Flights to Lebanon from CAD 1,577*

Air France flights to Lebanon from Canada

Lebanon is a small country on the Mediterranean Sea that’s been a crossroad of civilizations for centuries. Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Persians, Ottomans and others have all left their mark here – and upon the population of 4.4 million people, who hail from many different ethnic groups. Flights to Lebanon from Toronto or Montréal take about 13 hours and the time difference ranges from 5 hours 30 minutes to 10 hours ahead of Canada. The currency is the Lebanese Pound. Lebanon’s coastal location gives it a mild climate that is wetter than other parts of the region. Autumn and spring temperatures are a pleasant 18 to 24°C whilst the mountainous regions are cooler and in wintertime, experience substantial snowfall which winter sports enthusiasts make the most of.

Enjoy thousands of years of history up close in Lebanon!

Lebanon is home to a tremendous array of historic sites and settlements. Certain cities in the country are amongst the oldest continually inhabited places in the world, including Byblos, Beirut, the capital; Sidon and Tyre.

Part of the Roman Empire for centuries, Lebanon boasts some of the most impressive Roman ruins anywhere in the world. Baalbeck is famous for the superbly preserved Temple of Bacchus, whilst the city of Tyre contains a very large Roman hippodrome, necropolis, Roman arch and aqueduct. Later visitors, such as the Crusaders and the Ottomans built many fortifications that can still be seen today, including Byblos castle and Sidon Sea castle.

On a less martial note, the Beiteddine Palace is a beautiful 18th-19th century construction incorporating many Arab design elements that also houses a museum and the summer residence of the President.

Beirut itself has a great concentration of architectural and historical gems, with Beirut Central District particularly blessed in this respect. There are four different signed heritage trail routes that take in different landmarks. These include the Saint George Maronite cathedral, the Mohammad Al-Amin mosque, the Souks and the Grand Serail, the seat of government and Prime Minister’s residence. Why not check out some Beirut city tours organized by Air France’s tourism partners?

Lebanon’s many natural wonders are also well worth exploring!

For a small country, Lebanon really does contain some outstanding natural sights. The Jeita Grotto is a limestone cave network with an underground river and the largest known stalactite in the world. The cave entrance is reached by cable car, offering panoramic views of the local area.

Further north, the Kadisha Valley is classed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to both its natural beauty and its important Christian heritage. Multiple monasteries, chapels and hermits’ caves line the valley. One of these monasteries, the monastery of St Anthony of Qozhaya, possesses the oldest printing press in the Middle East (1584 to 1610), which can be seen in the monastery museum. It's said this press was still operational as late as the Second World War.

Just east of the valley is the marvellous ‘Cedars of God’, a remnant of the majestic cedar forest that used to cover much of Lebanon. The location is protected but can be visited with a guide. The Al Shouf Cedar Nature reserve, one hour’s drive from Beirut, is also home to cedar trees, as well as Syrian Brown bears, Golden Jackalsand Griffon Vultures!

Feeling inspired? You can start planning your trip straightaway with Air France’s step by step guide.

The very best websites to get your Lebanese holiday planning off to a flying start!

These websites are perfect for practical tips and itinerary suggestions for Lebanon:

• lebanonembassy.ca/english.html
• mot.gov.lb/
• shoufcedar.org/
• jeitagrotto.com/
• visit-lebanon.org/leisure