Beirut is a Mediterranean destination driven by adrenaline, optimism and the energy of a populace who embrace high jinks - and it fulfils its status as capital with an urban panache that's unmistakably Lebanese. The Monocle Travel Guide to Beirut delves into this metropolis to explore the vivacious thrum of life and unpick its many and varied quirks. We'll lead you through a collage of cloud-scraping hotels, Ottoman-style palaces and golden age modernist apartments, and introduce you to small-scale fashion labels and smart shop-owners rethinking traditional handicrafts. We'll also direct you to our favoured tables, where you can feast on mezze and sip on a soothing glass of arak. And when you need a reprieve from the excitement of it all, hang your hat at one of the city's best examples of Lebanese hospitality, whether it be a five-star chain or a four-room family-run guesthouse.