CAZA:
Aley
600m Etymology:
Syriac origin, "Rish Mayo", meaning "the source"Hanging on the edge of a cliff, the village of Rechmaya offers a unique view of the mountain and the valley. This fertile village in the heights of Aley has preserved its traditional aspect in an authentic and serene landscape where the sometimes abandoned old stone houses fit perfectly with nature. A simple stroll along its charming alleyways and staircases reveals old churches and old houses hidden behind trees or standing on a winding course. Beneath the village, an abundant river runs through the wadi within a luxuriant nature and offers an ideal setting for bathers and hikers.
Must-do things
- Mar Kyriakos church (Saint-Cyr) built in 1683
- The monastery Mar Youhanna el Maamadane founded in 1686
- The convent Mar Elias founded in the 17th century
- Saint-Antoine church in the district of Sir built in 1690, dilapidated and in the process of reconstruction
- The power station in the valley of the village near the river, one of the first hydroelectric power stations in Lebanon
- The river in the middle of a luxuriant nature, at the foot of the village
- The local festival of 3 days starting July 14, on the occasion of the feast of Mar Kiriakos
- The religious concert on July 20, on the occasion of the feast of Saint-Elie
- The Local products “Ghalletna”, wine vineyards “Nabise” and “Jun” gin production
- A hike in the wadi of Rechmaya with the possibility of bathing in the river
- Chalalat Rechmaya: A Lebanese restaurant in a pastoral setting, surrounded by streams and greenery, located on the heights of the village of Rechmaya. The vegetarian mezzes are particularly delicious.
- The village of Ain Trez where is located the El-Saad palace with its thousand-year-old oak, along with a former silk farm dominating the valley and the summer residence of the Greek-Catholic patriarchate
- The labelled villages of Sawfar and Ain Zhalta
