138 pyramids have been found in Egypt.
In none of them has a mummy ever been found inside.
That’s why it’s thought that the pyramids
were not the pharaoh’s tomb
but were only part
of a large funerary complex.
Who built the pyramids?
How were they built?
When were they built?
Given my love of history and mystery, a trip to ancient Egypt was always going to be a priority.
In 2023, I finally had the chance to see what I had studied in books and form my own opinion.
As always, and everywhere, my travel reports won’t be full of luxury resorts and organised tours.
Aeroplane flies over Cairo and Giza, Egypt
In 2021 I was in Tanzania and Zanzibar.
It was only later, when I was looking at the photos on TV, that I realised I’d clearly captured the pyramids of Giza in this photo.
Are you able to see them?
plane flies over Cairo and Giza, Egypt
Sardinia and Egypt also have a very close connection: the ancient Sardinians, the Shardana warriors, attacked Egypt several times, at different times and against different Pharaohs.
There were also times in history when the Shardana fought as part of the Egyptian army.
Their strength and bravery in war was so well known and feared that Pharaoh Ramses II the Great wanted them to be his personal guard of honour.
Gigante di Mont’e Prama – Shardana (People of the Sea) Sardinia Warriors – Sardinian Cabras Museum
Shardana (People of the Sea) attacked Egypt – Medinet Habu Temple – Luxor
To travel to Egypt, you will need a passport valid for at least six months and has enough blank pages for entry and exit stamps.
If you are a citizen of some countries, you may only need your ID card. Check with embassy for the latest information before booking.
Most nationalities also require a visa. Citizens of many countries can apply for an eVisa or obtain a visa on arrival. If you don’t qualify for a visa on arrival or an e-visa, you should contact the Egyptian embassy or consulate in your home country and apply in person. If you want a visa in your passport, you will need to pay for it on arrival at the airport, before queuing for customs and then baggage claim. It costs 25U$D and you pay in cash (better you have dollars, otherwise they might ask for €25.00 or 25 GBP).
I get sad when I hear that the ‘best passport’ is the one that allows you to enter several countries without a visa
A passport is a traveller’s story
There are more beautiful stamps than others, but the visa always has more emotion.
Thank you Egypt for giving me another visa in my passport.
Official currency rate on 2023 August: 1 € = 33 Egyptian Pound (EGP).
To enter tourist sites, the official method of payment is by card, expressed in US dollars.
There are people next to the ticket offices who sell original tickets in cash.
Some tourist, especially from China, have no problem helping you by paying with a card and getting the amount in cash. Europeans, on the other hand, are more afraid of being cheated.
For those who can no longer remember the feeling of having banknotes in their hands, it will still be essential to carry cash, especially in small denominations (5, 10, 20, 50 EGP, although it is easier to get 100 EGP ones).
Undoubtedly my biggest bone of contention: a madness, an exasperation, an endless pain in the ass
It’s ridiculous how many people ask for tips. Even among Egyptians, it’s normal to pay.
Often, however, it becomes almost extortion because of the place, the person and the manner in which they are ‘asked’.
The only ones who don’t ask and don’t want tips are paradoxically those who deserve them most: tour guides and drivers.
I usually went straight ahead without even answering or looking at the speaker but sometimes it was impossible.
Be prepared for people who will look for any excuse to ‘help you’, but behind that false politeness there is only a continuous and insistent demand for money.
You will quickly realise that the one working in the restaurant is not washing but is just waiting for you to come out of the bathroom to give him money.
You will understand that that barrier at the museum doesn’t mean that there is a renovation going on but that someone will come and ask you for money to see that area ‘closed to visitors’.
You will understand that the uniformed Egyptian Railways employee is not worried about your train schedule or getting on the wrong carriage, but is simply there to collect money for the essential work done.
A difficult topic to approach with different words from the usual ones but necessary.
In Egypt, the cities are very safe and you can walk without fear at any time.
It might be because there are no alcohol or drugs, or it could be because there are so many armed uniforms on the street (I don’t know if they were police, military, secret service or something else). I never felt unsafe.
I didn’t understand the relationship between Egyptian men and women: I saw both women with hijabs, chadors, niqabs, burkas and many others in western dress and make-up.
At the same time, on the Ita Airways flight from Rome to Cairo, some Egyptian men behaved as if women didn’t exist or had no right to speak, even the italian hostesses included.
I believe that wherever you go, especially if you are a guest, you have to know and respect local laws, history, culture and traditions
Otherwise, you must stay at home.
Despite my intentions, I considered it was too unsafe to go to the border with Israel and Palestine, the Suez area and the deep desert. I think the one near the cities is a theme park, built for tourists to say they slept in a tent, ate in front of a fire with Bedouins and watched the sunset on a camel.
I felt quite safe everywhere, though I avoided the internet or asked particular questions.
Beyond Egypt and the stories we know, I believe that everywhere there are people you shouldn’t talk to and discourses you shouldn’t engage in.
Those who believe in the saying ‘all the world is a country’, should travel the world or know the country better…
Tahrir Square, Cairo – Egypt
In my opinion, the Egyptian Museum building in Cairo is very similar to the Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires.
On reflection, I was surprised because I expected it to be huge, instead it is a (beautiful) two-storey neoclassical building in Tahrir Square.
Egyptian Museum entrance in Tahrir Square, Cairo – Egypt
This is definitely a must-see museum during a visit to the capital, as it has the most comprehensive collection of ancient Egyptian archaeological artefacts.
The museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tickets cost EGP 300 (150 for students).
A two-hour visit is the bare minimum
Ramses II and Nefertari statues- Egyptian Museum – Cairo
The more than 136,000 objects are placed in chronological order: the rooms at the entrance cover the Old Kingdom, then clockwise through the Middle and New Kingdom, up to the Greek-Roman period.
At the entrance, you can see a copy of the Rosetta Stone (the original is the most popular find in the British Museum in London, where I think it doesn’t deserve to be). This shows us how Greek was fundamental in the understanding of hieroglyphics.
sphinx – Egyptian Museum – Cairo
You’ll be amazed by the sphinxes, statues, papyri, mummies, funerary masks, thrones, sarcophagi and perfectly intact objects dating back millennia.
It’s really hard to say what I liked best.
scribe statue – Egyptian Museum – Cairo
detail of glass-eyed statue – Egyptian Museum – Cairo
wooden statue – Egyptian Museum – Cairo
mummy – Egyptian Museum – Cairo
mummy feet – Egyptian Museum – Cairo
mummy – Egyptian Museum – Cairo
sarcophagus – Egyptian Museum – Cairo
Perhaps the biggest disappointment was the room reserved for the objects found in Pharaoh Tutankhamen’s tomb
It wasn’t because of the beauty of the objects, which were stunning, but because even here it’s forbidden to take photos.
I still consider this imposition to be wrong, shameful and unfair.
Pharaoh Tutankamon’s throne – Egyptian Museum – Cairo
Canopic Shrine of Pharaoh Tutankamun – Egyptian Museum – Cairo
canopic jars – Egyptian Museum – Cairo
The Egyptian Museum described above was to be moved to the new museum, built two miles from the Pyramids of Giza.
