In the Bekaa valley of Lebanon, close to the Syrian border, an Umayyad city lies laid out in a perfect grid, as if drawn with a ruler. Anjar was built in the early eighth century, probably under the caliph al-Walid I, as a palace town and commercial centre on the trade routes between Damascus and the coast. Its plan echoes Roman cities, with two main streets crossing at a four-sided monument, the tetrapylon, lined with the bases of hundreds of shops. Arches of the great palace, built of alternating courses of stone and brick, rise against the backdrop of the Anti-Lebanon mountains, and in the late afternoon the stone glows warm gold. The city flourished only briefly before being abandoned, which is why it is so clearly preserved. UNESCO listed it in 1984.
The modern village of Aanjar next door has a fascinating story. It was founded in 1939 by Armenian refugees from Musa Dagh, a mountain on the coast of what is now Turkey, whose people famously resisted deportation in 1915 and were rescued by French warships. Their descendants still live here, and the village has Armenian churches, schools and restaurants. Springs rise near the village, and trout restaurants beside the water are a popular weekend outing for Lebanese families.
The Bekaa is Lebanon's breadbasket, a high, fertile valley between two mountain ranges, with vineyards, orchards and fields of vegetables. It is also wine country, with some of the oldest wineries in the Middle East. Zahlé, the main town, is known for its riverside restaurants, where long lunches of mezze and grilled meats are served with arak, an aniseed spirit diluted with water.
Travel in Lebanon needs careful thought. The country has faced conflict, economic crisis and instability, and the Bekaa in particular has seen security incidents and airstrikes in recent years. Check current government advice before planning a trip. If conditions allow, the ride from Beirut over Mount Lebanon to the Bekaa is spectacular, climbing to a high pass with views back over the Mediterranean, though snow can close the road in winter and traffic is chaotic.
Zahlé, about thirteen kilometres away, has fuel, shops and restaurants. Try a plate of mezze, with hummus, tabbouleh and kibbeh, and fresh trout by the springs of Aanjar.