Throughout Lebanon, visitors should expect to see armed soldiers and private security guards—quite often, you'll be asked to reveal the contents of your bags before entering a store or shopping mall. Carry your passport with you at all times, although you may never be asked to show it.
Political events in Lebanon are unlikely to impact tourists directly unless there's an actual war in progress. There's very little animosity to foreigners in Lebanon. On the contrary, many people go out of their way to be helpful, and "welcome" is the word you'll probably hear most often.
There is little crime in Beirut, but take the same commonsense precautions that you would in any urban area: Keep an eye on your possessions and don't venture into dark, secluded, unknown areas at night. If possible, avoid carrying a handbag when stepping out at night, mostly because this will attract the attention of security personnel rather than thieves. Ask your hotel's concierge or front-desk staff about the safety of any specific area you wish to visit.
Egotistical, aggressive drivers are the greatest threat to tourists in Beirut. Take great care when crossing the street, as motorists have priority over pedestrians and oncoming cars may not slow down even if they see you.
For the latest information, contact your country's travel-advisory agency.
Dos & Don'ts
Don't expect to find a medieval walled city center or traditional souks in Beirut.
Do expect to encounter many different spellings for place-names. Transliteration from the Arabic yields a lot of variations, and French spellings are very common, such as "Beyrouth" for Beirut.
As a tourist, don't visit churches or mosques while services are being held. Unless you're Muslim, do ask permission before entering a mosque, and do remove your shoes first. Don't plan to visit mosques during the holy month of Ramadan, unless you're Muslim.
Do walk as much as you can while seeing the city, but don't hesitate to take a taxi when you grow tired or need to travel a long distance.
Don't assume that West Beirut is exclusively Muslim or that East Beirut is exclusively Christian. The city's demographics are not that simple or straightforward.
Do be prepared to see examples of both conspicuous wealth and abject poverty.