The front side is made of alabaster and the north and south walls are aligned with the pyramids of Khufu and Menkaure.
On 2002, January 5, the Egyptian President Mubarak laid the foundation stone of the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).
Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities said in November 2023 that the museum would open in2024, May. The opening had previously been announced for 2013 (postponed after the 2011 revolution, also known as “the Arab Spring”), then postponed to 2020 and again to 2022. To date, the move has not been completed and the museum is not open to the public.
My guess is that both museums will remain open anyway, so they will earn twice as much.
Will I be wrong?
The Citadel of Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn is a medieval fortification built between 1176 and 1183 by the ruler we know as “the fierce Saladin”.
It was originally built as a fortress against the Crusaders, but it has been used by six generations of Islamic civilisations, British governors and Egyptian monarchs for almost 800 years.
Due to its strategic location, it was also used to defend against Napoleon Bonaparte’s invasion.
Palm trees outside the Mohamed Ali Mosque – Citadel of Saladin, Cairo – Egypt
walls of the Citadel of Saladin, Cairo – Egypt
terrace – Citadel of Saladin, Cairo – Egypt
The Mohamed Ali Mosque, one of the three present, is the most important.
It was built with alabaster walls between 1830 and 1848 and echoes the Turkish architectural style of the Hagia Sophia (or Blue Mosque) in Istanbul.
The minarets are over 260 ft tall, the Ottoman dome is 160 ft high and there are sumptuous chandeliers and carpets.
Inside, which is very unusual and controversial for the Sunni Islamic religion, there is also the tomb of Mohamed Ali, the Ottoman warrior considered the founding father of modern Egypt, who commissioned the mosque.
This was the first mosque I entered.
exterior of the Mohamed Ali Mosque – Citadel of Saladin, Cairo – Egypt
Mohamed Ali Mosque – Citadel of Saladin, Cairo – Egypt
Mohamed Ali Mosque – Citadel of Saladin, Cairo – Egypt
Mohamed Ali Mosque – Citadel of Saladin, Cairo – Egypt
In the square outside you can admire the Clock Tower which has a special history: after a visit to Egypt by the French King Louis Philippe I, the Egyptian government gave the obelisk that is still the Parisian symbol of Place de la Concorde.
The French king, to return the gift, sent the Tower to Egypt but during transport by ship the clock broke down and never worked.
It was quite a bargain, no doubt about it.
Clock Tower – Citadel of Saladin, Cairo – Egypt
Inside the citadel there are 13 towers and the Qasr al-Jawhara building houses the National Military Museum and the Police Museum.
Next to the latter is the military prison, which was in use until 1983.
In the tiny cells, there are dummies that can remotely imagine what ‘life’ might have been like locked up in there
military prison – Citadel of Saladin, Cairo – Egypt
inside military prison cell – Citadel of Saladin, Cairo – Egypt
Lastly, there are many open areas that provide beautiful landscapes of the city of Cairo.
landscape of Cairo – Egypt
landscape of Cairo – Egypt
Cairo – Egypt
About 80-90% of the Egyptians are Sunni Muslims, a very small minority are Jews, atheists or agnostics.
he remaining 10-20% are Christians, mostly from the Coptic Orthodox Church
Before leaving, I hadn’t really thought about it, but Egypt has a very strong link with Christianity..
In fact, it’s said that oseph, Mary and the baby Jesus fled from King Herod here.
Holy Family in Egypt during the Exodus
According to millennia-old traditions, at least 25 Egyptian places were visited by the Holy Family during their three-year escape.
The Egyptian government, through the Ministry of Antiquities and the Tourism Development Authority, has been researching the 2,000 miles route, applying to Unesco to include the sites in the World Heritage list and promoting a massive investment plan for the “Holy Family Route”.
Original stone of the cave where Jesus, Joseph and Mary lived – Cairo
The Coptic Quarter is a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. It’s the oldest city centre in Cairo, dating back to the first four centuries AD.
Testifying to the period when Egypt was the capital of the new monotheistic religion, it remains the largest bastion of Christianity in the area.
sculpture exodus Coptic quarter – Cairo
The Copts follow the preaching of St Mark the Evangelist, who came to Egypt in the 1st century AD. They have their own religion, separate from the Church of Rome and the Orthodox Church
In some aspects of the churches (dark colours, carpets) and in some rituals (taking off one’s shoes if there are relics in the church), I noticed a stronger connection with Islam.
Coptic Christian Church – Cairo
Greek Orthodox cemetery church – Cairo
The Coptic neighborhood can be reached by metro, getting off at the Mar Girgis station.
The streets have a medieval look and you can’t count Christian crosses in places of worship and in houses.
The bell towers are lower than usual: a very old Islamic law allows people to freely profess their religion as long as no bell tower is higher than the lowest minaret.
St George’s Monastery – Cairo
The entrance to churches is often an invisible side door: in the past, it was even more necessary to make it difficult to find.
The Suspended Church takes its name from the fact that it was built between the Roman towers of the Fort of Babylon.
The wooden roof is reminiscent of Noah’s Ark.
The Suspended Church – Cairo
Greek Orthodox cemetery – Cairo
The Church of St. George is one of the most sacred places for the Coptic and Christian community, as inside it is the cript where the Holy Family is said to have taken refuge for three months.
Just 160 ft away, where the Temple of Jeremiah stood, the place where Pharaoh’s daughter found Moses, is the Ben Ezra Synagogue.
Looking at the Nile, I thought of the story of Jacob, Rachel, Joseph and his brothers.
I had not been at Mount Sinai, but at the Red Sea I thought about Moses.
Nile, Cairo – Egypt
Some capitals’ squares are so beautiful and important that they alone are worth the trip.
I refer for example to Red Square in Moscow, Tienanmen SquareinBeijing, Plaza de la Revolución in Havana, the Zocalo in Mexico City, Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, St Peter’s Square at the Vatican.
I had high hopes for Tahrir Square in Cairo, but I was a bit disappointed.
Liberation Square’ got its name after the 1919 revolution that led to Egypt’s independence from the United Kingdom, but it wasn’t officially renamed until after the 1952 revolution, when the presidential republic was born.
Tahrir Square is considered the centre of Cairo.
At the centre of the square is a large roundabout that tries to manage the complicated traffic, which is also observed by one of the obelisks of Ramses II, brought from the temple of Karnak in Luxor.
Tahrir Square obelisk, Cairo – Egypt
Among the buildings on the square are the Egyptian Museum, the headquarters of the Arab League and The Nile Ritz Carlton Hotel.
Of course, the square is the traditional centre of demonstrations.
The protests that began on 25 January 2011 with 50,000 demonstrators ended on 1 February with more than a million people forcing President Hosni Mubarak to resign.
Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, Cairo – Egypt
Al Qarafa is the oldest Muslim cemetery in Egypt but it’s reductive to consider it only as such.
It’s the city of the dead and the survivors (or living dead).
The cemetery in the Old Cairo area stretches for about 6 miles and more than 1 million people live inside it, including the poor, the homeless, the wanted, illegal immigrants, etc.
