The Beqaa Valley has been growing grapes for more than five thousand years. Long before maps gave it a name, vines were climbing these slopes — and a few of the wineries still here today have been making wine for over a century. Staying at Chtaura Park Hotel puts you within an easy drive of nearly all of them, which makes a day of wine tasting one of the simplest, most rewarding excursions you can plan.
Start with Château Ksara — fifteen minutes from the hotel. Founded by Jesuit monks in 1857, it is Lebanon's oldest winery and offers an immersive cellar tour through Roman-era caves still in use today. Tastings include their celebrated Reserve du Couvent and the Caves de Ksara range. We pour Ksara wines by the glass and bottle at Le Diplomate, so you can taste at the source in the morning and revisit the favorites at dinner.
"What makes Bekaa wine special isn't just the altitude or the climate — it's the depth of the tradition. You taste it in every glass."
Château Kefraya, about thirty minutes south, is a name every wine lover should know. Sprawling vineyards, a serious restaurant on-site, and a tasting room overlooking the valley. Domaine des Tourelles, just down the road from us in Chtaura itself, predates Ksara and produces an arak that wine writers have called the country's finest. Massaya is a younger label but has earned its place quickly — their Le Colombier and Terrasses de Baalbeck are widely poured in Beirut's best restaurants.
Two or three wineries is the right pace for a single day — enough to taste with attention, leave room for a long lunch, and arrive back at the hotel without rushing. Most cellars welcome walk-ins, but for tours and tastings it is best to book ahead. Our concierge can arrange the itinerary, organize a driver, and reserve a table at a winery restaurant. Come back, change for dinner, and finish the evening at Le Diplomate with a glass of something you discovered earlier in the day.
The harvest window — late August through early October — is the most atmospheric time to visit, but Bekaa wineries are open and pouring year-round. Spring, with the vines in leaf, has its own quiet charm. Whatever the season, we will help you build a day that fits.
