Car Hire Beirut

Guide

Beirut was once one of the Mediterranean’s jewels. Before the 17 years of civil strife wrecked havoc in Lebanon, this Middle Eastern city once rivalled Paris in culture and sophistication. Yet despite these setbacks, Beirut is still a city of contrasts, recent stability and restoration of the city’s former beauty are slowing attracting well-healed tourists back. Renting a car is by far the most convenient form of transport for exploring this beautiful city. Book cheap car hire in Beirut here today and compare quotes across dozens of top rental suppliers.

Explore Beirut

A great place to visit in Beriut is the Hamra area, located in the north-west of the city. Home to the city's hotels, banks, cafes, restaurants and post office, this area of Beirut is great for shopping. Nearby is the American University of Beirut which has a small museum of archaeology, with collections of Phoenician figurines. Located to the east of Beirut tourists will come across the Sursock Museum, which houses an Italian style 19th century villa, exhibiting contemporary Lebanese art and a quaint library.

The Beirut Central District, referred to by locals as 'downtown', is a living museum of the recent civil war, much of which today is being restored. The most notable historical building still standing is the Omari (Grand) Mosque, originally constructed during the Byzantine era as a Crusader church, and then converted to a mosque in 1291.

Take a trip to Pigeon Rocks, which is Beirut’s most famous natural feature, consisting of offshore rock arches off Beirut's towering sea cliffs. It's also an ideal location for a picnic and mingling with the locals who congregate here to relax at dusk and enjoy the magnificent sunsets.

A drive along the Corniche, Beirut's coastal road, affords great coastal views and a chance to slow down and take in the sea air. A 40km drive up the coast from Beirut is the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos. It’s one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, dating back 7000 years, and definitely worth a visit. Book car rentals in Beirut in advance of travel and it will make exploring these outer regions far easier.

Transport

By air
A growing number of airlines service Rafic Hariri International Airport, located around 8kms south of the city, and has frequent connections to Europe, Asia, and Africa, as well as the rest of the Middle East. The national carrier, Middle East Airlines also flies to Canada and Australia and recently the US lifted its ban on travel to Lebanon.

Car rental providers found in the arrivals hall include; Dealers. Hertz, Avis, Budget, National, City Car, and Lenacar. For more options compare quotes online today with us and we'll find you a cheap deal from a range of cars.

Shuttle services operate to and from the airport and Beirut's city centre. If this is your arrival destination then be sure to arrange cheap car hire at Beirut Airport not from a downtown depot, as this will allow you to save on transfer costs.

By bus
Buses and taxis also service the city and are considered a cheap and fast way of getting around, however, during peak seasons buses can get extremely cramped at certain times of the day, and taxi prices tend to increase to match tourist numbers.