---
type: Place
title: Batroun
description: Seaside town on Lebanon's coast — Harry's favourite city in the country, known for cobbled streets, beach life, and the famous Hilmi's lemonade.
tags: [batroun, lebanon, coast, food, lemonade]
coordinates: {lat: 34.2549, lng: 35.6589}
timestamp: 2026-07-12T12:00:00Z
---

# Batroun

Coastal town in [Lebanon](/countries/lebanon.md) 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](/countries/lebanon.md) 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! 🇱🇧](/videos/SfY9sQWzkl8.md) —
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SfY9sQWzkl8