Egypt is the world’s oldest tourist attraction due to its intriguing history that dates back to the beginning of Civilisation. For millennia, this African country’s incredible pyramids and temples have wowed visitors.
Egypt’s natural beauties are a big draw for tourists, despite the fact that most visitors come to see the country’s ancient sites. Coral reefs and resorts line the Red Sea shoreline. It is possible to find freshwater spring oasis on a desert walk over the Sahara.
Top 10 Places to Visit in Egypt
Many visitors have avoided Egypt ever since the 2011 revolution and subsequent counter-revolution. This has made it possible to enjoy Egypt’s attractions in peace and quiet. It is now possible to be the only person inside a pyramid.
1. Hurghada
Hurghada, a popular holiday destination, is located on the coast of the Red Sea and is easily accessible from Cairo through a rocky six-hour bus ride. Being a more appealing substitute for Sharm El Sheikh and Dahab, it has quickly become one of Egypt’s most popular holiday spots.
That’s to be expected, though, given the city’s attractive beaches and mild climate. The original focus of this once-simple fishing community is still on relaxation, despite the hundreds of high-end hotels that line the seafront.
Scuba divers flock to this part of the Red Sea because of the abundance of beautiful coral reefs right offshore. Snorkeling, windsurfing, and jet skiing are equally as well-liked as any other watersport.
There are several options for booking glass-bottom boat tours, so those who would rather observe the marine wonders from dry land can typically get the best deal by shopping about.
Eastern Europeans, mainly Russians, go to Hurghada by the hundreds of thousands every year. Many visitors plan their trip to include stops at other popular Nile Valley destinations, such as Luxor, which is only a short distance away.
2. Alexandria
Alexandria, Egypt’s second-largest city and major seaport, sits on a peninsula jutting out into the Mediterranean. Alexander the Great established the city in 331 BC, and it soon became a major hub for trade and travel.
Before Egypt’s defeat by Rome in 30 BC, several pharaohs—among them Cleopatra—ruled from Alexandria. The city became known as a hub for culture and learning when the Romans occupied it.
The Roman Theater, a relic of the city’s Roman rule, contains marble seats and beautiful mosaic flooring. A dusty coastal metropolis with an inflated population of 5 million, Alexandria today is in dire need of a fresh coat of paint. It’s not as vibrant or modern as it once was, but there are still plenty of historical sites and cultural landmarks to see.
In the 14th century, terrible earthquakes wiped out most of the antique architecture and collection of literature that made Alexandria famous. At the ancient location of the Library of Alexandria is a new library that was finished in 2002.
There are historical artefacts from Alexandria’s long past on display in the Alexandria National Museum. More than 1,800 antiquities, spanning from the Greco-Roman to the Coptic and Islamic periods, are on display at the museum.
3. Saqqara
Saqqara is both the name of a town in Egypt and of a vast ancient cemetery where dozens of pyramids, some rather enormous and others much smaller, are scattered across a dusty desert plateau.
Saqqara was mostly forgotten until the 19th century, when it was unearthed from its sand-covered perch above the Nile Valley and began a long process of reconstruction. Saqqara, the greatest archaeological site in Egypt, was named after Sokar, the Memphite god of the dead, since it was a cemetery for the ancient city of Memphis.
As such, it contains a wealth of remarkable pharaonic tombs and other royal Egyptian burial places. The oldest pyramid on Earth is located in Saqqara, and it is the Step Pyramid of Djoser. The summit of this pyramid, which may be reached via a wooden ramp after the gate is opened, offers spectacular views of the Nile.
You never know what mysteries might be hidden behind one of the many doors, so why not try your luck? Also not to be missed are the amazing reliefs at the Mastaba of Ti and the Pyramid of Teti.
4. Siwa Oasis
Being geographically close to Egypt, Siwa Oasis was cut off from the rest of the country culturally until the late 19th century. The Egyptian Sand Sea provided the Siwan people with a unique environment in which to establish their own culture and language, Siwi, a Berber dialect.
Even hundreds of years ago, the small town was not completely cut off from the rest of the world. The oasis gained religious significance after the construction of the Temple of the Oracle of Amun, which dates back to the sixth or seventh century B.C. Alexander the Great was the most well-known of the many who came to the oracle in search of answers.
Siwa Oasis is quickly becoming one of the world’s most sought-after holiday spots. The city’s abundant natural springs, acres of palm groves, and historic mud-built fortresses and relics of Siwa’s Greco-Roman past all draw visitors.
There are many springs with bubbling water. Cleopatra’s Spa, a travertine pool, is among the most visited of these. One can find a more private pool on a small island in Lake Siwa. Travelers must squeeze their way along a tiny causeway to get to Fatnas Spring.
The community of 23,000 people has plenty of cafes ideal for chilling out. Tea and hookah sessions are popular among both locals and tourists. Visitors can experience the city’s distinctive culture and try some of the local dates and olives by making a trip to the marketplace.
5. Sharm el-Sheikh
Located on the southernmost tip of the Sinai Peninsula, the Egyptian resort town of Sharm el Sheikh is a major tourist attraction. Sharm, as it is fondly known, is a famous package holiday resort with its own airport due to its warm, deep blue ocean and excellent golden beaches.
