Egypt boasts of a spectacularly beautiful landscape filled with cultural gems. Sun, sea and sand interspersed with a touch of exotic culture and heritage, the river Nile, ancient monuments, vast deserts, world-famous coral reefs to cosmopolitan cities – enough reasons to visit Egypt - the mesmerizing land of Egypt has it all!
PLACES TO VISIT
16.ALEXANDRIA NATIONAL MUSEUM
Housed in the impressively restored Al-Saad Bassili Palace, the museum offers a fascinating introduction into the cities rich history with three floors of exhibitions and some 1 800 artifacts on display. The exhibitions present a chronological journey through time, with artifacts from Egypt's four ages: Ancient, Greco-Roman, Coptic and Islamic. Highlights include a sphinx found at Aboukir, a large collection of antique coins, a dazzling array of royal jewels, and portraits of pharaohs Menkaure, Akhenaten, and Hatshepsut. Another section is devoted to artifacts found underwater along Alexandria's coast, including statues of Venus and a Roman replica of the head of Alexander the Great.
17.CAIRO TOWER
At 43 meters the tower is the tallest building in Egypt. The 187 meter communication tower was inaugurated in 1961 above Gezira Island. The building was designed to resemble a lotus plant with intricate latticework casing around its exterior. An open-air observation deck can be reach by elevator where the surrounding panoramic views are nothing short of breathtaking. It’s possible to see the pyramids of Giza, the Citadel, Sakkara and the entire city of Cairo laid out before you. Just below the observation deck, 360, a revolving restaurant, affords always changing views of the city below.
18.AVENUE OF SPHINXES
The site was where ceremonial processions were held. It originally connected the temples of Luxor and Karnak, although it is considerably more recent than either of those sites, dating to around 380 BC. It stretched 2.7 kilometers and would once have had 1,350 sphinxes lining its sides. About half of these sphinxes have been uncovered, with many reworked by later civilizations or sitting in museums. Today modern buildings is covering much of the avenue itself. Examples in various states of preservation forming the immediate approach to each temple. Some of the examples bear the cat-like features of the famous Great Sphinx at Giza, others have rams’ heads. The entire avenue is the subject of a major ongoing excavation project.
19.SOLAR BOAT MUSEUM
The museum was build in 1985 and is home to one of the world’s most unique finds, an ancient Egyptian solar barge that was buried near Khufu's tomb at the Great Pyramid of Giza as early as 2500 BC to help transport the pharaoh to the afterlife. The ship is one of the world’s oldest and most remarkably preserved ships from antiquity. It was exhumed in 1954 and took 13 years to reconstruct the 1,224 pieces found. The museum offers fascinating insight into the ancient ship's discovery and reconstruction, but the boat itself is, of course, the highlight. Constructed from cedar wood and measuring 43.6 meters long and 5.9 meters wide, the ship is an impressive sight with three floors of walkways allowing tourists to view it from all angles.
20.TOMBS OF THE NOBLES
At the West Bank tourists can find the cemetery, the site features hundreds of tombs embedded in rock, often richly decorated with frescoes depicting the working lives of their inhabitants. Only a fraction of the sites can be accessed, and the most highly recommended is Sheikh Abd El-Gurna. Highlights include the tomb of Sennofer, the mayor of Thebes, with its charming painted grapevines, the harvest scenes accompanying Nakht the astronomer on his eternal journey and one of the grandest tombs belonging to the nobleman Ramose, affording visitors a rare glimpse of life under Akhenaten, possibly the earliest of all rulers to espouse a monotheistic faith.
TIPS FOR VISITING EGYPT
1. Definitely go to see the Pyramids, they will not let you down.
2. Buy the extra ticket to go inside Cheops tomb in the Great Pyramid; the crowds are relatively light nowadays.
3. Always try to keep a one Egyptian pound coin handy, as you need them every time you use a public loo – it may save your life someday.
4. Sunscreen and a hat when visiting the Valley of the Kings is a must.
5. If you are given the option to visit Abu Simbel – go.
6. Cross the Nile to visit one of the Nubian villages on the islands opposite Aswan and meet the Nubians who are laid-back, relaxed and friendly.
7. Drop in to the Promenade Cafe in Aswan and order a real Bedouin coffee – you won’t regret it.
8. Make sure you are fully insured before attempting to cross the street in Cairo traffic.
