Aley, a picturesque town in Mount Lebanon, is located 17 km uphill from Beirut, just south of the summer resort of Bhamdoun and north of the strategic town of Souk El Gharb. The city is a major tourist destination in Lebanon and the middle east. Its location and climate made it a favorable venue for shopping and dining, especially for wealthy Arabs from the gulf states. With its increasing number of tourists and visitors, this resort town has become the most flourishing resort town in Mount Lebanon, and thus has garnered its historical name as "The Bride of Summers".

The city Aley gained prominence when the railroad that passed through it was built between 1892 and 1895. The railroad linked the Lebanese capital of Beirut to Damascus. The railroad provided the residents of Beirut easy means of transportation to the mountains, and this made Aley a popular destination to spend the summer months and enjoy its pleasant climate. The town was for a while the summer capital of the Ottoman governors of Mount Lebanon. In 2001, the municipality of Aley began renovating the town center, especially its historic souk, and the town quickly revived its role in Lebanon's tourism.