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Egypt, the land of the pharaohs and one of the greatest civilizations in the world, with its temples, hieroglyphics, mummies, and pyramids.
If you are planning a trip to Egypt do-it-yourself, get ready: Egypt really has everything you could possibly want: it is full of iconic monuments and extraordinary landscapes, It has a rich history, a strong culture and offers world class diving, incredible beaches and an exciting nightlife.
The capital of Egypt, with a lot of traffic, but cheerful and full of life, there are many things to see and do in Cairo.
The entire region around the city has been continuously occupied for over 6,000 years and is rich in history and culture (both modern and ancient).
Although it is almost always understood that the Pyramids of Giza are part of Cairo, this is not true.
Even if the distinction is subtle (Giza and Cairo are practically a single city, separated only by the Nile River) I decided to include them among the things to see in Cairo.
The pyramids of Giza are an unmissable attraction. Right on the edge of the city, these 4th dynasty funerary temples have thrilled travelers for centuries and continue to be one of the country’s main highlights. Despite the heat, dust and tourist bustle, they cannot be missed.
The Pyramid of Cheops (also called the Great Pyramid or Pyramid of Khufu) is the largest pyramid and can also be visited inside even if in the end there is nothing but narrow passages and the mortuary with an empty sarcophagus: not recommended for those suffering from claustrophobia.
Directly behind the Great Pyramid there is, in a horrible shed, the Solar Boat Museum, which shows one of the ceremonial solar bariglieri found in the area that has been carefully restored to its original glory.
Further south on the Giza plateau is the pyramid of khafre, and the smaller the pyramid of mycerinus (Pyramid of Menkaure). Protecting these mortuary temples is one of the iconic monuments of the ancient world: the great sphinx, with the body of a lion and the head of the pharaoh.
If you wish you can also see the light and sound show at the pyramids!
The Citadel of Cairo is a complex built within high walls on a hill overlooking the city.
Built by Saladin during the 12th century, to protect it from the attacks of the Crusaders, it is worth visiting mainly for two reasons: the first is that there are no cars and therefore it is a place of absolute peace from the traffic of Cairo, the second is that you have a magnificent view of the city.
There are several points of interest located within the Citadel walls, including three mosques, the Egyptian Military Museum with an exhibition of combat aircraft outside, the Police Museum and the Al-Gawhara Palace.
The Citadel’s greatest point of interest is certainly the Muhammad Ali Mosque with its twin minarets, the elegant alabaster-covered courtyard and the interior illuminated by light bulbs suspended from the ceiling.
Egyptian Museum of Cairo (whose real name would be Museum of Egyptian Antiquities), The Egyptian Museum is located right next to Tahrir Square, the amount of treasures it contains is unimaginable and you cannot help but be impressed by the sheer majesty of the exhibits. I don’t think even one lifetime is enough to see everything.
The museum was founded in 1857 by the French Egyptologist August Mariette and moved to his present home – in the characteristic powder pink palace in central Cairo – in 1897.
From 2021 part of the collection is being transferred to the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza. The new museum will be completed in 2024.
Surely the central hall on the ground floor leaves one speechless at the impressive statues and sarcophagi, but if you don’t have a lot of time, I suggest you flee immediately to the second floor to see the Galleries of Tutankhamen, Pharaoh who died at the age of 18.
The treasures on display here were all found in Tutankhamen’s tomb, the only tomb found entirely intact.
Khan el Khalili is a labyrinthine collection of lean alleys and was born and “grew up” around a caravanserai, built in 1382 by the Sultan.
During the Ottoman period, it was known as the Turkish bazaar and since then has always attracted merchants from various parts of the world: Persians, Jews, Armenians and Arabs. It is not surprising that today it is the touristiest bazaar in Cairo: scented oils, Egyptian finds, souvenirs, jewels, in short, here you can find everything.
All in all, however, I would say that khan el khalili bazaar alone represents a real adventure.
This small group of winding streets is located within the walls of ancient Babylon, where the Roman Emperor Trajan built a fortress along the Nile.
Much of Cairo’s charm comes from its mixture of religions and cultures, and the Coptic Museum bears witness to this.
Founded in 1908, the museum houses Coptic art, ranging from the early days of Christianity in Egypt to Islam.
With inlaid wooden mashrabbiyyas facing the courtyards, the museum galleries contain sculptures showing traces of the Ptolemaic period, rich fabrics and entire walls of frescoes.
The first floor houses the oldest psalm book in the world, the Psalms of David, with the two original wooden covers.
