Beirut is a city reborn, at last reclaiming its title as "The Paris of the Levant" - perfect for a winter getaway, it's one of the most glorious destinations around…

Finally it has reclaimed its reputation as one of the most charming, charismatic cities in the world - an ideal destination for anyone looking to take an adventurous step to the left this winter.

The first thing to make clear is that Beirut is SAFE. It's crime rate is lower than any of Britain's major cities -largely because the violence that kept it on the blacklist was never really of indigenous origin.

As the world's volatile political interests have relocated, Beirut has settled back beneath its renowned fug of high-quality hashish and laissez faire cafe culture. The casual vibrancy that the city trades in is best brought to life in Martyrs' Square - full of bars happy to serve the wonderful, locally produced 961 Beer.

This is a party city with a genuine bent for the exotic. Full of beautiful people edging toward decadence, they flock to the coastline of Corniche Beirut — a senselessly gorgeous stretch of fine seafood restaurants and market places. The beaches themselves have the chic buzz of Cannes or St. Tropez and the sunshine - of course - is almost always obliging,

History, of course, is everywhere. Visit Deit el Qalaa and wander around Phoenician temples and Roman baths — layers of the past clashing playfully, meaningfully.  The melting pot for Mediterranean and Arab cultures, Beirut offers the best of both with a freshness the wisened traveller will find pleasantly surprising.

Rediscovering Beirut should be the defining act of any curious tourist scouting for the lazily pleasant and the unusual.

Check out http://www.downtownbeirut.com/Tourists.html for more info, and do something amazing this winter.