Batroun

Coastal town in Lebanon that Harry calls his favourite city in the country — though he notes it feels more like a town than a city. Cobbled old streets, a restaurant-filled square, a beach, nightlife, and incredible sunsets give it the feel of a Western holiday destination with a lot of history.

Obs: the video’s subtitles garble the town’s name; it is identified as Batroun from the landmarks described (Hilmi’s lemonade house, founded 1888).

What Harry did

Harry based himself here for about a week in a newly built three-bedroom apartment ten minutes’ walk from town. He had a large Armenian-Lebanese fusion lunch with a friend — fruity fattoush-style salad, spicy potatoes, meat-filled dough pockets, hummus topped with crispy beef, eggplant-wrapped meat with cherry sauce, and the standout cherry kebab — at what he calls one of the best-looking restaurants he’s been to, with outdoor seating among the greenery. Afterwards he queued at Hilmi’s, the town’s famous lemonade house founded in 1888, for a fresh lemonade.

Practical facts

• Harry’s three-bedroom apartment cost about $50 a night (from video – unverified).
• A large multi-dish lunch for the table came to 2,600,000 lira — about $80 at the black-market exchange rate (the official rate would make it ~$1,700; see Lebanon on the currency situation).
• Very walkable; golf buggies can be rented.
• Wi-fi speeds are poor — Harry’s one complaint, mainly a problem for remote workers and creators.

Harry’s tips

• Try the cherry kebab at an Armenian restaurant — Harry rates it “20 out of 10” and among his favourite things in all of Lebanon.
• When the menu is overwhelming, ask the restaurant to bring what they recommend.
• Get the classic lemonade at Hilmi’s — locals claim lemonade was invented here, and while Harry doubts the claim, the drink lives up to the hype.
• Treat it as a holiday base: beach, sunsets, nightlife, and easy walking — just don’t count on fast internet.

Source

• My Favourite City In Lebanon! 🇱🇧 — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfY9sQWzkl8