For many Christian travelers, however, the real attraction of this area is the Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus, Abu Sarga, where local legend says that the Virgin Mary, little Jesus, and his family took refuge during the massacre of Herod’s male children.
Further in the neighborhood, the Ben Ezra Synagogue, which is said to have been built near the spot where little Moses was found in the reeds of the river, is also worth a visit.
Just outside the neighborhood, you can also visit the Amr Ibn al-As Mosque, the first mosque built in Egypt.
If you want to find a place in Cairo where tourists don’t go at all, visit St. Simon’s Monastery, also known as “Cave Church”, which is dug into the Mokattam Mountain in southeastern Cairo.
it is very difficult for someone to agree to take you there because the Monastery is located in an area that is known as the City of Dead’s or Zabbaleen because of the large population of Zabbaleen who live there.
To get to the Monastery, which is very beautiful, you have to pass through this area where the normal inhabitants of Cairo do not like to go.
The Church was founded in 1975. Several other churches were built in the Mokattam caves, of which the Monastery of “St. Simon the Tanner” is the largest, with a capacity of 20,000 seats making it the largest church in the Middle East.
Al Azhar Park, located in Cairo’s Old City and a short distance from the Citadel, is a 28-hectare oasis of greenery, flowerbeds and water features. The design is inspired by ancient Islamic gardens: the park is a much needed breath of fresh air in one of the most densely populated cities in the world.
Azhar Park attracts over 2 million visitors a year and has a wonderful view of the Citadel.
The Cairo Tower is 187 meters high and is the second most famous landmark in Cairo after the Pyramids.
Commissioned in 1961 as a stylized lotus plant, the 360 degree views of the tower are best enjoyed late in the morning, through the smog of the city below.
In just one day from Cairo, you can combine a visit to Memphis and Saqqara Step Pyramid.
Memphis was the capital of ancient Egypt, built in a strategic position to control the communication routes between Lower Egypt and Upper Egypt. But it is worth a visit.
The area has been fenced off and turned into a garden. The two highlights of the collection are the colossus of Ramesses II and the alabaster sphinx.
The funerary complex of Saqqara, on the other hand, is best known for the large Step Pyramid of Zoser.
Not to be missed, not far away, Mastaba of Akhethotep and the others nearby.
A gem: the small but very precious Imhotep Museum where you can see the only small statue depicting the famous Egyptian architect, Imhotep!
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With its priceless archaeological treasures, the city of Luxor – the ancient Thebes, capital of the pharaohs is one of the most beautiful and important destinations in Egypt. Let’s discover what to see, its enchanting temples and archaeological sites and the treasures preserved in its important museum.
For every fan of ancient history, Egypt is certainly one of the landmarks. Perhaps one of the few destinations in the world able to tell an archaic and fascinating story, not without mystery. And, if there is a place in Egypt considered of professional and amateur scholars, but also of simply curious people looking for suggestions about one of the most fascinating cultures, that place is certainly Luxor.
Included among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Luxor can boast some of the most beautiful archaeological sites in the world. Its foundations rest on the ruins of ancient Thebes and in its surroundings it is still possible to visit admirable remains such as the famous Temple of Luxor, temple of amun karnak, and the giants of Memnon, the Ramesseum, the Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens
The names and formal titles of the kings are inscribed in their tombs along with their images and statues. Beginning with the 18th Dynasty and ending with the 20th, the kings left the Menfi area and built their tombs at Thebes.
A tree-lined avenue of ram-headed Sphinxes leads to the temple and flights of stairs lead from one terrace to another. The porticoes on the lower terraces are of different proportions and colors with the rest of the building. They were restored in 1906 to protect the reliefs depicting the famous transportation of obelisks to Karnak and the birth of Queen Hatshepsut. The reliefs on the south side of the middle terrace show the Queen’s expedition across the Red Sea to Punt, the land of incense.
However damaged, there is no place in Egypt more majestic than Karnak. This temple complex is the largest ever built by man and is the work of countless generations of builders. The temple of Karnak actually consists of three main temples, several smaller fenced temples and other external temples, almost 3 kilometers north of Luxor spread over almost 100 hectares of land.
Are two huge stone statues of Pharaoh AmenhotepIII? Erected over 3400 years ago in the necropolis of Thebes, along the banks of the Nile.
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The Temple of Hathor was largely constructed during the Late Ptolemaic period, specifically during the reign of Ptolemy XII and Cleopatra VII. Later additions were made during the Roman period. Although built by a dynasty of rulers who were not native Egyptians themselves, the design of this temple has been found to be in accordance to that of other classical Egyptian temples, with the exception of the front of the hypostyle hall, which, according to an inscription above the entrance, was constructed by the Emperor Tiberius.