In addition to these people, there are also those who maintain the traditional Egyptian cult of the dead, and live in Al Qarafa to be near their dead, perhaps into the family tombs.
City of the Dead, Cairo – Egypt
The City of the Dead is therefore a real informal and squatter town, with houses and shops surrounded by tombs (or perhaps vice versa), without water and electricity.
The inhabitants have also set up schools, a medical centre, post office, shops, workshops etc.. All of this is self-managed and unrecognised.
In short, in the dense network of communal tombs, historic mausoleums of sultans and ancient tomb monuments of extraordinary beauty, live the people who don’t want to be seen and those upstairs are happier not to see.
That’s why a solo tour here is absolutely not safe.
There are various organised tours for tourists, photographers and journalists but obviously only the areas closest to the entrances are visited.
You also have to be careful about who and what you photograph.
City of the Dead, Cairo – Egypt
The reason I didn’t go to the City of the Dead was not fear but respect.
How the visit to this cemetery was described to me made it seem like I was entering a theme park of poverty and people excluded from the world.
I believe that each of us can find abysses in our lives and fall into them without knowing how to get out. In these cases, only dignity can save us. Those on the edge of the precipice must always have respect.
Life ans history are a wheel that turns for everyone.
City of the Dead, Cairo – Egypt
Pyramids have always been surrounded by an aura of fascination and mystery:
Why were they built? How were they built? When were they built?
Dom Pedro II of Brazil in Egypt in 1876
In Egypt, 138 pyramids have been found, and in none of them has a mummy ever been found inside.
This is why it is thought that the pyramids were not the pharaoh’s tomb at all, but were only part of a large funerary complex.
The famous necropolis of Giza is home to three historical pyramids, six smaller ones for the wives and children of the pharaohs, tombs for workers, and the most famous Egyptian sphinx.
tourists at the great sphinx of Giza – Egypt
We don’t know for sure if the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure were built for them.
The Great Pyramid of Giza, also known as the Pyramid of Khufu, is thought to have been built by the Sneferu’s son. However, there is no concrete proof of this. The same is true of the Pyramid of Khafre, built by Khufu’s son, and the Pyramid of Menkaure, built by Khafre’s son.
The only certain portrait of Khufu is a 3 inches ivory statuette, kept at the Egyptian Museum in Cairo and found near Luxor.
It seems incredible that this is the only evidence of the pharaoh who built the largest pyramid, still standinG after at least 4500 years.
Khufu statue – Egyptian Museum – Cairo
The one called the Pyramid of Khufu, is thought to have been built around 2,550 BC.
It was finished in 20-30 years and up to 1 million people worked on it every day at the same time.
Perhaps none of them were slaves but they came from all over Egypt to take part in the work in honour of the pharaoh, who was worshipped as a deity.
The Pyramid of Khufu is 480 ft high, with a square base of 755 ft and almost perfectly aligned with the four cardinal points.
It’s made up of more than 2,300,000 blocks, each weighing on average 2.5 tonnes.
It was clad in white limestone. The pyramidion (the cusp, ‘the tip’) was made of gold, which makes it shine in the sun.
Pyramid of Khufu, Giza – Egypt
Khafre was Khufu’s son and the second pyramid of Giza is attributed to him.
It’s 13 ft lower than his father’s and was built on a 33 ft base, making it seem larger.
It’s the only one that still has the white limestone top, which originally covered the entire pyramid.
Pyramid of Khafre, Giza – Egypt
white limestone top on the Pyramid of Khufu, Giza – Egypt
In contrast, the pyramid of Menkaure is 215 ft high. If you suffer from claustrophobia,
Pyramid of Menkaure, Giza – Egypt
entering the pyramid might be tricky. In fact, you walk up long corridors and then go into ever lower and narrower passages, until you reach the ‘king’s chamber’ where there is a sarcophagus.
zoom massi Pyramid of Khufu, Giza – Egypt
entrance Pyramid of Khufu, Giza – Egypt
stairs Pyramid of Khufu, Giza – Egypt
Moreover, the heat and humidity are pretty intense, and once you’ve spent enough time to admire the inside of the pyramid, about half an hour, you leave soaked but happy.
inside the Pyramid of Khufu, Giza – Egypt
gallery ascending inside the pyramid of Khufu, Giza – Egypt
corridor entrance Pyramid of Khufu, Giza – Egypt
I always thought it was a must to enter the pyramid, but I found out that only a very few tourists do it.
Some are scared of claustrophobia, some are afraid of the heat, but the main reason is that the organised tours that bring tourists here from cruise ships or Red Sea resorts don’t leave enough time for this visit.
If you choose to come to Giza that way, you run the risk of spending eight hours on the bus to stay only one hour in the Pyramid Complex. This is the time useful for taking the classic photos.
channels inside the Pyramid of Cheope Giza – Egypt
sarcophagus in the king chamber Pyramid of Khufu, Giza – Egypt
Below the costs, updated to 2023 August:
– access to the archaeological area: 360 EGP (students 180 EGP)
– entrance inside the pyramid of Cheops: 600 EGP (students 300 EGP)
– entrance inside the pyramid of Chfren: 100 EGP (students 75 EGP)
– entrance inside the pyramid of Mycerinus: 150 EGP (students 75 EGP)
The first fundamental aspect to understand isthe subdivision of Ancient Egypt: with ‘Upper Egypt’ is meant Southern Egypt, where the water of the Nile is shallow and not navigable. ‘Lower Egypt’, instead, is the northern area, that of the Nile delta.
The first unifier of the two kingdoms was Pharaoh Narmer.
Memphis was founded around 3100 BC and is also attributed to him.
The city was the capital of the Old Kingdom from around 2700 BC to 2200 BC.
It was an administrative and religious capital because it was considered the sacred seat of the gods, and it was also the place where pharaohs were crowned. Alexander the Great was also crowned here in 332 BC.
If you’re interested in Egyptian history, the first place you should visit is this open-air museum 25 km south of Cairo. Memphis is an essential stop on a trip to the land of the pharaohs.
sphinx, Memphis – Egipto
Pharaoh Ramses II erected numerous colossal statues of himself.
One of the most famous was discovered on the bed of the Nile in 1821 by the Italian Giovanni Battista Caviglia.
The limestone statue, lying down because it was impossible to put it upright due to missing parts, can be seen in the Museum of Memphis. Only in 1887 was successful in moving the statue from where it was found. The museum was built around it to protect the statue.
The statue is 10 metres tall, but the lower part of the legs is missing. It’s amazing how detailed the engraving is on the garments, crown, sceptre, dagger, bracelets and belt.
Limestone Ramses II statue, Memphis – Egypt
A fundamental site for the history of Ancient Egypt is the necropolis of Saqqara, the ancient cemetery of Memphis.
Just 30 km south of modern Cairo, the step pyramid of Saqqara is a must-see. It’s the first pyramid to have been built on the orders of Pharaoh Djoser.
It’s 203 ft high and made up of six steps covered with limestone blocks. It was designed by Imohtep, who was one of the most famous people of the time. He was an architect, astronomer, physician and writer.
