Beirut Attractions and Museum Visits

October 29, 2026

Advisory notice, October 2026. The US government advises its citizens not to travel to Lebanon because of armed conflict, terrorism, unrest, kidnapping, landmines and crime, and its capacity to assist is very limited. The UK FCDO advises against all travel to the south, Nabatiyeh, large parts of the Beqaa and Baalbek-Hermel, parts of the southern suburbs, northern Akkar and the Palestinian camps. Strikes may happen without warning, and airspace can close quickly. Read the FCDO page and the US advisory first. Travel insurance may be void if you go against official advice.

The big paid attractions near Beirut are a cave, a hilltop shrine with a cable car, and a handful of museums. Each has an opening status that moves, so this page is organised as a checklist: what the place is, what is known about getting in, and what to confirm on the day.

Jeita Grotto

Jeita is a pair of limestone caves north of the capital. The upper gallery is a walkway of about 750 m, and the lower gallery is explored by a short boat ride of about 500 m. Its longest stalactite measures 8.2 m. The site closed for most of the period from late 2024 to mid 2025, shut again briefly in November 2025, and reopened on 15 November 2025. An adult ticket of about $15 and hours of roughly 09:00 to 17:00, Tuesday to Sunday, come from secondary sources only. The lower cave shuts when water is high, and photography has long been restricted inside. Confirm the status before you set off.

Harissa and the cable car

Harissa is the hilltop sanctuary of Our Lady of Lebanon above Jounieh. The cable car from the station below carries visitors up, and the fare includes the funicular to the shrine. The operator lists 1,100,000 LBP for an adult tourist return and 600,000 LBP for a child, and children under 8 ride free. That is roughly $12 for an adult. Hours conflict: the operator site says Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 19:00, while a spring 2026 report gave Friday to Sunday only, 11:00 to 17:30. Weekends are the safe bet, and the cable car site shows current fares. Remember it is a pilgrimage place, so dress modestly.

Museums worth a ticket

National Museum of Beirut, on Damascus Road. Its prize pieces include the Ahiram sarcophagus from Byblos and anthropoid sarcophagi from Sidon. Reported hours are about 09:30 to 15:00, Tuesday to Sunday, and the foreign visitor fee is a few dollars paid at the desk. The official site is museebeyrouth-liban.org .
Sursock Museum, in Achrafieh. A modern and contemporary art museum that reopened in May 2023 after repair work. Current shows are listed on sursock.museum , and hours and fees should be confirmed there.
Mim Mineral Museum, on the USJ campus on Damascus Road. Minerals and fossils, reported open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 18:00. Entry costs are given inconsistently, so ask on arrival.
Beit Beirut, at Sodeco. A bullet-scarred apartment building that served as a sniper post in the civil war and is now a memory museum. Visit it in a quiet, respectful frame of mind, and check its hours before you go.

Organised outings

Comparing a driver or guide for Jeita and Harissa in one half day is simple on Viator . Both sights are reachable at the moment, though not risk-free. Make sure the operator will not route you through any advised-against area, and agree the pickup point and price in writing.

Money and movement

Bring crisp US dollars printed in 2013 or later, as older or damaged notes are turned down and cards often fail. The pound trades near 89,500 LBP to the dollar. Beirut has no metro or train, so use a ride-hailing app such as Careem or agree a taxi fare before you get in.