Lebanon's beaches attract many people, and family picnics are a popular pastime. Often women from different families contribute food for the afternoon's outing. Women and men both enjoy swimming.

Lebanon formerly had a number of distinctive sports and leisure activities, such as falcon hunting, jerid competitions (similar to jousting) and traditional dancing, but these have disappeared in favour of pursuits that are the same as those in Europe and North America. Like many people worldwide, Lebanese often spend the evening watching television. Children enjoy video games, as well as games such as hide-and-seek. Men like to meet male friends at coffee houses, where they might smoke, drink coffee and tea, play backgammon (tawleh), chess or cards, or watch television. Working women with children to care for may have less leisure time, but still get together with friends after work or on weekends.

The most popular sport in Lebanon is football (soccer), played and watched mostly by men. Another popular sport is basketball, and Lebanon has hosted both the Asian and Arab League Basketball Cups. Many people enjoy swimming, volleyball, ping-pong and fishing; in Beirut, horseracing is also a popular spectator sport.

Despite its hot climate, Lebanon also has six ski resorts that attract large numbers of Lebanese and foreign tourists in the winter. Introduced in 1913 by a Lebanese man who learned the sport in Switzerland, skiing became popular during French control of the country. Except for a brief time when Lebanon and other Middle Eastern countries boycotted the games, Lebanon has continually sent skiers to compete in the Olympics.

Did you know?

Lebanon has been called "the playground of the Middle East" because of its inviting beaches and mountains. Few countries offer the opportunity to swim in the warm sea in the morning and downhill ski in the afternoon.