Step Saqqara Pyramid, Memphis – Egypt
Step Saqqara Pyramid, Memphis – Egypt
This area is home to the largest archaeological site in the country and historically one of the most important. In fact, Saqqara was the royal necropolis for at least 3000 years until it was abandoned and replaced by the Valley of the Kings.
Saqqara pyramid entrance
inside the Pyramid of Saqqara
inner corridor pyramid Saqqara
sarcophagus king’s chamber, pyramid of Saqqara
It lost some of its importance when the capital was moved to Thebes (now Luxor).
With the founding of Alexandria, Menfi finally fell into decline.
The pyramid is not the only construction that leaves you speechless.
I was blown away by the sheer number of incredible sights I saw. It was so overwhelming that I eventually lost track of where to look.
Tombs in the Necropolis of Saqqara – Egypt
Saqqara Tomb Drawings, Saqqara Necropolis – Egypt
Tomb of Kagemni, Saqqara Necropolis – Egypt
The bent pyramid, so called because it wasn’t perfect, is said to be the first attempt at that type of construction ordered by Pharaoh Sneferu and than perfected by the adjacent Red Pyramid.
Bent Pyramid of Sneferu, Red Pyramid and Step Saqqara Pyramid, Memphis – Egypt
138 pyramids have been found in Egypt.
In none of them has a mummy ever been found inside.
This has led to the theory that the pyramids were not the pharaoh’s tomb at all, but were only part of a larger funerary complex.
In addition to the pyramids, there are temples, columns, staircases, buildings, courtyards, altars, storehouses, etc. at various sites in Egypt, excluding the plain of Giza.
Bent Byramid of Sneferu, Memphis – Egypt
In the Saqqara necropolis hundreds of tombs have been found, with sarcophagi surrounded by countless objects belonging to pharaohs, their families, nobles and high state officials.
Among the buried mummies were also those of animals, including lions, dogs, crocodiles, birds, cats and other wild felines.
It’s thought that only 30% of the treasures hidden in the necropolis of Saqqara have been unearthed so far.
Red Pyramid, Memphis – Egypt
My last stop on my trip to Egypt was the city overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, 12 miles from the Nile delta.
I spent a whole day there, leaving by bus from Cairo before sunrise and returning after sunset.
The city was founded by Alexander the Great in 332 BC and was the first city to be named by the Macedonian king. It immediately became the largest city.
Alexandria was probably the first cosmopolitan city, a place where all the cultures of the known world of the time came together. It was a cultural centre for important writers, mathematicians, sages, painters and artists, and it was also the place where legends about Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, Mark Antony and Napoleon were born.
Statue of Alexander the Great the Macedonian, Alexandria – Egypt
I’ve never been much of a bookworm so I’ve never been to many libraries.
However, the Library of Alexandria is legendary and I wanted to visit it.
outside the Library, Alexandria – Egypt
The historic one, with its 700,000 volumes, was the largest and richest library in the ancient world, but unfortunately it was totally destroyed. First, it was destroyed by Christians against the Roman emperor Theodosius. Then by the Muslims who used the burnt books for years in the thermae, considering them useless if they matched the Koran and even more if they diverged from the holy book of Islam.
The new Library of Alexandria, called the Library of the Mediterranean World because of its multicultural and international vocation, was inaugurated on 16 October 2002 and can hold about 8 million books.
It’s a kind of commemoration of the one that was destroyed and has once again become one of the largest and most important libraries in the world.
The glass roof and the granite wall, carved with ancient Egyptian symbols and characters from different scriptures, make the exterior structure very special, almost futuristic, while the interior is more solemn.
details of exterior lettering in the Biblioteca, Alexandria – Egypt
Besides the library itself, there is also a museum, exhibition centre and planetarium.
The taxi ride from the bus station costs around 50 EGP.
inside the Bibliotheca, Alexandria – Egypt
The port has been in use since 1900 BC and is one of the oldest in the world. It’s still Egypt’s main port.
The Lighthouse of Alexandria was built in the 3rd century BC and was still in use until the 14th century, when it was destroyed by an earthquake.
It’s considered one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.
Lighthouse of Alexandria – Egypt
Port of Alexandria – Egypt
After the library, the symbol of the city is the Fortress of Qaitbay, also called the Citadel of Alexandria.
Fortress of Qaitbay, Citadel of Alexandria – Egypt
model of the Fortress of Qaitbay, Alexandria – Egypt
Built in the 1400s on the ruins of the Lighthouse, it offers incredible views of the entire city.
Inside the fortress there are maritime finds dating back to the Napoleonic fleet.
gates of the Fortress of Qaitbay, Alexandria – Egypt
corridors of the Fortress of Qaitbay, Alexandria – Egypt
inside the Fortress of Qaitbay, Alexandria – Egypt
view of the port of Alexandria – Egypt
I found a great resemblance to the Forti Sant’Anglu, in the small town of Birgu, Malta.
The taxi ride from the bus station costs around 100 EGP.
Egypt’s largest Greek-Roman necropolis reaches a depth of over 100 ft.
Visitors go down a spiral staircase around the central shaft, the same staircase used to lower the mummified bodies of the deceased.
entrance steps to the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa, Alexandria – Egypt
The tombs are arranged on three superimposed levels, completely excavated in the rock.
The most luxurious tombs had niches for decorated sarcophagi.
Tombs in the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa, Alexandria – Egypt
Just near the catacombs, in the Alexandria Archaeological Park, you’ll find Pompey’s Pillar.
This column is about 100 ft high and about 10 ft in diameter. It’s built with red granite from Aswan. The Crusaders thought it was over the tomb of General Gnaeus Pompey the Great, but it was actually erected in honour of the Roman Emperor Diocletian.
He laid siege to the city for eight months against the usurpers Lucius Domitius Domitianus and Aurelius Achilleus, then diverted a cargo of grain for Rome to Alexandria to feed the population exhausted by his siege.
The column and the nearby Ptolemaic sphinxes are basically the only remains of what was once the temple dedicated to the Egyptian cult of Serapis.
Pompey’s Pillar, Alexandria – Egypt
Unlucky, I found Alexandria to be a pretty dirty and polluted city.
I took a long walk along the waterfront, the Corniche, because as an islander, the sea always gives me a sense of calm and freedom, alienating me from everything on the other side of the street.
There were fishermen on the rocks, kids playing in the sea, sports, traffic, bars, and the contrast between modern, old and decadent buildings. It brought me back to the Malecon in Havana, which I thought was very similar.
Alexandria waterfront – Egypt
A view of Alexandria – Egypt
A view of Alexandria – Egypt
If you’re visiting Egypt, you simply have to make time for the old city of Thebes, now named Luxor.
It’s an unmissable stop on any trip to the country. While the pyramids of Giza are undoubtedly the most iconic landmarks, here you’ll find some of the most spectacular temples and, especially, their tombs.
Luxor is the city that impressed me the most, both for the quantity and the beauty of the sites.
You’ll need at least three full days to see everything that ancient Thebes has to offer.
boat on the Nile in Luxor – Egypt
Excluding the pyramids, the Temple of Karnak was the place that opened my eyes to the infinite greatness of the age of the pharaohs.
It was the first temple I chose to visit and for this I will always have a special bond, as well as with the first Mayan city (Palenque), the first safari (Tarangire park) etc.
