Planning a trip
Hearing music in Lebanon
The Baalbeck International Festival was founded in 1955. Its best-known stage stands below the Temple of Bacchus, open to the night sky, and the programme has ranged across opera, orchestra, ballet, theatre, jazz and Arabic song. It suits travellers who care about the setting as much as the music, and who are prepared for the festival to be uncertain.
The status is the first thing to check. The 2026 edition, meant to mark the 70th anniversary and open on 24 July, has been postponed, and no new date is set. The last edition ran 25 July to 9 August 2025, while 2024 was cancelled. The festival did hold a Baalbeck Festival Week in Beirut, at the American University, on 14 to 19 September 2026. Traditionally the season is July and August; watch baalbeck.org.lb for news.
Travel advice matters here. UK Foreign Office advice for Lebanon, updated on 10 August 2026, warns against all travel to parts of the Baalbek-Hermel Governorate and against all but essential travel in the rest of it. Read it before booking anything. For the route itself, fly into Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport, 9 km south of the city centre. Baalbek is about 67 km north-east of Beirut, via the Beirut-Damascus highway towards Zahle, then signs to Baalbek. Check current advice before planning the road.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Is the Baalbeck International Festival happening in 2026?
No. The 2026 edition, planned as the 70th anniversary and due to open on 24 July, has been postponed with no new date. The last edition ran 25 July to 9 August 2025. Check baalbeck.org.lb for updates.
How do you get to Baalbek from Beirut?
Fly into Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport. Baalbek is about 67 km north-east of Beirut, along the Beirut-Damascus highway towards Zahle and then signs to Baalbek. Check current travel advice before planning the road.
Is it safe to travel to Baalbek for the festival?
Check official advice first. As updated on 10 August 2026, UK Foreign Office advice is against all travel to parts of the Baalbek-Hermel Governorate and all but essential travel to the rest of it.