Raouche

Waterfront area with the Pigeon Rocks and Corniche promenade. Safe during the day with good views, but gets isolated at night. Worth visiting for scenery, not necessarily where you'd want to stay.

Famous for the Pigeon Rocks - two big limestone formations you've probably seen in Beirut photos. The Corniche promenade runs along the coast for kilometers, packed with joggers in the morning, families in the evening, couples at sunset. This is where people come to get away from the dense city. The neighborhood mixes tourist hotels with local cafes, expensive seafood restaurants overlooking the water, tiny shawarma shops for port workers. Safe during the day when the Corniche is busy, but stretches get empty after dark. Near the Four Seasons and Movenpick you have hotel security and lighting, but other parts get isolated once restaurants close. You can walk the Corniche comfortably during daylight and early evening, but taxi back after 10pm. Views are genuinely good - sunset from the rocks is worth seeing - but the neighborhood itself is just the promenade, not much character beyond that.