Alexandria
Alexandria is the second most important city in Egypt and was founded by Alexander the Great. It was the capital of Egypt when Cleopatra, the queen of the Nile, was in charge. It has a very famous library and a number of interesting museums.
How many times during our lives have we heard about Alexandria in Egypt? It always sounded very exotic to me.
Visit the souk and buy some nice pieces to remember your visit. The souks are always in the oldest part of every Egyptian city. The alleys take you into the past with the imagination. They are my favourite parts of every city. Have a nice dinner or lunch overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
If you would like to visit Alexandria the perfect time is in the spring, around April.
One of the most famous places to visit in this city, if you want to walk around and enjoy the real Alexandria, is Fouad street. It is known as the King’s Road or the Sun Gate and is located in the heart of Alexandria. Considered one of very few streets that still have a savoir fare of the past. The street is also known as El Horreya. It was built in the Ptolemaic era by the Greek architect Dimokratis around 400 AD. It has a particular mix of Greek, Roman, French and Italian styles. Most of the buildings fortunately are still standing today. The street maintains a European flavour and characteristics.
The best way to see this special street to start at the police station (Qesm El-Attareen). This is where the British garrison headquarters were established during Mohamed Ali Pacha’s era. One of the greatest buildings of the street is next door, the Alexandria Arts Center, which was originally the Muhammad Ali Club. It is the centre of the city’s cultural life. When it was a club some very famous people were members of the club. Like British writer Lawrence Durrell, novelist E.M Forester and the Greek poet Costantine Cavafy.
Keep on walking and at the other end of the street you find the Zohour (flowers) across in the Shallat gardens (which mean waterfalls) were we find the remains of the Arabian walls, which were constructed as an outdoor wall and indoor hidden wall, surrounding the city from the East Harbour (Mansheya Square today).
This road intersects with 3 main roads: Sherif Pacha (Salah Salem), Istanbul street, which extends to Sultan Hussein (named after Khedive Ismail’s Sultan Hussein Kamel (1853-1917) and also El-Nabi Daniel, which was named after Muhammad Daniel Al – Mosuli, and Islamic scholar who travelled from Mosul to Alexandria in the 14th century and who is buried in a mosque in the same location.
Other popular places to visit are El -Nabi Daniel Mosque, Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue and Saint Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral.
This street had a very significant role in the planning of the city of Alexandria, that connected all the city together. In Roman times, Fouad street had an Eastern gate (called the sun gate) and a Western one (the moon gate). Around the end of the 19th century it was named Bab Rashid, linking Alexandria with Rashid City. In 1920 it was named after King Fouad (1917-1926). Since then it has changed its name another two times: El Horreya and Gamal Abdel Nasser. However, Alexandrians still call it Fouad street!
Today it remains a European style street and holds a part of the city’s glorious past with its interesting buildings. It has a great aura of mystery, which also other cities like Cairo and Istanbul maintain. Unfortunately, a lot of important landmarks have disappeared and you can see them only in photographs and paintings. To mention a few: the Zezenia Theatre, Khedive’s hotel and Ali Pasha Club (now an Arts Center).
Fouad street is part of the Latin neighbourhood and includes some very uniquely designed buildings. Very special are those built by the Italian architect Beni during 1880’s. They were commissioned by Khedive Ismail. We can see some still today like: Balqees school, the Spanish Cultural Center and the Health Affairs Directorate, built in the 1880’s as palaces.
Also in this street the first cinema in Egypt was in Tosson Pacha Hall (1896). In this street there are other cinemas like the Metro, Plaza, Royal and Rio, although latter has become a Falafel restaurant owned by a Turkish resident.
Other important buildings include the Opera house, constructed by the English architect George Park and in the beginning named as Muhammed Ali Theatre. Its name was changed to Sayed Darwish Theatre in 1962.
Unfortunately, several houses and buildings on this street have been demolished changing the look, the unique architectural ambience and the look of this magnificent street. Anyway, this street remains the heart of Alexandria, with its special atmosphere and style, which make you wonder about its past glory. Imagine the elegant people walking up and down it.
Luxor
Luxor is located in the south of upper Egypt and is often known as the world’s greatest open-air museum. It is a magical and unique place and has one of the biggest concentrations of temples in the world. It has one third of the world’s ancient monuments. In Luxor you can find Egyptian temples that goes back 4,000 years, including the Luxor Temple, Valley of the Kings and Queens, Karnak Temple, Mummification Museum, Colossi of Memmon, the Temple of Deir Al -Bahri and many others.
The city of Luxor has had different names: in ancient times it was called Waser, named after the ancient Egyptian God of the sun and the air. The Greeks used to call it Thebes. The richness and power of Thebes was already legendary in ancient times and in the end of the 18th century it started to draw the curiosity of the European travellers. It was named also the city of the hundred gates by Greek poet Homer. Luxor’s current name derives from the Arabic word Al -Qosour, which means palaces.
