Harissa and Jounieh

Harissa is a hilltop village above the Bay of Jounieh, about 20 km north of Beirut, crowned by the shrine of Our Lady of Lebanon, a white statue of the Virgin Mary with arms outstretched toward the Mediterranean. The shrine is a pilgrimage site and a lookout, and the Teleferique cable car runs from the bay at Maameltein up to the hilltop, with a spiral path around the statue and a Maronite and a Greek Catholic cathedral beside it. Jounieh itself is a lively seaside town with a seafront promenade, old souk and seafood restaurants. Visitors reach it from Beirut in 30 to 45 minutes by minibus, taxi or hired car. Operating hours and cable-car prices were not verified for 2026, so visitors should check at the station or the shrine's official page on the day. The area is not named in the FCDO areas of advised-against travel as of August 2026. Dress modestly in the shrine, with shoulders and knees covered. In an emergency dial 112, 140 for the Red Cross or 125 for Civil Defence.