Located near Jezzine District, South of Lebanon, Bkassine is a charming village of sublime and picturesque nature and one of the best tourist villages in the world, surrounded by the Bkassine Pine Forest, as recently declared by the World Tourism Organization. It is an ancient town, dating back to the Phoenician era and it includes a square, small souk and houses adorned with distinctive red tiles.
Its municipality is one of the oldest and most active in Lebanon, founded in 1899. The love and care of its natives and municipality to their village have made it one of the cleanest and most sustainable in the country, recycling and providing sustainable options to take care of its rich ecosystem and agriculture. The village’s impressive and largest pine forest in the Middle East. The forest extends over almost three square kilometers. Bkassine’s pine forest is the largest fruitful pine forest in the Mediterranean, spreading over one million and two hundred square meters of land, surrounding villages such as Kaytoule, Maknouniye, Haytoura, Roum and Machmouché.
This forest is among the most important features of the village and the region. It is home to several traditional constructions of the past such as kilns, olive presses, old bridges, water sources and hydraulic mills. Also, it is classified as a protected area, so make sure to keep the area clean.