Tour overview

Located in Bekaa district and distant 56 km from Beirut on an altitude of 1210 m, Qsarnaba or Ksarnaba village is at the shoulder of The Western Lebanese Mountain Range just to the East of Mount Sanine specifically and it overlooks the central parts of Bekaa valley.

The village is known for its hilly terrain where visitors can witness traditional agriculture practices, including the extraction of Rose Water.

4 things to do in Qsarnaba:

Damask Rose Harvest: People in Qasarnaba are traditional farmers. They’re known for growing vineyards and wild rose flowers for rosewater extraction. Have the experience of a farmer life, by joining the locals on their seasonal Rosa Damascena or Damask Rose harvest. You will definitely be invited to their houses, where you will find them distilling the petal of the roses in a big pot called Karakeh, in order to get the rose water, used in many Lebanese dishes especially desserts.

Visit the Roman Temple:  Qsarnaba’s most famous landmark is a Roman Temple, which is the origin of the village’s name. It is built on a rather high platform, so that visitor has to climb some stairs to reach the cult room. The temple is still preserved, and the impressive fronton, which used to face the rising sun, has been reconstructed by the excavators. On the top of the fronton, the portrait of a man named Nonianus is still visible. He was probably a priest.

Visit the Roman “Quarry”: Qsarnaba is famous for its hilly terrain. On top of one of its hills, you will find the Roman Quarry, from where Romans used to bring stones to build the Temple. It also happens that this point overlooks the central parts of the Bekaa Valley, from where you can capture fascinating landscape photos.

Get Sfeeha for lunch: One of the authentic food of the Bekaa district is Sfeeha, a dough with goat meat baked in the oven. Have it with Laban to add more authenticity to the experience.

A tour not to be missed!