The tourist can find a huge number of ancient Egyptian temples, each one more impressive than the other, ancient monasteries, graves and a lot of monuments that fascinate tourists arriving from different parts of the world. It is a privilege to have the opportunity to see and appreciate a culture that was so incredible, and with such a mysterious and fascinating history.
When we were at school we studied and read about Egypt, its history, the pharaohs, the pyramids and how they were constructed. It is fantastic to go and see it all for real.
The renovation of the Pharaonic Kebbash Road that should be finished this year, after 6 years of work, and will bring the great road to life again. It will become an open museum and the longest passage in the world. In the ancient times, the road, 2.7 kilometres long, connected the Karnak Temple complex with the Luxor temple. During the times of the Pharaohs it was one of the most important roads where festivals and ceremonies took place.
The road was opened for the first time to the public during March 2013 and it was possible to see 1,200 statues standing on one side of the road, each resembling a Sphinx (with a ram’s head and a lion’s body), sculpted in sandstone. The decorations are dedicated to Amun as the head of the statues are in the form of the gods while the rest of its body is the lion, that protects the place from thieves.
The city is considered Egypt’s southern portal to Africa and commercial gateway between the Red Sea governorate and Upper Egypt. On 21 June, the day of summer solstice, the longest day and the shortest night in the year, this astronomical phenomenon was important for the ancient Egyptians. The first day of the first summer month a was a day to fast. The people and the priests didn’t eat or drink from sunrise to sunset and used to pray during the night.
I like to imagine the life at those times in this incredible place. The rites, the religious ceremonies, the culture, the arts… it is so different today.
Fortunately, we can see a lot of their art, objects, statues and other beautiful and well conserved statues, sarcophaguses and other objects from those times in the Egyptian Museum in Cairo. I am looking forward to seeing the new museum when it opens in Giza.
The winter solstice that marks the start of the winter is a 2 hour event that starts at 6 am. For the ancient Egyptians it marked the beginning of the winter. Every year a lot of people come to see the sunlight as it falls perpendicular on Amun Ra’s sanctuary, at the center of this magnificent temple. The sun rises and then moves to the temple’s gate and then reaches Hatshepsut’s ancient temple. It is an incredible and unique spectacle.
You can arrive in Luxor by sailing along the famous Nile River, which is a beautiful experience. Be careful in the choice of the boat, a lot of people have had problems with the food on board many of them. It is better to book a trip that is not too cheap, to avoid ruining your visit.
Another enjoyable way to see Luxor is from a hot air balloon. Daily there are more than 30 rides and the balloons are checked by engineers to ensure the safety of the passengers.
My advice is to plan which time of year to go, so as to avoid big crowds, which spoil the magic of the place. The best times of the year to go are during the months of April-May and October-November, when the temperatures are pleasant. June and July are very hot and it is the time that the city celebrates their Patron (Youssef Abu al Hagaag).
The city is divided in two by the Nile. On the East side is the city and the Temple of Luxor, museums and the Karnak complex. Just south of the city you will find Sharia Khaled Ibn Walid (little England), which has lots of restaurants, guest houses and resorts of all types, run by English people. The other side of the Nile, on the western bank, is more rural and there we can find the various tombs of the pharaohs in the Valley of the Kings and Queens.
For visiting the western part you need a whole day and you have to buy tickets the same day. They are not valid for another day. Be sure to have a good guide that organises the visit for you.
You should also visit modern Luxor, where you can find the souk. You should pass through the touristic part of the market, which is not interesting, and arrive in the area of Sharia Al Mahatta, where local people go to buy fabrics. It is a very interesting market and there you can see the local life. On the other side of the Nile, the western side, you will find the non-touristic Souq at Taalat (only on Tuesdays at Taref).
You can find a lot of information about Luxor in www.luxoregypt.org or you can consult www.luxor-on-line.com
Aswan
Having a very strategic location along the former southern frontier, it has been an important town since ancient times, with a significant military presence. It has a many granite statues and obelisks. The markets of this city were an important place of commerce, where there were a lot of merchants and caravans crossing the desert passed by here. It was a lively place, but at the same time relaxed, not like other Egyptian towns.
It is located on the first cataract of the Nile, where the river is wide, peaceful and beautiful, mixing with Lake Nasser. There are little islands full of palms and along the coast you can see Nubian villages with the desert behind. It is very striking. A very nice place to take some time to relax and enjoy the beauty of Egypt, its culture and its charm. You can enjoy some time in a Spa after the hectic visit to a very touristic and frenetic Luxor and feel like a pharaoh.
