Egypt Holidays
• Introduction
Egypt
could be said to have six different tourist super-sites. Each has its own flavor,
and mostly each serves a different purpose. Surprisingly, or perhaps not, most
of these tourist areas do not depend on ancient monuments to sustain them. In
fact, only Luxor is completely dependent on this trade.
These super-sites consist of:
Alexandria and the immediate area around the City. It could in fact be
argued that this area extends to Marsa Matruh to the west on the coast. The
area has a Mediterranean feel about it, and the attraction is the Mediterranean
Sea, and to the people of Cairo, a somewhat cooler climate.
Cairo and the immediate area around the City. Cairo has everything. Cairo
has great hotels, entertainment, restaurants, all manner of monuments from throughout
the history of Egypt and it is often the entry point for most people visiting
Egypt. It even has bowling allies and several golf courses to chose from.
Luxor, and the surrounding area. Luxor is a living museum with vast numbers
of ancient Egyptian monuments. It is also highly oriented to tourists, and might
be thought of in the same regard as a theme park, where the attractions just
happen to be real monuments.
Aswan and the surrounding area. Aswan is probably the least of the super-site
tourist areas, but has great hotels, along with the huge Lake Nasser just to
the south.
Hurghada
and the surrounding area, particularly El Gouna. Not to far apart are El Gouna,
Hurghada and Safaga, and these areas contain just about everything a tourist
would like to have, with the exception of ancient monuments. They make up for
that with every variety of water sports, several golf courses, casinos and more.
The Red Sea area has less of an Egyptian feel, but not as European as the Sinai.
Sharm El Sheikh, and the surrounding area including Sharks Bay. This
is the Sinai super-site, again with most everything any tourist might wish.
There are even some wonderful Christian monuments nearby, and the water sports,
as at Hurghada, are all inclusive.
This is not to say that there are many more tourist destinations, particularly
on the Red Sea and in Sinai, and on Egypt's mainland interior, the oases. However,
in much of the rest of the mainland interior, travel and destinations are limited.
However, the tourist super-sites encompass perhaps ninety-five percent of the
ancient monuments, and most else there is to do in Egypt.
• Attraction
in Egypt
1. Alexandria and the North Coast
2. Beautiful
beaches and Mediterranean resorts.
3. The Delta from North of Cairo to the Mediterranean East of Alexandria
With Tanta, Zagazig, Dumyat, Damanhur, El Mansura, Benha
4. Cairo and the Lower Nile Valley from Cairo to El Tabbin
With Abu Sir, Dhashur, Giza, Meidum, Saqqara
5. The Lower Nile Valley from El-Minya to El-Minya
With Atfih, Beni Suef, Ihnasya el Madina, El Lahun, El Minya
6. Upper Nile Valley from South of El-Minya to Qena
With Abu Tig, Akhmim, El Araba el Madfuna, Asyut, El Badari, Dairut, Durunka,
Girga,Hiw, Sohag, Qena, El Qusiya
7. Luxor/Thebes, from South of Qena to North of Idfu
With Luxor and the Surrounding Area
8. Aswan and Nubia, from Idfu to Abu Simbel
With Elephantine Island, Kitcheners Island, High Dam
9. Red Sea
With El-Gouna, Hurghada, Suez, Berenice, Ain Sukhna, Al-Quseir
10. Sinai
With
El Arish, Ras Mohamed, Dahab, Taba
11. Oasis
Fayoum
Siwa Oasis
Bahariya Oasis
Farafra Oasis
Dakhla Oasis
Kharga Oasis
12. Other
Parks of Egypt,
Wadi Natrun
Alexandria and the Northern Coast
• Off the Beaten
Track
Major Cities and Towns
Abusir
Agami
Alexandria
El Alamein
El-Dikheila
Mersa Matruh
Ras el-Hikma
Rosseta (Rashid)
Sallum
Sidi Abdel Rahman
Sid Barani
• When to Visit
Egypt
About the Area
"The Northern Coast" is the Egyptian North Western gate stretching
525 Km on the Mediterranean east to Sallum on the Libyan boarder.
This was a rain-dependent agricultural land in the Roman era. Having good
faith in the prosperous future of this region, the government spares no effort
to develop it. Many comprehensive planning studies have been conducted. Many
luxurious tourist spots have been built. In 1978, the process was unleashed.
In spite of miles of white sand beaches and azure sea, Egypt's Med is still
undeveloped and relatively unpopulated. There are fine beaches all along the
coast from Alexandria to Mersa Matrouh, including the resort of Sidi Abdel
Rahman, a secluded bay with clear waters and a selection of villas and hotels.