Entrance Karnak Temple, Luxor – Egypt
tourists in the first pillar of the Temple of Karnak, Luxor – Egypt
columns of the Great Hypostyle Hall of Seti I and Ramses II, Temple of Karnak, Luxor – Egypt
It’s impossible to describe the beauty of Karnak but It’s enough to say that I spent more than five hours inside, constantly amazed by the perfection.
Fourth Pillar of the Temple of Karnak, Luxor – Egypt
Ninth Pillar of the Temple of Karnak, Luxor – Egypt
Festival Hall of Thutmosi III, Temple of Karnak, Luxor – Egypt
Obelisk of Hatshepsut, Temple of Karnak, Luxor – Egypt
Ruins and Obelisk of Thutmosi I, Temple of Karnak, Luxor – Egypt
This temple is much smaller than Karnak, and it’s located in the city centre, just 500 metres from the train station and bus stop.
Luxor Temple Entrance – Egypt
Statues of Ramses II and access to the courtyard, Luxor Temple – Egypt
Great Hall of the Colonnade of Amenhotep III and Tutankhamun, Luxor Temple – Egypt
I’d recommend going in the afternoon, but staying until after sunset.
The atmosphere created by the temple and the illuminated Avenue of the Sphinxes is unmissable.
Entrance to Luxor Temple at night – Egypt
The Karnak Temple Complex and the Luxor Temple are connected by a road that’s 1.7 miles long and 250 ft wide. It’s called the Avenue of Sphinxes.
There are in fact 1060 sphinxes positioned in two rows, separated from each other by about 13 ft.
Observing the differences between each sphinx, perhaps walking down the avenue at sunset watched by the statues of Ramses II, gives you an idea of the solemnity of the place.
Avenue of the Sphinxes, Luxor – Egypt
Avenue of the Sphinxes by night, Luxor – Egypt
As I said, no mummy has ever been found inside the pyramids.
The Valley of the Kings is the place where all the pharaohs were buried over 3,500 years ago. It’s a place chosen because there were already numerous quarries, where the stone was easy to work with and isolated enough to guarantee the pharaohs a safe rest, protected from thieves (if they had stolen anything they would have ruined their eternal afterlife).
entrance to a tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor – Egypt
Sixty-five tombs have been found in the Valley of the Kings, but we don’t know who they all belong to.
There are more tombs yet to be discovered. Inside, there is everything needed for life: food, clothes, etc.
Ramses III tomb drawings in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor – Egypt
Ramses III tomb entrance in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor – Egypt
Ramses III tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor – Egypt
Merenptah sarcophagus tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor – Egypt
The standard ticket includes entry to three tombs of your choice, excluding Tutankhamun’s tomb, which has its own ticket.
You can visit other tombs by adding to the cost of the ticket.
When I was leaving, the guide gave me another ticket, so I was able to enter six tombs.
Apart from this good fortune, I’d definitely recommend the guided tour for the explanation of the interior and for the choice of tombs to visit.
Ramses IV tomb entrance in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor – Egypt
visited Tomb 2 (Ramses IV, closed for 10 years and reopened in July 2023), Tomb 6 (Ramses IX), Tomb 11 (Ramses III), Tomb 9 (initially of Ramses V but later completed and ‘occupied’ by Ramses VI), Tomb 8 (Merenptah), Tomb 16 (Ramses I), and lastly Tomb 62 (Tutankhamun, discovered in 1922 and therefore the only one still almost intact).
Ramses IV tomb corridor in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor – Egypt
Ramses IX tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor – Egypt
Ramses IX tomb drawings in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor – Egypt
Some of the tombs are decorated with Coptic drawings.
To escape persecution by the Romans, they also hid here.
After the temples of Angkor in Cambodia, lthe Valley of the Kings is probably the place that amazed me the most.
I put it in second place with the Mayan cities because they were the first similar constructions I saw and I’m particularly connected to them.
sarcophagus in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, Luxor – Egypt
sarcophagus in the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, Luxor – Egypt
Following the advice of the hostel, I visited the Valley of the Queens after the Valley of the Kings and the Temple of Hatshepsut
I think that was a big mistake.
In fact, I’d recommend to start here, leaving the Valley of the Kings for last, so that you always see better.
The order I followed didn’t allow me to appreciate the Valley of the Queens.
That doesn’t mean the tombs are not beautiful.
Valley of the Queens, Luxor – Egypt
The same thing happened to me at Machu Picchu, wonder of the world that didn’t excite me because I saw it after the Mayan, Aztec and Angkor cities (but that’s another story, which you can read here).
The Valley of the Queens (120 EGP for the ticket, 60 EGP for students, 1600 EGP the extra ticket just for the tomb of Nefertari) is where some queens and children of the pharaohs were buried. From the outside it really gives the idea of a necropolis.
entrance to the Valley of the Queens, Luxor – Egypt
As can be easily understood from the cost, the most famous tomb in the Valley of the Queens is that of Nefertari, the main wife of Ramses II.
It was discovered in 1904 by the Italian archaeologist Ernesto Schiaparelli, but it stayed closed for a long time. Since 1995, access is restricted to a few visitors per day.
The area is at risk of collapse, and the presence of people severely affects the interior of the tomb, ruining the drawings (which have already been restored).
Tomb in the Valley of the Queens, Luxor – Egypt
Queen Hatshepsut ruled Egypt from 1495 to 1475 BC.
The female pharaoh had this temple built as a funerary site.
steps Temple of Hatshepsut, Luxor – Egypt
The sphinxes in the processional avenue have the queen’s head.
sphinx in the Temple of Hatshepsut, Luxor – Egypt
The temple has two platforms with a central staircase, and the stone walls are decorated with images commemorating and glorifying Hatshepsut’s reign.
walls of the Temple of Hatshepsut, Luxor – Egypt
courtyard Temple of Hatshepsut, Luxor – Egypt
The temple is even more impressive when you consider where it was built. It’s surrounded by mountains, into which it has been carved and almost blends.
Luxor from the Temple of Hatshepsut, Luxor – Egypt
I’d highly recommend taking a hot-air balloon flight to appreciate this aspect.
Temple of Hatshepsut from the hot air balloon, Luxor – Egypt
The two 60 ft-high statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III stand on the road to the Valley of the Queens.
They’re the only remaining evidence of the temple built by the Pharaoh, which in his time was larger than even the Karnak complex.
Colossi of Memnon, Luxor – Egypt
Persian Pharaoh Cambyses II ordered the faces mutilated, and the colossi still have the name given to them by Greek historians. They associated the statues with the mythological hero Memnon, who was killed by Achilles.
One of the two statues, in particular weather conditions, emitted peculiar noises noises that were interpreted as a greeting from the pharaoh.
After subsequent restoration or a collapse that altered the structure of the statue, the noises were unfortunately no longer heard.
Colossi of Memnon, Luxor – Egypt
One of the highlights of my trip to Egypt was the Medinet Habu complex in Luxor.
It’s a must-see stop that’s not on the usual tourist routes.