Today, Abydos is notable for the memorial temple of Seti I, which contains an inscription from the nineteenth dynasty known to the modern world as the Abydos King List. It is a chronological list showing cartouches of most dynastic pharaohs of Egypt from Menes until Ramesses I, Seti’s father. The Great Temple and most of the ancient town are buried under the modern buildings to the north of the Seti temple. Many of the original structures and the artifacts within them are considered irretrievable and lost; many may have been destroyed by the new construction.
Although there were several temples constructed here, the largest and most significant is known as the Temple of Seti I. Seti I was the father of the great Ramesses II, who actually completed the construction of most of the temple after his father’s death.
Valley of the Queens is where the mummies of most beautiful and powerful Queens are buried, plus important members of the royal family are buried, it is located on the West Bank of Luxor s Theban Necropolis near the Valley of the Kings under the name” TA-set-Neferu” (The Place of Beauty) during Egypt new kingdom (1570-1050 BC).Much like the Valley of the Kings, it has an unimpressive exterior design to not draw the intention of Looters and tomb raiders, it holds over 75 tombs from the 18th, 19th, 20th dynasty.
In the west bank of the Nile in Luxor lies the amazing Funerary temple of Ramses II (1279-1213 BC), the entire temple was dedicated to the creator god Amun and to be the immortal resting place of Ramses the Great. The temple contains a 57 ft (17m) seated statue of Ramses II and the walls of the Ramesseum contains beautiful decorations depicting the battle of Kadesh, the Syrian Wars and the Festival of Min.
The temple that was called Djant where the sky opened and the creator god Amun made his appearance for the first, it was constructed in the new Kingdom (1570-1050 BC) by both Hatshepsut & Tuthmosis III and later on, Ramses III built his larger memorial temple. The entire temple complex was designed as a copy of a Syrian Migdol fortress which was surrounded by a gigantic fortified enclosure wall with a unique gateway at the eastern entrance known as the pavilion gate. Also, it holds a canal with a harbor outside of the entrance connecting the temple to the Nile River.
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Aswan is a calm and warm city, full of incredible things to see and do.
Egypt is an amazing country, full of history, traditions and culture, but the winner’s palm is definitely going to Aswan. From temples of Abu Simbel and Temples of Philae to the tranquil boat trips to the Elephantine and Kitchener Islands, Aswan is full of historical riches, peaceful Nubian villages and stunning views of the Nile River.
Is one of the highlights of any Nile cruise on the Nile: This is what you can’t miss in Aswan that will make you fall in love with this destination.
Built during the Ptolemaic dynasty, the Temples of Philae are located on an island in the middle of the Nile.
Dedicated to the deity Isis, the main temple has a troubled history: The temple was located on the island of Philae in Lake Nasser, but in 1971 it was moved by UNESCO to the nearby Agilkia Island after the site was partly flooded by the construction of the Aswan Dam.
The tombs of the nobles, located on the opposite bank of the Nile from Aswan, are basically tombs of Egyptian princes dating back to the Old Kingdom, but there are some that also belong to the Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom.
The best thing to do in Aswan is to take a tour to the wonderful temple of Abu Simbel from Aswan.
Built by Ramesses II, Abu Simbel is located about 280 km from Aswan, during this, you will see 2 of the most famous temples in Egypt.
The most famous are the 4 statues that welcome you outside the main temple and inside, other treasures await you!
The wonder only increases when you learn that the temples have been carefully moved from their original location on higher ground after the flooding of Lake Nasser.
This temple was originally built by Toutmosis II and Amenophis II at Kalabsha, 40 miles south of Aswan, and was restored during the Roman conquest.
Inside the Wadi es Sebua temple and the sanctuary (sacred room). The paintings explain the social, political and religious life of the ancient egyptians.
Outside the Wadi es Sebua temple, you will enjoy the beautiful Sahara landscape all around.
The Amada temple, of Ramesses II, was moved here from a site distant about 2.5 kilometers and was lifted for about 60 meters to save it from the waters of lake Nasser. The external parts of the temple were just cut into pieces and transported, but for the internal room, having a total surface of about 25×10 meters, this wasn’t possible because the walls are covered by gypsum having beautiful color paitings. As the gypsum would be damaged by cutting the walls into blocks, the entire rooms were put over three parallel railways and dragged away.
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Now that after you read recommended some of the famous landmarks in Egypt, you just have to choose the ones you prefer and plan your trip in detail. Plan your holiday from here.
