Our path today takes us to the winery of Massaya where we will tour the property and learn about Lebanese wine. Lunch at the property is accompanied by flat country bread which is baked right before us. Massaya also produces Arak, the strong yet delicious aniseed drink that is the perfect complement to our lunch. We will also sample the olive oil of Massaya and learn a few secrets of this wonderful ingredient. After lunch, we will head to the famed ruins of Baalbek with its three Roman temples, the largest of which rivals Athens' acropolis in magnificence. A tour of the site's museum will also reveal more about the hedonistic days of the wine-loving Romans. After a rich journey into the depths of the country, you will be free to wander in Beirut. Some tapa-like Meza plates or a couple of drinks at the local jazz bar down the road could prove to be a welcome treat.

Our late-morning gourmet lessons will focus on healthy food typically found on tables in the region's local homes. We will also chat about the ideas, processes and insiders' hints on how to prepare these healthy stews and rice dishes in your home. Once lunch is over, we will take a comfortable break then head to Beirut's renovated National Museum which houses a rich collection of items (sarcophagi, mosaics, jewellery, coins, ceramics, woodwork, and other historical relics) from various archaeological sites all over the country. The museum covers the prehistoric, bronze and iron ages as well as the Hellenic, Roman, Byzantine and Arab periods in the country's rich history. We may then watch an interesting presentation at the museum and rummage through its original gift shop. A relatively light evening meal at a trendy Lebanese place in Gemmayzeh will show you a hipper side of the city. This new vegetarian eatery specializes in hommus, steamed chickpeas and a regional dish of cooked fava beans called Foul.

Yet another trip will take us into the green heart of Mount Lebanon to one of the most idyllic village-towns in the region, followed by a trip to the Druze Palace of Beiteddine with its interesting museum. We will then head to the magnificent Mir Amin Palace for lunch, once the seat of a 19th century Lebanese Emir that has been turned into a first-class hotel tucked away in the mountains. We will have a few suggestions for your evening meal, which is essentially a free evening for you to venture out on your own or try something different at the hotel. (There is a superb Japanese restaurant, a new Italian restaurant and a happening lobby bar at our hotel, Le Meridien Commodore, for those who do not wish to stray far).

On the last day of our voyage, we will discover how to prepare a simple yet impressive chicken-rice dish covered with toasted almonds and pine nuts. This will be accompanied by a sumptuous array of side dishes. After some souvenir shopping in the vicinity and an afternoon siesta, we will head to our farewell dinner at the Al Balad Restaurant, a contemporary Lebanese restaurant that has reinterpreted old favourites and created some new ones. A surprise goodbye basket will be waiting in your room with some Lebanese delights. Naturally, we couldn't possibly reveal what's in it!

Checkout from the hotel is at noon, although you can keep your baggage in the hotel until you are ready to go to the airport. Interestingly, even the airport in Lebanon has fine dining options that will leave a lasting impression. Beirut airport's duty-free shops also offer a stunning range of sweets, nuts and gourmet items to stock up on. Bon voyage!

To sum it all up, we have carefully fashioned this 8-day adventure to share with you the best of Lebanese cooking and culture in a novel, entertaining manner. We will do everything we can to make sure it will be a voyage of a lifetime.