After the war ended in 1991, the Beirut reconstruction process unearthed a huge number of historic Roman ruins, which make beautiful archaeological sites when you’re walking around the downtown area. Underneath the government offices housed in the Grand Serail, a vast restored Ottoman building, lie Beirut’s ancient baths and a lush garden, while at numerous points in the area there stand remnants of the Roman city walls and streets. Look out also for the Cardo Maximus, a former Roman market with its grand pillars sandwiched between the cafés of downtown and the Mohammed El Amine mosque.