Beiteddine was the summer palace of the Emir (prince). It was built in the 19th century and sits up in the mountains. Part of it is now the summer residence of the president (or was it the prime minister; forgive me for not getting that right). However, it is also the home to the world's largest Byzantine Mosaic Collection, which is certainly quite impressive!I took a tour through Nakhal Sightseeing tours (www.nakhal.com) via my hotel. The tour included hotel pick-up/drop-off, guided tour of Beiteddine and Deir El-Kamar (a lovely village, convent, and marionite church), as well as a winery tour in the Bekaa Valley, followed by lunch in the Bekaa Valley and a short hike among the cedars (4,000-year-old cedars). The guide was Madilyn, who was well informed as well as multilingual (English, French, Italian, and Arabic!) and made the trip very enjoyable!
Again, there is a summer festival with world-renowned entertainers. This year was UB40, Julia, and Sara Baras (flamenco), to name a few!
Website: http://www.beiteddine.org/