Palm trees in Medina Habu, Luxor – Egypt
It’s where Egypt’s wars are recounted, especially those of Ramesses III against the Sea Peoples, of which the Shardana were the leading exponents.
Most historians and archaeologists believe the Shardana were the ancient Sardinians. Medina Habu is the place that would remove any doubts from the sceptics. It’s impossible not to identify the characteristic Nuragic bronzes among the hieroglyphics of the Sea Peoples..
Rameses III fights the Sea Peoples at Medina Habu, Luxor – Egypt
Shardana Sea Peoples attack Egypt, Medina Habu Temple – Luxor
Gigante di Mont’e Prama – Shardana (People of the Sea) Sardinia Warriors – Sardinian Cabras Museum
Sardinian Shardana Warriors – Nuragic Bronze Statues Sea Peoples
Sardinian Shardana Warriors – Nuragic Bronze Statues Sea Peoples
The wars between the ancient Egyptians and the ancient Sardinians are well known and studied here. It was exciting to be welcomed with full honours.
Wars between Egyptians and Sea Peoples at Medina Habu, Luxor – Egypt
depiction of wars with the Sea Peoples at Medina Habu, Luxor – Egypt
Medina Habu entrance – migdol fortified guardhouse, Luxor – Egypt
Statues of Rameses with Maat and with Thoth at the Mortuary Temple of Ramesses III at Medina Habu, Luxor – Egypt
Sea Peoples at Medinet Habu, Luxor – Egypt
I’d already been on a hot air balloon in Berlino but when I saw the Luxor hostel had hot air balloon flights on its proposed activities, I thought I’d give that a go.
I was a bit hesitant at first: the “full-day ‘Hot Air Balloon + West Bank tour” included the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens (entrance fees not included), the hot air balloon flight, breakfast, lunch and all transfers for a total of €60.
After a lot of requests for confirmation and the promise that I would not pay 1 cent more, I booked the tour.
sunrise waiting to fly in a hot air balloon, Luxor – Egypt
Everything was as it said it would be. The cost really included everything, but the wind delayed the balloon flight, so all subsequent activities were therefore cancelled As a result, I was refunded €30.
In short, the balloon flight cost me less than 30 euros, and it’s definitely a must-do experience.
hot air balloons take flight, Luxor – Egypt
Luxor suburbs from a hot air balloon, Luxor – Egypt
You get to fly over all the historical sites of Ancient Egypt and the view from above is very impressive. It gives you an idea of the size of the temples and the geographical context in which they were built.
minivan tour to the Temple of Hatshepsut, Luxor – Egypt
Valley of the Queens from the hot air balloon, Luxor – Egypt
The tour starts at about 4 am, so you could see the sunrise from the hot-air balloon. But the reality is that nature rules and, if there is wind, the hot-air balloon doesn’t leave the ground.
landscape from a hot air balloon, Luxor – Egypt
The city of Aswan can be visited in 2 days
Coptic Church of Aswan – Egypt
Coptic Church of Aswan from the Nile – Egypt
In the southern Egyptian city, you can relax by sailing the Nile on a felucca (the traditional sailing boat) or discovering the Nubian village on Elephantine Island in search of the unfinished obelisk ( maybe looking the other way when you see the rotten rubbish on the road or floating on the river bank).
Nile River, Aswan – Egitto
Felucca on the Nile, Aswan – Egypt
Elephantine Island, Aswan – Egypt
Thinking there was so much to see, I had chosen to sleep on this bank of the Nile but it seemed not so impressive.
The Aswan Dam is an essential structure for life in the area but for security reasons you can’t stop to see it for long.
You drive past it and that’s enough to understand its impressiveness.
Aswan Dam from the bus – Egypt
The high dam, finished in 1970, created Lake Nasser, expanded the areas that could be farmed, and made more hydroelectric energy available.
That said, the (my) truth is that people come to Aswan only because the city is the best base to reach another wonderful temple: Abu Simbel.
sunrise in the desert, Egypt
Located a few kilometres from the border with Sudan, Abu Simbel is another scenic site of Ancient Egypt.
Located a few kilometres from the border with Sudan, Abu Simbel is another scenic site of Ancient Egypt. In fact, it’s just a few feet from the Nile and cruise ships dock nearby.
Nile River from Abu Simbel – Egypt
You can visit Abu Simbel on a day trip from Aswan, and the site is a spectacular and imposing rock construction. Or rather two.
Temple of Pharaoh Ramses II and Temple of Queen Nefertari, Abu Simbel – Egypt
I paid 25 euros for the round trip from my hostel in Aswan to Abu Simbel + 10 euros for the ticket (paid in cash at the ticket office of the archaeological site).
The whole site can be visited in just over an hour, so all tours give about 2 hours.
Abu Simbel can be divided into two temples: the temple of Pharaoh Ramses II and that of Queen Nefertari.
Crowds of tourists at the Temple of Pharaoh Ramses II, Abu Simbel – Egypt
Crowds of tourists at the Temple of Queen Nefertari, Abu Simbel – Egypt
The largest temple is the one with four statues of Ramses II, each 65 ft high. On either side are smaller ones depicting his mother Tuia, his wife Nefertari and some children.
Temple of Pharaoh Ramses II, Abu Simbel – Egypt
Before going to a destination, I don’t want to study it totally, to have time for wonder and excitement.
And this was the case at Abu Simbel, when I discovered that between the four statues of Ramses there was a small door that leads into the mountain. The temple inside is full of statues, columns, carvings and all that Ancient Egypt has to offer.
zoom on statue Temple of Pharaoh Ramses II, Abu Simbel – Egypt.JPG
The temple was erected in such a way that between February 19 and 21, and between October 20 and 21, at sunrise, the perfect alignment of the temple allows a ray of sunlight to shine into the sanctuary at the heart of the main temple, illuminating the statue of Ramses II and then those of the gods beside him, the sun god Amon-Ra and Ra-Horakhti.
sun on statues Temple of Pharaoh Ramses II, Abu Simbel – Egypt
This is another demonstration of how incredibly advanced the Egyptian civilisation was in astronomy and engineering.
interior of the Temple of Pharaoh Ramses II, Abu Simbel – Egypt
interior corridor Temple of Pharaoh Ramses II, Abu Simbel – Egypt
The smaller temple is next to the larger one, about 300 ft away, and is dedicated to Rameses II’s wife Nefertari and the Egyptian deity Hator, with whom she was associated.
There are six statues at the entrance, each 32 feet high.
depiction of Queen Nefertari, Abu Simbel – Egypt
interior column Temple of Queen Nefertari, Abu Simbel – Egypt
interior drawings Temple of Queen Nefertari, Abu Simbel – Egypt
The Abu Simbel complex was subjected to an incredible “relocation”, 210 feet higher and 700 feet further back.
Just as it was built, relocation required equally skilled experts to save the archaeological site from the rise of the Nile and the formation of the new reservoir caused by the Aswan Dam.
original positioning of the Temple of Pharaoh Ramses II
Thanks to Unesco’s guidance and a worldwide mobilisation that secured funding, technology and manpower from 113 countries for five years of work, expert Italian marble quarrymen led workers specialised in working with stone to cut the entire monument into blocks and reassemble them once the entire complex had been moved.
