Zahlé    

Located at an altitude of close to 1000 meters, at the end of the Beqaa Valley, and separated from the coastal cities by Mount Lebanon, Zahlé with its unmistakable red roofs enjoys a truly wonderful climate. It is cool and dry in summer and snowfalls are frequent in winter. Its peculiarities can be readily summarized by the traditional expression that dubs it the "city of wine and poetry". In the twentieth century alone, more than 50 writers and poets were born here, and the area is among the best known for its production of a large variety of wines and arak, the region's typical anise flavored liquor.

The very popular Wine Festival is held in Zahlé between 10 and 20 September each year, and a tour of the wine cellars, many of which are carved into the rocky hillsides and have been in use from Roman times, is truly fascinating. The city's famous restaurants contribute to this success. Starting in the nineteenth century a great many have been opened along the banks of the Al-Bardawni river that crosses the city separating the "old city" on the west bank from the modern, mainly commercial part on the other side.