Qadisha valley

The Qadisha valley, also known as Kadisha or وادي قاديشا in Arabic extends from Bcharre in the Lebanese mountains for 50km to the coast north of Batroun. The valley was carved by the Qadisha river and is known as the holy valley, due to the large number of monasteries it contains. The Kadisha valley has been on the UNESCO world heritage list since 1998 and is one of the most important early Christian monastic settlements in the world.
Near the city of Bcharre the valley becomes a narrow gorge. Some monasteries are cut into the rocky cliffs, such as for instance the Deir Mar Elisha monastery, where the Maronite order of Lebanese monks was founded in 1695.
From Bcharre a narrow and winding road leads to the bottom of the gorge, from where is it possible to continue driving on a dirt track or continue on foot, to visit the various monasteries in the valley.
How to get to the Qadisha valley
The valley is accessible via roads starting in Batroun or Chekka along the coast or from the Bekaa valley along a road which crosses the mountains. There are regular buses connecting Bcharre with Beirut. There are also buses to/from Tripoli.
Accommodation
There are a few hotels in the city of Bcharre and some more in the nearby resort of the Cedars of God, all bookable throuzgh the booking portals.