In a country where the luxury of relaxing by the Mediterranean beach and skiing on a mountaintop is abundant, it can be a little challenging to find other things to do in your free time.
Here's a list of some not-so-cliche activities you can do alone or with a friend during your winter break.
1. Volunteer at FoodBlessed's Soup Kitchen
FoodBlessed, a local NGO launched in 2012, tackles food poverty in Lebanon while addressing and raising awareness on food waste.
Join their soup kitchen, held every Saturday in Burj Hammoud from 11:30 am till 3:00 pm, and assist in anything from preparing the food to washing the dishes.
2. Check out Bouyouti's new glasshouse restaurant
What's better than cozying up in a spacious glasshouse restaurant in one of Lebanon's most scenic forests?
Bouyouti announced the opening of their new restaurant around a week ago, and rumor has it seats are filling up quickly. So book your lunch or dinner in advance and enjoy a meal in a homely atmosphere.
3. Watch a play at Metro Al Madina
Metro Al Madina, an independent theater company based in Beirut, hosts a variety of shows like cabarets, theater performances, and musicals almost daily.
Scroll through their upcoming events and you're guaranteed to find something you'd want to see!
4. Game-night at Multiverse Games
Gather up your friends and get ready for a night full of fun, laughter, and adrenaline rush at Multiverse, a pop culture store and cafe in Hamra for board games and comics merchandise.
And while you're at it, check out Lebanon's biggest and only collection of vintage Marvel and DC comic books exclusively provided by The Comic Stash.
Let's just say that if you're a pop culture junkie, you're in for a ride!
5. Channel your inner child at Joon on the Moon
It sounds too good to be true, but there's a cafe/boutique/workshop space in Gemmayzeh, Beirut where events like "Coloring Night for Adults" are held.
Joon on the Moon is a place where you can create, shop, and chill with a cup of herbal tea. Upcoming events include building a snowman or penguin every day until January 7, and a game night every Thursday.
6. Unwind at L’Espace Al Bustan (Hotel Al Bustan's Spa)
Al Bustan hotel recently restored and rebuilt a 200-year-old Lebanese stone house, turning it into a unique Spa and hammam with a classical Lebanese touch.
L'espace includes Lebanon’s first luxury hammam, an indoor pool, a steam room, and sauna, with treatments including massages and facials.
7. Take up Oriental Dance Classes
Hosted by Z art Zone Acting Academy, instructor Alexia Haddad is teaching oriental dance classes every Monday and Wednesday at 7:00 pm.
If you're tired of getting embarrassed every time you get called up to dance at a Lebanese wedding, this one's for you!
8. Movie night at Bardo
Every Tuesday until January 23rd, Bardo's Cine Club presents "A Jim Jarmusch Retrospective", an American film director, screenwriter, actor, producer, editor, and composer.
Movies to be screened include Dead Man and Broken Flowers, which won the Grand Prix of the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.