Luxurious accommodation and intricate 19th-century architecture make Beirut a stunning city to visit, but it’s the food that truly brings it alive

Recently recommended to New York Times readers, Lebanon’s capital city has regained its tourist appeal. Nathan May discovers more about Beirut

The applause generated by the music at Lebanon’s summer festivals seems to carry overtones of joy and relief that they are back after two years of cancellations forced by a war with Israel in 2006 and battles with Islamist militants last year