Enjoy the incredible sunsets on the Nile, after visiting so many sites in Luxor, here you can take some time to visit one of the nicest souks in Egypt, such as Sharia as-Souq. Here, like other Egyptian Souks, the vendors torture you trying to sell the most unlikely things that they have in their shops. You should avoid talking to them, just ignore them and keep on going. But here it is possible to find merchants that sell Nubian talismans, colourful and interesting straw baskets, African masks, swords from Sudan, and other exotic things, like embalmed crocodiles, that make it an exotic place to walk around
Aswan is famous for Henna and you can find different types of it. Henna is a natural dye made with the leaves of Lawsonia Inermis, which is a bush cultivated from ancient times by the Nubian population in southern Egypt. Traces have been found in the nails of the mummies of the pharaohs. The Nubian women use them to color their hair and to make decorations with it on their hands and feet for their weddings. You should try it. I did it several times in the Middle East and in India. Lots of women in the world of different cultures decorate their hands with beautiful drawings in Henna.
There is also the dry hibiscus flower, which they use to prepare the famous drink Karcadai. Lovely to drink it very cold in the summer. It is also served in many countries in the far East. I had it in Laos and in Thailand. If you want to try it, Starbucks used to have a Hibiscus drink. I don’t know if they still have. It was very nice.
The locals enjoy a lot to walk along the Corniche during sunset, when you can see the islands and the desert behind on the other side of the River Nile, where so many events occurred during the centuries. The source of life of this country from ancient times. The best place to admire the sunset is from the terrace of the Old Cataract hotel and from the Sunset restaurant.
Aswan is warm and dry during winter time. During summer time is extremely hot, with temperatures of between 37 and 45 degrees centigrade.
Places to visit
First go to the Unfinished Obelisk. Its construction was ordered by Hatshepsut, the second historically confirmed female pharaoh. It is one third larger than any other ancient Egyptian obelisk. If it had been finished, it would have been some 42 meters high.
The Nubian Museum is dedicated to Nubian civilisation and culture. It is an International museum which was inaugurated in 1997. It was built in collaboration with the UNESCO. The building won the Aga Khan Architecture Award in 2001. There you can see the art and objects of the Nubians, that were lost when Lake Nasser covered their territory with the construction of the dams.
Agilkia Island is an island in the lake of the Old Aswan dam. On this island the Ancient Temple Complex of Philae was relocated.
Philae is another island in the lake of the Aswan low dam. Philae was originally located near the first cataract of the Nile in Upper Egypt and was the site of a temple complex. It is the first temple structure which was built by native pharaohs of the 30th dynasty, dedicated to Hathor an important goddess in ancient Egypt.
Kom Ombo Temple is a unique temple dedicated to two gods: Haroeris and Sobek. It was constructed during the reign of the Ptolemaic dynasty, during the Roman period.
El Tania Mosque is surrounded by beautiful gardens and is located in a park on a hill, in the center of the city of Aswan.
The Mausoleum of the Aga Khan is the final resting place of Sultan Muhammed Shah, who passed away in 1957. At that time Egypt was the center of power of the Fatimids and was built in the style of the Fatimid in Cairo.
Aswan Museum was opened in 1912 and houses artifacts from Nubia that were saved during the construction of the Aswan dam. In 1990 a new area was opened to the public with discoveries from Elephantine Island.
Elephantine Island is located downstream of the first Cataract. The island is named like this because it looks like an elephant. Strategically located on the border between Egypt and Nubia, it housed a fort and was believed to be the dwelling place of Khnum, the ram-headed god of the cataracts, who guarded and controlled the waters of the river Nile.
El Nabatat Island used to be known as Kitchener’s Island. It was given as a present to Lord Kitchener when he served as General Consul in Egypt. It is also called Botanical Island.
The desert and Siwa. If you want to see life in a desert oasis, you can have a trip to Siwa. Here you can ride up and down the dunes in 4×4 jeeps. You can take pictures in the sunset. From here you can reach a place full of fossils, from when Sahara Desert was under water, a very interesting site, imagine. This place used to be the bottom of the ocean, really incredible. If you think that is now 300 km from the coast. You can sleep in a desert camp, watch the sunset and sunrise in the desert, eat with the Bedouins and sit around the fire to listen their music. You can eat dates that fall when you shake the palm tree.
Other Places to Visit in Egypt
Where else you should visit in Egypt during your stay? This of course depends on how much time you have. Some ideas:
A cruise in the Nile
At Mount Sinai you can visit the Saint Catherine monastery. It is a place for Muslim, Christian and Jewish pilgrims.
Why not spend some days in the desert? Most of the country is desert. You can leave reality and play with your fantasies on a camel, like the nomads. Imagine the English patient.
Go to the Red Sea resorts such as Sharm El Sheikh and Na’Ama Bay (great for snorkelling and relaxing). An alternative is Dahab, a smaller resort.
Abu Simbel – Ramses II built it, not far from Aswan. It has 2 incredible temples. In the nineteen-sixties, they were completely and carefully dismantled and moved to where they are now so as to allow the construction of the Aswan dam and the resulting Lake Nasser.
Abydos is one of the most sacred places on the Nile, visit its temples and also visit Dendara, where you can still find today after all these years a nearly intact temple. What great engineers the Egyptians were.
Visit the Saint Paul and Saint Anthony Coptic Monasteries in the Eastern desert.