"House of Religion, Architecture and Music" Beit ed Dine by miso80

Only 50km away from Beirut, situated on one of the hills of Chouf District is the small beautiful Lebanese town of Beit ed Dine. This town was so beautiful that it was selected by emir Bashir Shihab II - the Ruler of Mount Lebanon - as the location where the magnificent Palace of Beit ed Dine would be built. Today, besides being an architectural masterpiece, this palace hosts an annual festival where music and magic fill the air.

This town is also in close proximity (5KM) to Deir el Qamar - or the 'Monastery of the Moon') a town known for its red-tiled roofs, its Fakhreddin II Palace and mosque and being the birthplace of many well known personalities: artists, writers, and politicians.

It took 30 years to complete this building - with architects from Damascus, Aleppo and Italy were invited to assist with designing it - Thus the style is a mix of both traditional arab (levant) architecture with some Italian baroque.

Beit ed dine has many parts of it open to the public, although this has officially been declared the president's summer residence.

The Beit ed Dine Festival held each year hosts local and international artists from around the world. The beautiful setting, ambiance and music makes this an all around great experience.

• Pros:Combines history, culture, architecture at such a close proximity
• Cons:Pick a good time to go or it can be hot and busy
• In a nutshell:Such an enriching experience at your fingertips