The original orientation was also maintained, although the move postponed the alignment with the sun and the statues inside the sanctuary by about one day.
relocation work Abu Simbel – Egypt
When I was planning the trip, I hadn’t considered it essential to reroute my itinerary to the Red Sea, but I had a lot of flexibility and time at my disposal.
On the train from Aswan to Luxor, I decided to go to the Red Sea and leave a day for Alexandria.
The most famous Red Sea tourist destinations are definitely Sharm el Sheikh and Marsa Alam.
That’s why I decided to go to Hurghada.
This town is mainly a destination for Russian tourism and in fact both the signs and the shops show Cyrillic characters.
Hurghada from the Red Sea
Hurghada Square
Hurghada mosque
One of the classic experiences in the Red Sea is swimming with dolphins.
Red Sea
Red Sea from the boat
I know that these activities are harshly criticised by many people but, as I’m always against zoos and aquariums, I consider what is derogatorily called “animal tourism” the lesser evil to protect animals.
The money that these activities bring in to local communities means that animals are more important alive than dead.
This also applies to dolphins in the Red Sea, whales in Tonga, animals of the savannah in Africa or sharks in Fiji Islands and South Africa.
Animals are not hunted just because tourists pay more to see them.
Dolphins in the Red Sea
Dolphins in the Red Sea
The most popular way to reach Egypt is surely by plane.
Besides charters, many airlines connect the land of the pharaohs with Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa.
As always, I advise you to search for the best deal on momondo.com, entering the departure and arrival airports, as well as any nearby ones.
International flights land at Cairo airport or in the Red Sea destinations of Sharm el Sheikh, Marsa Alam and Hurghada.
These routes are operated, depending on the airport, by the national airlines Air France, British Airways, Egypt Air, KLM, Iberia, Ita and Lufthansa, as well as the low cost airlines Air Cairo, Easy Jet, Neos, Ryanair, Wizz Air.
If you’re short on time, you can fly to Luxor and Aswan with the local airlinesEgypt Air or Air Cairo.
A taxi from Cairo International Airport to Tharir Square should cost around 20 Euro.
If they ask for more, it means you’ll have to negotiate.
Travelling by train in Egypt is not one of the most popular option for tourists, but l’m a traveller so I like to use alternative ways.
As a Sardinian, I’m not an expert on trains, but I preferred their comfort to endless hours on buses.
The major Egyptian cities are connected by trains, especially if the distances are long.
The duration is just an estimate: trains often leave late but I’ve also arrived almost an hour in advance.
The price of the ticket differs between Egyptians and foreigners, as does the ticket office.
Here the price is fixed and not negotiable. Instead, you can contract with people who approach you offering very cheap prices (i.e. giving you a ticket reserved for an Egyptian with a surcharge, which will be their profit).
Once my first trip was successful, I always chose this ticket method. Obviously I cannot recommend it or guarantee that everything always goes well, but only share my experience.
To recap, there are four ways to get tickets, more or less unofficial and possible depending on the route:
– ticket office at the station: you will be immediately recognised as a foreigner and directed to your reserved ticket office, where the prices in dollars/euros are fixed and non-negotiable;
– accommodation: at reception they will certainly know how to get you a train ticket, obviously with a commission. I don’t know how much it will cost and how the staff at resorts and luxury hotels will behave, but it’s probable that the cheaper hotels and hostels will ask you for similar prices to the official tourist ticket. Then they’ll give you a ticket reserved for Egyptians, which could cause you some problems on the train;
– X people at the station: around the station you will be immediately approached by people who want to sell you train tickets. The first time I turned everyone away by saying that I already had a ticket, until I felt forced to accept it inside the station: those who wanted to sell me the ticket at an advantageous price, were armed and in uniform. I don’t know if they were police, military, secret service or whatever, but they gave me a train ticket at a much lower price than the one for foreigners. Then they accompanied me directly onto the train and left me a piece of paper written in Arabic to hand to the conductor during the ride, as a guarantee.
– On board: if you board the train without a ticket, you can still do so on board when the conductor arrives. I think this is the riskiest option because you won’t have a choice and will have to pay any fare
To give you an idea of the prices I’m talking about:
Cairo – Luxor, about 10 hours:
– official cost of the ticket for foreigners at the station ticket office: € 80.00
– cost proposed in the hostel where I slept: € 50.00
– cost proposed by armed and in uniform people at the station: € 20.00 (train ticket) + € 5.00 (tip demanded inside the train)
Luxor train station
Luxor – Aswan, about 3 hours and 30 minutes:
– official cost of the ticket for foreigners at the ticket office at the station: € 50,00
– cost proposed at the station: € 35,00
– ostel advice: the ticket for Egyptians costs 650 EGP (about € 12,00), give the ticket officer a maximum of € 20,00 without showing him that you have more. He will accept it. Price paid: € 20.00
Aswan train station
Cairo – Alexandria, about 4 hours and 40 minutes:
– official cost of the ticket for foreigners at the station ticket office: € 15
I decided to take the bus instead, which cost 125 EGP (€ 2,00)
Just a heads-up: the rules for trains don’t apply to buses.
The price of the ticket is fixed and depends on the bus and the type of service you choose.
You can buy it at the bus station on the day of departure or online.
The first option is best for trips that aren’t used much by tourists (like Cairo to Alexandria) and you pay in Egyptian pounds.
If you’re taking a longer, more touristy route, it’s better to book a few days in advance, but you can only do this online..
In this case, the price is higher and you have to consider any surcharges your card might charge for currency exchange.
train Aswan – Luxor
Buses leave on time, so you should arrive earlier.
The arrival time is very variable because it depends on traffic and possible security checks at the entrances to cities.
Long routes can be especially prone to delays of more than two hours.
It’s best to avoid booking transfers with connections.
Below are the prices and approximate durations of bus trips:
Cairo – Alexandria: 110 EGP, over 3 hours
Cairo – Hurghada: 240 EGP, approximately 6 hours
Cairo – Luxor: 300 EGP, approximately 10 hours
Luxor – Hurghada: 210 EGP, approximately 6 hours
There are no buses to Aswan.
For the Aswan – Abu Simbel route you have to navigate the Nile or join a tour.
It takes about four hours to drive the 200 miles between the two cities, and the cost depends on the vehicle and travel company. My hostel organised a day trip for me in a shared minivan at €25 round trip, but it usually costs more than €100.
I usually don’t rent a car because I don’t have a credit card and I don’t want to risk a head-on collision driving on the left (Ireland).
I’ve embarked my car by ferry to travel around Catalonia, Basque Country, Spain, Portugal and Corsica. I’ve only rented a car in Norwey, to go from Honningsvag to Knivskjellodden, the real North Cape which cannot be reached by public transport.
If you’re thinking of renting a car in Egypt, I’dstrongly advise against it.
If you’ve driven a scooter or crossed the road in Southeast Asia, you’ll know that here all kinds of vehicles will come at you from all directions.
There are no lanes, no traffic lights, no priorities, no directions.
I have both seen and been in a car goingthe wrong way or reversing for miles, including curves.
It would be impossible to drive in such conditions.
