FX Excursions

FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.

Beirut: Step Lively

by Sharon King Hoge

May 1, 2018
May 2018

ON THE LONGEST STAIRWAY in the Middle East, 129 steps and 18 landings separate two of the most colorful neighborhoods in Lebanon’s cosmopolitan capital city. The historic St. Nicholas staircase links Beirut’s trendy Gemmayze district upward to Sursock, the fancy avenue lined with grand mansions and elegant high rises of the past and present gentry. Both areas still show signs of the devastating effects of the civil war that raged 1975–1990, but structures decorated with arched windows, ornamental ironwork and ornate cornices witness a lively lifestyle dating from the era when this city was called the Paris of the Middle East.

The stairway landing is tucked off Gourand Road, one of the city’s liveliest streets (locals just call it Main Street), lined with boutiques, cafés and clubs. Storefront restaurants offer fresh croissants, sushi, pasta, sandwiches, pizza slices and hamburgers. A few doorways to the west of the steps, the longtime local favorite café, Le Chef, offers daily fresh specials of homemade food “like my grandmother’s kitchen.” After dark, clients comfortably sipping cocktails and local Beirut beer while engrossed in their laptops populate the street’s cozy clubs and dimly lit pubs.

Halfway up the steps, the Grand Meshmosh café provides a hangout for visitors sampling turnip and fennel soup, eggplant moussaka and slices of dense carrot cake. Farther along, My Luxury Outlet sells elegant shoes, bags, luggage and other leather goods by Longchamp, Lancel and Fratelli Rossetti at steeply discounted prices.

Port of Beirut

Port of Beirut © THINK DESIGN MANAGE | DREAMSTIME.COM

Signs at the top of the steps designate the district “Caractere Traditionnel,” and directly across the street is the former Maison Tarazi, dating from 1908. It sits a few doors down from the three-story 1912 villa of aristocratic art collector Nicholas Sursock, converted to a notable museum highlighting regional and contemporary art. Lights blaze from its stained glass windows at night, and Sursock’s book- and memento-lined study and ornate Oriental Arab Room ringed with divans convey a sense of the grand lifestyle that once prevailed here.

Storefront shops sell high-end art and antiques and the exquisite mini-mosaic rings and brooches of jeweler Nada Le Cavalier. Around the corner at the far end of the street, the grand old theater of the Metropolis Cinema screens first-run American and international films.

Introducing

FX Excursions

FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.

Explore Excursions

#globility

Insta Feed
Cruises
May 17, 2025

Viking Takes Delivery of Newest River Ship in Europe

Officially delivered March 18, Viking’s newest Longship Viking Nerthus was presented at Meyer’s Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock Warneműnde, Germany. Accommodating up to 168 guests, Viking Nerthus spans 84 staterooms, all featuring Viking’s signature Scandinavian design.

Royal Air Maroc Marks Five Years with oneworld: Strengthening Connectivity Between USA and Africa and Expanding Global Reach

Royal Air Maroc proudly enters its fifth year as a member of the prestigious oneworld alliance. Since joining in April 2020, RAM has demonstrated resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, emerging as a dynamic airline that enhanced its digital services and expanded its network. The airline plans to grow its fleet to 200 aircraft by 2037, reinforcing its global presence.

Daily
May 16, 2025

New Kosovo Philharmonic Opera, Ballet and Theatre Hall to Open This Year

A new opera and ballet theater in Kosovo will house four performance halls and a new public plaza in the capital city of Prishtina. As the first opera house in the Republic of Kosovo, the theater symbolizes the country’s rich and diverse cultural heritage while reflecting a new identity for Prishtina, rooted in creativity and a commitment to the country’s artistic growth.

Daily
May 16, 2025

Inkaterra Hotels Make a Peru Trip Unforgettable

Looking to plan the ultimate trip to Peru, but not sure where to start? Inkaterra is here to help. With properties in multiple cities throughout the country and various immersive itineraries, Inkaterra makes it easy for your dream trip to Peru to come to life.

Sail Unique with Explora Journeys

SAIL UNIQUE: A New Chapter in Luxury Ocean Travel Imagine a place where modern European elegance meets the rhythm of the sea — where time slows down, and every detail is crafted to inspire connection and quiet indulgence. This is Explora Journeys, the luxury lifestyle ocean brand from MSC Group created to redefine how we explore the world.

Daily
May 16, 2025

“Le Commandant Charcot” Will Complete Full Antarctica Circumnavigation in 2028

PONANT EXPLORATIONS will soon achieve a new world first when its Le Commandant Charcot will embark on a full circumnavigation of Antarctica, departing from Ushuaia, Argentina, from January to March 2028. This polar expedition unlike any before will journey nearly 11,200 miles of remote, uncharted coastline of the White Continent.

eFlyer Reviews
May 14, 2025

Hotel Van Zandt Review

One step onto Austin’s Rainey Street and you’ll feel like you’ve joined the cool kids at the best playground in the city. Just behind the cottage bars, pint-sized skyscrapers soar. One of them, Hotel Van Zandt, the Rainey district's pièce de resistance, beckons with a song-like spirit —apropos because the independently owned property, rife with music motifs, was named after beloved singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt. Sixteen stories high, the hotel embodies Austin’s lust for music, manifesting with a vinyl corner; trumpet chandeliers; myriad musical references; replica vintage posters in frames; and its own live music venue, which doubles as its acclaimed restaurant, Geraldine’s. Don’t miss the mesmerizing installation of colorful origami-like birds composed from vinyl records that flitter from an old phonograph.

Find Your Perfect Escape with Paradisus by Meliá — More Than Just All-Inclusive

Luxury travel today is about more than just beautiful accommodations — it’s about experiencing the destination. Paradisus by Meliá takes traditional all-inclusive resorts to the next level by offering indulgence with immersion, experiences and authenticity. Each resort is shaped by its location, local flavors and curated Destination Inclusive® experiences that bring you closer to the heart of the destination.

eFlyer News
May 14, 2025

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions Enters European River Cruise Market with 2026 Itineraries

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions recently announced its inaugural European river cruises, with bookings open for its 2026 sailings on May 20. Travelers can choose from two options, each focusing on different destinations and activities.