Lebanon’s diverse patchwork of Mediterranean-lapped coast, rugged alpine peaks and green, fertile valleys is packed into a parcel of land some 225km long and 46km wide—an area approximately the size of Cyprus or Connecticut.

The cosmopolitan flair of modern-day Beirut, the gastronomic renown of the country’s food and wine, and an educated and outward-looking population complement a country that is both traditional and progressive in outlook. For all the flavors of its storied past and rugged natural beauty, Lebanon is a well-kept tourist secret that begs exploration.

There are four main regions in Lebanon, differentiated by geography and climate: the coastal plain, the Mount Lebanon Range, the Bekaa Valley, and the Anti-Lebanon Range.

The lovely Lebanese coast is framed by the Mediterranean Sea to the west and the Mount Lebanon Range to the east, its temperate climate bringing in sunny, hot summers and cool, rainy winters. The daytime temperature in the summer, which averages 30°C (86°F), encourages people to head to the beach or to the higher, altitude-cooled mountain slopes. In the coastal cities of Sidon and Byblos tourists can enjoy the rare opportunity to snorkel amongst long-submerged Phoenician ruins, while excellent hiking is a mere hour away in the Shouf region of the Mount Lebanon Range.

The Mount Lebanon Range includes numerous rivers that fizz with snowmelt, steep-walled gullies that shade grottoes (caves) once the hideout to those fleeing persecution, and also Lebanon's highest summit, Qornet es-Sawda (3,090m). In winter, the high peaks are blanketed with snow, lending Lebanon its name, “Lubnan,” the Arabic word for “white.” Lebanon boasts a number of world-class ski resorts, one of only two countries in the Middle East where you can ski (the other being Iran). The ski season runs from December until April.

The Mount Lebanon Range is also the location of Lebanon’s Cedar Reserves. The great cedar forests of Lebanon, now protected, are famous for their use in the construction of some of the holiest buildings in the region, indeed the world, including Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock and Solomon’s Temple.

Koura is a region in northern Lebanon known for its green fields of olives. It includes more than 50 towns, most famous among them are Amioun, Kosba and Kfar Hazir. Koura’s landscape is renown for its views of the snow-topped mountains and the sea from the numerous old churches and monasteries perched on the hillsides. Visitors to Koura will enjoy the area’s restaurants and the traditional charm of its towns, as well as the opportunity for horseback riding. Well-known crafts from this area include homemade olive oil soap and preserves, such as jam, tomato paste, olive oil and pickles.