Never mind the souks -- Lebanon's capital offers traditional shopping with upscale, contemporary twists.

If you’re expecting to haggle for a bargain in Beirut’s souks, think again.

“Beirut is the only city in the Middle East that doesn’t have a souk,” says tour guide Ronnie Chatah from BeBeirut. “In its place we built a shopping mall with a Ferrari dealership and valet parking.”

While there are certainly plenty of big labels on show, Beirut has a thriving art and design scene that values individuality and craftsmanship.

Coffee in copper
Beiruti’s love their coffee and there are plenty of cool cafes serving skinny soya lattes.

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Published in CNNTravel.com. Copyright CNN. Photo: Glen Pearson.

Lebanon's cosmopolitan capital is going all out to woo adventurous luxury lovers.

Strolling along the crescent-shaped esplanade of Zaitunay Bay in Beirut’s
Downtown area, it’s hard to imagine that this was once a rubbish dump – and the heartland of the country’s 15-year civil war. 

The aquamarine water of the Mediterranean laps languidly at the hulls of multi-million dollar yachts, while Beirut’s beautiful people eat al fresco at the high-end restaurants that line the teak promenade.

Zaitunay Bay’s shiny new marina is the city’s latest effort to shake off its war-tainted reputation. And with a yacht club due to open next year, the city is going all out to recapture the glamour of its 1950s and 60s heyday when it was a playground for the international jet set. That was until 1975, when the city was divided into predominantly Christian and Muslim halves by the infamous Green Line.

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Published in Luxury Travel magazine. Copyright Luxury Travel. Photo: Glen Pearson.