Afqa Grotto

At Afqa the Nahr Ibrahim, the river the Greeks called Adonis, comes out of a cave mouth in a limestone cliff and falls into the valley below. In spring, when the snowmelt is running, the volume is large and the fall dramatic; by late summer it is a trickle. This was the site of the Adonis myth, and the ruins of a Roman temple to Astarte stand on the terrace beside the water. A tree hung with cloth strips by visitors stands at the spring.

Highlights

• The cave mouth - the river emerging directly from an opening in the cliff.
• The fall - water dropping into the valley below the cave.
• The temple ruins - remains of a Roman sanctuary to Astarte on the terrace.
• The wish tree - a tree by the spring hung with cloth strips.

When to go

April to June, during and just after the snowmelt, is when the spring runs hardest and is worth the drive. By August it can be almost dry. Winter access is difficult with snow on the road.

Practical notes

Outside spring the flow is often disappointing and visitors report finding almost no water. The drive up the valley is long and the roads are poor. Litter around the spring is a persistent problem.

Nearby

Byblos is down the valley on the coast, and Faqra is south across the mountain.

Key facts