In addition, you could get stopped and have to pay a fine.
car in Aswan
The Nile Cruise is the dream of millions of people.
For me, the ship is a common means of transport that takes us from Sardinia to what we call ‘the continent’.
Having relatively limited time on my trip, I didn’t plan to cruise Egypt sailing the Nile or see the Red Sea this way.
However, this is a classic trip and maybe next time I will be able to give you more direct information.
Given that the Nile is fully navigable, there are cruises from Cairo to Abu Simbel, but you can also choose the shorter stretch from Luxor or Aswan.
sunset on the Nile from the boat in Luxor – Egypt
sunset in Luxor – Egypt
Greater Cairo, the metropolitan area of Egypt’s capital, has more than 25 million inhabitants.
To avoid wasting hours in traffic, I’d suggest sleeping in different places depending on what you want to see.
For visiting the Egyptian Museum and the city, I’d recommend staying in the Cairo city centre.
In this case, I chose Cairo Hub Hostel, right on Tharir Square (€7 for a shared room, breakfast included), just a few minutes’ walk from the Egyptian Museum, metro station and bus terminal.
Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square, Cairo – Egypt
The Giza area, where the Sphinx and the three most famous pyramids are located, is in the suburbs of Cairo, about 10 miles away from Tahrir Square.
Depending on traffic, you can reach it in over one hour.
That’s why I suggest you to stay near the pyramids the night before yout trip into the ancient era.
I stayed at Pyramids Lounge Guest House (€12 single room, breakfast included, 0.3 miles from the pyramids) and I can higly recommend it.
The room is in a narrow three-floor building and its terrace is well worth the stay: you have a perfect view of the sphinx and the pyramids and
The owner is also really nice, welcoming and knows who to contact to organise tours at a fair price for quality and duration.
Giza archaeological site from the hostel – Egypt
breakfast in the hostel in front of the pyramids of Giza
sunset over the pyramids from the hostel
light games on the pyramids of Giza – Egypt
night in Giza, Egypt
I chose to visit Alexandria only as a day tour from Cairo
I can’t really recommend a hotel or hostel, but I’d say the best area to stay is close to the Bibliotheca or near the waterfront leading it to the Fort of Qaitbay.
Port of Alexandria – Egypt
The city of Luxor is ideally divided in two by the Nile, with museums and temples located on both sides of the river.
The Nile can be crossed in about 15 minutes, but if you take part in shared tours, the driver will have to drive a long time to pick up everyone at their respective hotels/hostels, which will extend the timing to over an hour.
why I recommend changing accommodation depending on what you plan to see.
Luxor is conventionally divided into:
– East Bank: on the east bank of the Nile, there are the airport, the train station, the bus station, the Temple of Luxor and the Temple of Karnak connected by the Avenue of the Sphinxes, the Luxor Museum and the Mummification Museum.
– West Bank: On the west bank there are the Valley of the Kings, the Valley of the Queens, the Temple of Hatshepsut, Medina Habu, the Colossi of Memnon. Hot air balloons also fly from this area.
sunset over the Temple of Luxor
I chose the Sweet Hostel Luxor (€6.00 per night in a dormitory for two people with a shared bathroom) because it’s close to the train station and the Luxor and Karnak Temples.
Thanks to this hostel, I was able to take a hot-air balloon flight. However, I had some disappointing experiences: the owner acts as a hospitable friend but wants money for every extra breath.
He charged me double the price for the room than I’d bookenhe took me to buy a phone sim and then asked the shop to charge me a surcharge as his commission, he offered me a train ticket to Aswan reserved for Egyptians at the price for foreigners, he offered to give me a lift to Karnak because he was passing through on his errands but then he tried to charge me another 20 euros.
All things that may be considered normal behaviours for Egyptian people, but certainly don’t allow me to recommend this hostel.
sunset in Luxor – Egypt
I chose to sleep on Elephantine Island thinking it was very characteristic but the biggest characteristic I found was rubbish. What a shame.
Beyond that, however, I was very lucky in my choice of accommodation.
It was spacious, had a fan, air conditioning, a private bathroom and a shared fridge. It cost just €5.00 per night. The most important value of the Kayan Guest House was definitely the owner.
He was really helpful: organized my tour to Abu Simbel, with breakfast and packed lunch included, for only € 25.00, and also helped me with the purchase of the train ticket to Luxor, at Egyptian prices..
Nubian village, Aswan – Egypt
sailing the Nile at night in Aswan – Egypt
Given the time available, I had decided to visit the archaeological site with the day tour from Assuan.
However, this choice implies not seeing the temple at sunrise and sunset.
I think Sharm el Sheikh and Marsa Alam are the most famous Red Sea destinations for resort, relaxation, the sea and all-inclusive tourism.
That’s why I chose to go to Hurghada.
Even here, there’s an endless choice of accommodation.
The price/quality/service ratio/position made me opt for the Tiba Rose Hurgada.
I was happy with my choice: for € 35.00 per night I had a room with a great view, breakfast included. The hotel also has a swimming pool and a small private beach with umbrellas and deck chairs. The area is very quiet and there are shopping centres and good restaurants nearby at reasonable prices.
flag of Egypt in Hurghada
beach hotel Tiba Rose Hurghada
There’s not much to say: a trip to Egypt is definitely a must-do for history and archaeology fans.
Egypt is history and the history of Egypt is also the history of everyone.
I’d like to dedicate a separate speech to the three most famous and iconic pyramids.
I also came here to get my own idea and hear what’s said in the land of the pharaohs.
Ascending gallery Cheops pyramid, Giza – Egypt
Ramses III tomb in the Valley of the Kings in Luxor – Egypt
What forged my thoughts was that all over Egypt there are spectacular engraved and colourful hieroglyphics that show every aspect of life and death, all depicted in detail.
But there’s on thing missing: how the pyramids were built.
You can find hieroglyphics everywhere except outside and inside the pyramids.
The three pyramids of Giza seemed to be an entity separate from everything else in Egypt.
That’s why I became convinced that the pyramids weren’t built by those we consider ‘ancient Egyptians’.
I’ve always thought that there were populations on Earth still unknown to us, much more evolved than we are.
Those three pyramids have anything to do with later constructions.
In my opinion they were just built by an earlier evolved civilisation, then totally disappeared.
The Egypt of the pharaohs found the pyramids already built and used them, copying the structure.
camel in front of the pyramids of Giza – Egypt
Another topic I want to talk about is animals.
It’s not difficult to understand that horses suffer when they have to pull carriages with five people on them all day, every day, in the sun, in temperatures approaching 120°F (50°C).
And, since it sometimes happens, don’t look away when a horse or a dromedary collapses to the ground exhausted.
Maybe, that happens too, they never get up again.
Tired horses under the sun at Giza – Egypt
In Hurghada I’d have liked to swim with dolphins in the open sea.
I know that this is also a much discussed and contradictory activity.
Indeed, the number of yachts, ships, boats and rafts full of tourists was exaggerated.
However, the strong mistral prevented us from entering the water, so the excursion was reduced to just the sight of dolphins.
Aeroplane flies over Cairo and Giza, Egypt
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