Faraya

Faraya and Kfardebian lie at around 1,600 metres, a little over an hour above Beirut, below the Mzaar slopes — the largest ski area in the Middle East, with the lifts twelve minutes from the homes. In winter the road fills on Friday evenings with those coming up for the snow; in summer the same road brings them up for the air, when the coast is at thirty-five degrees and the terrace here at twenty-two.

Beyond the skiing there is the walking: the Faraya plateau, the natural bridge of Kfardebian, the Roman temple at Faqra with the mountains behind it, and the villages along the road whose restaurants serve their own produce. Every Diar home here has a fireplace, with wood provided.

The road up is good and the drive from the airport approximately an hour and a half; in snow, chains or a four-wheel drive are required above the village. Warm layers are advisable in every month — the nights are cool even in August — and the Diar team can advise on the slopes and lift passes at the time of booking.