try to go in the morning or early afternoon, and let us know what your favorite is!













Patisserie RIM: A delightful small&nbsp;spot to grab some local baklava, traditional ice cream (in the classic square cone!), and Lemonade to take with you to the beach, or nibble on while you roam the town. Not for dine in. It's got that nice, local, home made feeling to it.













Drinking:













Colonel Beer: For all of our beer lovers out there, this local microbrewery is a gem on the outskirts of Batroun! Just drinking in front of the beautiful brass beer brewing equipment is enough to quench anyone's thirst. The terrace is made of&nbsp;crate furniture and the vibes are as relaxed as they come. Only good vibes here.&nbsp;We highly recommend booking in advance as it gets&nbsp;packed in the summer. Not recommended for dinner, just drinks.Barrio 67: A brand new pub/bar&nbsp;a few steps away from Villa Paradiso. The interior is just lovely, and the staff are great. They have a great cocktail list too!&nbsp;Come for a pre drink, a post drink, or just to cool off on a particularly hot summer day. The food&nbsp;menu is more on the european side.&nbsp;Last I checked, they plan expanding their menu to include breakfast. Probably not Lebanese.













Titans Batroun:&nbsp;There's a reason why we chose Titan's for our welcome drink!&nbsp;It's Greece meets Lebanon at this blue and white themed&nbsp;seafront lounge. This is THE place to watch the sunset over drinks, with the&nbsp;best view&nbsp;in the whole of Batroun.

Dima & Jean-Baptiste

Dima & Jean-Baptiste

Photos