Spiritual tour

Start off from Beirut at 8.30 AM and head to Southern Lebanon’s village of Cana where Christ’s first miracle took place. Stop by Magdousheh to visit the Greek Catholic church dedicated to the Virgin of Montara. See the cave where – according to the Holy Bible – the Virgin Mary waited for Christ while he was visiting Sidon. Take in the spiritual vibe of Cana’s different sites before heading for lunch at the seaside city of Tyre. In the afternoon head to an ancient Greek Catholic convent known as Deir el Mokhalles (Monastery of the Savior) in the village of Joun, tucked away in Lebanon’s verdant Chouf mountains. You’ll see the convent’s spellbinding iconostasis and meet with the resident priest.

Begin the second day’s tour at 8.30 AM with a trip to the town of Byblos whose name relates to the word Bible in Greek. Head to the convent of Mar Abda (Saint Abda) in Maad and then marvel at a historic church from the 13th century, built over the ruins of an ancient Roman temple. You’re going to be amazed at the newly restored frescoes. In the afternoon, make your way to one of the country’s most sacred sites, the convent of Mar Maroun, set in Annaya in the heart of the Lebanese mountains. This is where you’ll come across the miraculously preserved body of Saint Charbel, Lebanon’s patron saint belonging to the Christian Maronite faith and canonized by the Catholic Church. Later on, enjoy dinner at one of the area’s most distinguished mountain guesthouses, the Oasis of Saint-Charbel.

Seize the day and head to Annaya at 8.30 AM, making your way to village of Kaftoun in the Koura region, North Lebanon. Visit the Convent of Our Lady of Kaftoun and meet up close with the resident Greek Orthodox nuns. There’s a historic church from the 13th century with many frescoes that shouldn’t be missed. A traditional Lebanese restaurant awaits you for lunch before moving on to the Balamand Convent, a revered bastion of Greek Orthodoxy in Lebanon. This enchantingly beautiful convent from the 12th century – originally Cistercian, a Catholic order that branched off from the Benedictines – boasts stunning icon-filled churches. The convent was taken over by the Orthodox Church after the Crusaders abandoned the region. Relax with an overnight stay in nearby Garzouz at the Convent of the Community of Beatitudes, dedicated to Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus. This is also a hotel where we get to enjoy a local Lebanese dinner.