At Mersa Matrouh itself, the natural bay and long white beach make for good
sunbathing and swimming in calm transparent waters. Hired bicycles, carettas
or open- sided tuf-tuf buses will take you to other good bathing spots nearby
including the outstar beach at Al-Abyad and Ageebah cove, surrounded by beautiful
scenery. As well as beaches there are other attractions in the Mersa Matrouh
area: Cleopatra's Bath, a rock-hewn whirlpool bath off- shore which was supposedly
used by Antony and Cleopatra, a ruined temple fort built by Ramses II, an
early Coptic chapel and "Rommel's Hideout", a cave where the general
planned his military campaigns and which has now been tumed into a military
museum.
At Abu Qir, a small fishing town, you can sunbath, fish, swim and eat fresh
seafood. To the west of the city try the resorts of Agami or Hannoville.
Attractive integrated tourist villages are there, including beaches, houses,
public service units. Moreover, 121 private locations are under study, besides
the three models executed by the Ministry of construction, i.e. "Marakia",
"Marabella" and "Marina" resorts.
Due to its marble-like nature, "Marakia" was originally known as
"Marmarina" in the old times. The name is extracted from the Arabic
word "marmar" which means marble. Clear sea and pure sand are its
two main characteristics. It is 240 feddans & consists of three main parts;
namely,
beach, housing units and public service units. The beach is 1500 meters long;
its downstream surface is 100 meters.
A pedestrain road separates it from the housing units. This stretches 400
meters, and consists of five-region on -shore 1945 units; 1267 cabins, 72
villas and 31 houses. The public service units are in both the middle of the
village and at its main entrance, including administrative, emergency, communication,
commercial, and entertainment services. Restaurants, cinema and an open theater.
At the village entrance, a 800-person capacity mosque has been built. Large
surfaces were devoted for sportive courtyards and public gardens. That is
not all, there are further expansions.
One may imagine "Marina" by the meaning of its name: the beautiful
sea. It is 15 Km from "Marakia", 750 meters long on the beach and
its downstream surface is 800 meters. Its total surface is about 143 feddans.
Many service units are constructed on the beach. The housing unit consists
of 34 villas, 264 flats and 672 cabins. A center for administrative, commercial,
medical, religious and entertainment services is found in the middle of the
village.
Nearby, "Marina- Alameen" lies on the beach, about 100 Km from Alexandria.
Its
surface is nearly 5000 feddans. Apart from the beach, it consists of housing
and public service
units. Golf, horseriding and other sport facilities and courtyards are also
there. In fact, "Marina-Alameen" is exceptional in both natural
and historical respects. It is endowed with natural deep lakes, as well as
large forests. Moreover, it is rich in both Greek and
Roman monuments. Being the World War II stage, an allied soldiers cemetery
is found
there. On the other hand, sea-linked lakes are designed for water renewal,
shipping and
fishery purposes. 
And then there is Alexandria (Alex) itself. Pick any given holiday and try
to find someone you need to see in Cairo. They will be in Alex, which is not
only a playground for people around the world, but of the Egyptians themselves.
Population
Total population 3,341,000
male 51.15 %
female 48.85 %
Tourism
54 hotels
4,041 rooms
Worship places
1,819 mosques
36 churches
• 
Reaching
Egypt
How to get to Alexandria
From outside Egypt
International flights to Cairo, then an internal flight or travel by rail,
bus or private transport (see below).
Contact your travel agent for details.
From Cairo
Overland and rail
Alexandria
Trains (including the express "Turbini" service) from Ramses Station.
Buses (Superjet, West Delta Bus Co. or Golden Arrow) from Abdel Mouneem Riyad
terminal near the Ramses Hilton Hotel. Some buses also depart directly from
Cairo Airport. Service taxis from in front of the Nile Hilton Hotel, near
Ramses
Station or the Ahmed Helmi terminal. There are two good roads direct from
Cairo to Alexandria for those with private transport.
Mersa Matrouh
Trains, direct or via Alexandria, from Ramses Station. In the summer there
are also wagons-lits direct to Mersa Matrouh. Contact Wagons-lits on
+20-2-3492365.
Buses
(Superjet, West Delta Bus Co. or Golden Arrow) from Abdel Mouneem Riyad terminal
near the Ramses Hilton Hotel. The West Delta Bus Co. buses
leave Alexandria from Ramleh. Service taxis also run from Alexandria
Al Alamein
By bus, train or service taxi from Alexandria.
By air
EgyptAir flies daily to Alexandria throughout the year and to Mersa Matrouh
in the summer months. Tel: +20-2-5750600 (Cairo).
—›
When to Visit
Egypt 
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