Beirut is the capital and largest city of Lebanon, a Mediterranean port of mosques, churches, Ottoman and French-mandate architecture, museums, corniche promenades and one of the Arab world's best food scenes. In October 2026 it is also a city under very restrictive government travel advisories (US Level 4 Do Not Travel; Canada avoid all travel; Australia do not travel; UK against all travel to parts of the city), so this guide leads with the security picture and then covers what is open, where to stay and eat, and how to get around.
Beirut has a Mediterranean climate: hot, humid summers, mild wet winters and short, pleasant springs and autumns. Summer highs are 30-32C with humidity above 65 percent, winter days sit around 17-19C with nights near 10C, and most of the roughly 800-900 mm of annual rain falls from November to March, heaviest in December to February. Snow falls on Mount Lebanon behind the city but almost never in Beirut. The sea is warmest in August (about 28-29C) and coldest in February (about 17C). A hot, dusty khamsin wind from the desert can raise spring temperatures sharply. All figures here are approximate climate norms.
Best time to visit
Best: April
Peak Season: July and August (diaspora visitors), Christmas and New Year, and Easter
Avoid: January and February for heavy rain and cold sea; any period of active escalation, regardless of the month
Summary: Spring and autumn give comfortable walking weather and swimmable sea. Because government advisories in 2026 are at their highest level, security conditions should decide timing more than weather.
Notes: Dates of Ramadan, Eid and Easter shift each year; Lebanon recognises both Western and Orthodox Easter. Check the current advisory of your own government before booking.
Month-by-month weather
Typical conditions throughout the year.
January
14C/57F
Cool and the wettest month, with highs near 17C and lows near 10C. (typical high 17C, low 10C; approximate)
February
14C/57F
Cool and rainy, with the sea at its coldest, about 17C. Ramadan 2027 is expected to begin around 8 February (subject to moon sighting). (typical high 17C, low 10C; approximate)
March
16C/61F
Mild and changeable with spring showers; Eid al-Fitr 2027 is expected around 9-10 March and Western Easter falls on 28 March 2027. (typical high 19C, low 12C; approximate)
April
18C/64F
Pleasant and mostly dry, with clear air; Orthodox Easter 2027 is on 2 May. (typical high 22C, low 14C; approximate)
May
21C/70F
Warm and sunny, with the sea reaching about 21C; Eid al-Adha 2027 is expected around 16 May. (typical high 25C, low 17C; approximate)
June
25C/77F
Hot and dry with rising humidity; beach clubs open fully. (typical high 28C, low 21C; approximate)
July
28C/82F
Hot and humid, with the highest hotel rates because of diaspora visitors. (typical high 31C, low 24C; approximate)
August
29C/84F
Hottest and most humid month, with the sea at its warmest, about 28-29C. (typical high 32C, low 25C; approximate)
September
27C/81F
Still hot but less crowded and calm; sea temperature about 28C. (typical high 30C, low 23C; approximate)
October
24C/75F
Warm, settled days with the first rain possible late in the month. (typical high 28C, low 20C; approximate)
November
19C/66F
Cooler with regular showers; Lebanese Independence Day is 22 November. (typical high 23C, low 15C; approximate)
December
16C/61F
Mild and wet, with Christmas lights in Downtown and Achrafieh. (typical high 19C, low 12C; approximate)
The seasons
What to expect in each part of the year.
Spring
Months: Mar-May
Warming from about 19C in March to 25C in May, with occasional showers early in the season and the clearest air of the year.
Summer
Months: Jun-Aug
Hot and humid, 28-32C by day and 24-25C at night, with almost no rain.
Fall
Months: Sep-Nov
Warm and settled in September and October (30C easing to 28C), then cooler and wetter in November (23C) as the first heavy rains arrive.
Winter
Months: Dec-Feb
Mild but wet, with highs of 17-19C, nights near 10C and heavy rain; January is the wettest month.
Crowds & peak times
When to expect tourists and when to avoid them.
- High Season
- July and August, when diaspora visitors fill hotels and beach clubs, plus Christmas to New Year and Easter week.
- Shoulder Season
- April to June and September to October.
- Low Season
- January to February (rain), and any period when security conditions keep visitors away; in 2026 visitor numbers have been well below normal.
Major events & festivals
Time your visit around what matters.
Ramadan 2027 begins
Many daytime restaurants and cafes in Muslim districts close or shorten hours; iftar meals and night life start after sunset.
Eid al-Fitr
Public holiday; shops and banks close for a few days and families fill the Corniche.
Easter
Christian communities hold services and processions; Good Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays for the respective calendars.
Eid al-Adha
Public holiday with family gatherings and shop closures.
Lebanese Independence Day
Public holiday; official ceremonies and a military parade at the Defence Ministry in Yarze, with some road closures.
Eid el-Burbara (Saint Barbara's Day)
Christian children dress in costume and families eat burbara, a sweet wheat dish; a lively evening in Achrafieh and Gemmayzeh.