The stones of Baalbek are so big that for centuries people said giants or djinn must have moved them. In the trilithon, part of the foundation of the temple of Jupiter, three limestone blocks each weigh around eight hundred tonnes, and in the quarry nearby lie even larger blocks, including the Stone of the Pregnant Woman, which were cut but never moved. The Romans called the city Heliopolis, the city of the sun, and built here one of the largest temple complexes of their empire over a period of two centuries. Six columns of the temple of Jupiter still stand, about twenty metres tall, and the temple of Bacchus next to it is one of the best-preserved Roman temples anywhere, with richly carved ceilings and doorways.
Baalbek lies in the Bekaa valley, the high, fertile plain between the Lebanon and Anti-Lebanon mountains, at over a thousand metres above sea level. The valley is a patchwork of fields, orchards and vineyards, and the wineries of the Bekaa, such as those around Zahle and Chtaura, produce some of the best wines in the Middle East. In summer, the Baalbek International Festival brings music and theatre to the temples, an unforgettable experience when it is held.
The road from Beirut to Baalbek crosses the Lebanon mountains over the Dahr el Baidar pass, with steep climbs, hairpins and views over the valley and the snow-capped peaks, then runs north through the Bekaa. Traffic can be heavy and chaotic, with trucks, buses and aggressive drivers, and the road surface varies. The valley is hot and dry in summer and cold in winter, with snow on the mountains.
This is also the place to be serious about safety. The Bekaa and the area around Baalbek have been affected by conflict, including air strikes in recent years, and many governments advise against travel there. Check the current situation, your government's travel advice and local conditions carefully before going. If you do go, Baalbek has fuel, shops and restaurants, and the local sfiha, small meat pies, are famous throughout Lebanon. The Hotel Palmyra, a historic hotel opposite the ruins, has hosted famous guests for over a century.