Yet, there is more to do in this historic fishing community than lie on the beach and soak up the rays. Sharm el Sheikh is one of the best places to go scuba diving in the world and is also known as the “City of Peace” due to its role in hosting numerous international peace meetings.
While in the area of Tiran Island and Ras Mohammed National Park, don’t pass up the opportunity to snorkel or dive the amazing reefs, which are home to some astonishingly Colourful marine life.
Even while it’s ideal for a “fly and flop” holiday, those seeking excitement can find it here as well. Sharm el Sheikh, located on the southeastern extremity of the peninsula, provides convenient access to the desert, where tourists may see traditional Bedouin life and ascend Mount Sinai, a biblical site famous for its breathtaking sunrises.
6. Dahshur
Dahshur is a little village south of Cairo that is home to a few pyramids that are not as well-known or as crowded as those in the Giza complex or Saqqara. To be more precise, it was a no-go military zone up until 1996.
Dahshur was also a component of the Memphis necropolis, like Saqqara. Two further full pyramids were constructed in Dahshur by the same king who ordered the construction of the Great Pyramid.
Many subsequent pharaohs commissioned more pyramid construction on this site, bringing the grand total to 11 pyramids, but none of them were as grand as the originals. The Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid, both built by the eccentric Pharaoh Sneferu, are must-sees (2613-2589 BC).
As the oldest real pyramid in Egypt, the Red Pyramid (also known as the North Pyramid) is well-known for its age and its lack of stairs and curves.
7. Aswan
Aswan, the southernmost Egyptian city, is another significant metropolis located on the Nile’s banks. Its location and size, however, make it a tranquil alternative to bustling cities like Luxor and Cairo.
Aswan is the starting point for trips to the southern temples of Philae and Kabasha as well as the northern Sun Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel, while having less significant structures of its own than Luxor.
It is also the most convenient location between Aswan and Luxor for day trips to the temples at Kom Ombo and Edfu. Aswan is home to one of Egypt’s most alluring scenery. North of Khartoum, the Nile narrows into a succession of small white water rapids interrupted by rocky islets, all of which are overlooked by cliffs made of granite.
Historically important as an entry point to Africa from Egypt, modern-day Nubia is also home to a sizable Nubian population. The Nubian Museum provides insight into these people through the preservation of artefacts and information that would have otherwise been lost in the Nubian Flood.
8. Cairo
More than 17 million people make their home in this dusty capital, making it one of the world’s most populous urban areas. Cairo, an Islamic metropolis dating back to the Middle Ages and constructed on the banks of the Nile, is known for its perpetual haze and its beige skyscrapers topped with television satellites.
Located close to the ancient capital of Memphis, modern Cairo serves as a jumping off point for excursions to the Nile and the Pyramids of Giza. But the city itself offers a wealth of attractions.
Visitors to the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square can see mummies and ancient Egyptian antiquities, including Tutankhamun’s treasure, up close and personal. The city’s oldest mosques are also cultural treasures.
The Ibn Tulun Mosque, built by the Fatimids who made Cairo their capital in the 9th century, is the city’s oldest mosque. Mohammed Ali Pasha, widely recognised as modern Egypt’s progenitor, is commemorated with the magnificent Citadel and Mosque, sometimes called the Alabaster Mosque, for its dazzling white façade.
After you’ve seen enough of Cairo’s historical sites, there’s no better way to experience Egypt than to throw yourself into modern life. Experience the chaos of the city’s markets, such as the Khan al-Khalili bazaar, smoke some shisha with the locals in an Ahwaz, or get away from it all on a felucca tour along the Nile in a traditional Egyptian sailing boat.
9. Luxor
Exactly a millennium after the Great Pyramids were built, Egypt’s New Kingdom began, and the capital was relocated from Memphis to the southern city of Thebes (modern-day Luxor). Thebes became the cultural and political centre of Egypt after it was enriched by gold found in the deserts of Nubia and transported to the city on the river Nile.
Luxor, formerly a modest Egyptian city, has become one of the world’s most visited thanks to its status as the “world’s largest open air museum.” Luxor is packed with amazing attractions, from temples to tombs and beyond. It will take at least two days to give everything justice.
The majority of Luxor’s sights can be found on either the east or west bank of the Nile. The East Bank is home to a number of world-famous attractions, including the remarkable temple city of Karnak, also known as Ipet-isu (‘Most Choice of Places’). Although there are four distinct sections to the Karnak complex, only the central Temple of Amun is accessible to visitors.
The pillared hall of the temple, the biggest religious building ever constructed, is a stunning stone forest of 134 columns, the tallest of which reach a height of 21 metres (69 feet). Stroll.
10. Giza Necropolis
The Giza Plateau is one of the world’s most famous landmarks. Giza, a city on a desert plateau to the west of Cairo, has grown so rapidly in recent years that it no longer feels distinct from the rest of Cairo.
Once only a carriage track, Giza is today one of the most popular tourist destinations in Egypt thanks to its abundance of five-star hotels, gourmet restaurants, humongous malls, and lively nightlife. Nonetheless, most visitors to Cairo spend the most of their time in the Giza district, as this is where the iconic Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx can be found.
The three great pyramids of Giza are tombs for the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure of ancient Egypt. For the purpose of interring their wives and royal family members, they constructed a number of smaller pyramids in the surrounding area.
