City: Egypt
Top Things to do in Egypt
Top Hotels in Egypt
- 1. Kempinski Nile Hotel Garden City Cairo
- 2. Savoy Sharm El Sheikh
- 3. Royal Savoy - Sharm El Sheikh
- 4. Sunrise Arabian Beach Resort - Grand Select
- 5. Titanic Resort & Aqua Park
- 6. Al Masa Hotel
- 7. Baron Palace Sahl Hasheesh
- 8. Stella Di Mare Beach Hotel & Spa
- 9. Steigenberger Alcazar
- 10. Steigenberger ALDAU Beach Hotel
What to do and see in Egypt, Egypt: The Best Historic Sites
Coordinates: 26°N 30°E / 26°N 30°E / 26; 30
Restaurants in Egypt
1. Abu Simbel Temple Complex
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3,454 reviews
Reviewed By Traveller314 - Edmonton, Canada
The two temples at Abu Simbel are just so spectacular enough on their own, both inside and out, that it's easy to overlook the incredible engineering achievement that it took to save them from being destroyed by the rising waters of Lake Nasser. This place was one of the highlights of our two-week tour across Egypt and worth the 3 hour drive from Aswan. Highly recommended.
2. Cairo Citadel
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,197 reviews
This massive stone fortress, built by Salah ad-Din in the 12th century, was crowned with the Mosque of Mohammed Ali 700 years later.
Reviewed By dr_j_now - Germantown, United States
This wasn't necessarily on our personal radar, but it was part of the group tour so obviously we came. It's worth seeing; it's an amazing old site overall and very impressive, especially considering when it was all built. If visiting the area, be sure to dress and act appropriately here especially, as the Mohammad Ali Mosque is one of the main buildings here and must be visited if you're here. Even though it's an impressive building, it is really a bummer that they used limestone from the Great Pyramids to construct it. From the courtyard we got lucky and it was apparently a "clear" day (still quite hazy) and we had a nice view of the city, including the Pyramids in the distance. Overall it was definitely worth a short stop.
3. Gayer-Anderson Museum (Bayt al-Kiritliya)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 204 reviews
This museum features the items of antiquity collected by John Gayer-Anderson, a British member of the Egyptian civil service in the 1930s and ‘40s, who restored two adjacent 16th- and 17th-century houses decorated with mashrabiyya screens and marble inlays.
Reviewed By kingzogofalbania
This is a real treat. A rabbit Warren of rooms stuffed full of mementos the owner collected over his career in the British army. Great collection of Islamic furniture screens and tiles and a peek at how sophisticated members of the colonial class lived. Hard to believe there’s a bustling city just a few feet away. There’s a guide on the premises to explain what you’re seeing.
4. Great Sphinx
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,035 reviews
At over 240 feet long and 66 feet high, it’s a wonder that this mysterious sculpture was carved from a solid limestone block.
Reviewed By TrevHoltham - Mount Gambier, Australia
Again this is a bucket list item so much history ... We used an excellent tour company called Egypt tailor made ... Competent knowledge and shows the must sees whilst a few extras ... Comes with a driver whom is always close by ... Happy to answer questions ...
5. Khafre's Pyramid
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,521 reviews
Next to the Great Pyramid of Khufu, this is the second-largest of the Giza pyramids; Khafre was the son of Khufu.
Reviewed By macedonboy - Glasgow, United Kingdom
Khafre's Pyramid is the second-tallest and second-largest of the Pyramids of Giza complex, shorter than the adjacent pyramid built for Khufu. This one was built for the eponymous Fourth-Dynasty pharaoh. It’s also the only one of the big 3 pyramids that retains some of the original lime plaster that once covered the stones. Like the adjacent pyramids of Menkaure and Khufu, it’s not until you’re right on the pyramid that you see the immensity of the structure. Amazing must see site along with the whole of the pyramid complex.
6. Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hassan
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 429 reviews
Reviewed By kaziy - Dhaka City, Bangladesh
The Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan is a monumental mosque and madrassa Cairo, Egypt was built between 1356 and 1363 during the Bahri Mamluk period, commissioned by Sultan an-Nasir Hasan. The mosque was considered remarkable for its massive size and innovative architectural components, and is still considered one of the most impressive historic monuments in Cairo today. This mosque is stunning and impressive from outside and inside. The mosque occupies almost 8000 square meters and the building is about 500 meters long, 68 meters wide, and 36 meters high. The massive main doorway at the north corner is almost 26 meters high and the minaret at the south corner is the tallest in Cairo at 81.5 meters. The mosque is an active place of worship. At the time of visiting the mosque women need to cover their heads; arms and legs and all visitors will need to leave their shoes prior to entering the mosque.
7. Mosque of Ibn Tulun
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 387 reviews
This is considered one of Egypt's largest and oldest mosques, which was built between AD 876 and AD 879 by an Abbasid governor sent from Baghdad to rule over Egypt.
Reviewed By kaziy - Dhaka City, Bangladesh
The Mosque of Ibn Tulun, Cairo, Egypt is the second oldest mosque in Egypt and Africa surviving in its full original form, and is the largest mosque in Cairo in terms of land area. The Mosque of Ibn Tulun was constructed by Ahmed Ibn Tulun between AD 876 and 879 and modeled on the Kaaba in Makkha (Saudi Arabia). Since Ibn Tulun is an open space, it brings in a lot of sun and shadows. Its decorations being created from carved stucco and wood. On the mosque's northern side is the 40-meter-high minaret with a fine horseshoe arch over the entrance and a spiral staircase swirling through the interior.The mosque is an active place of worship. At the time of visiting the mosque women need to cover their heads; arms and legs and all visitors will need to leave their shoes or have shoe covers put over shoes prior to entering the mosque.
8. St. Catherine's Monastery
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 536 reviews
This is the 6th century formidable fortification and still working Christian monastery. It has the second largest collection of illuminated manuscripts.
Reviewed By worldnomad_01 - Los Angeles, United States
The beautiful monastery was built in mid of the 6th century AD at the orders of the Byzantine emperor Justinian, it is one of the oldest, continuously operating Christian monasteries in the world, contains the oldest monastic library with many unique books, the oldest and most beautiful icons collection, some of which date back to the 5th century and it also contains the site where Moses is supposed to have seen "the burning bush". Fortress like, surrounded by massive fortifications, the monastery is located at the foot of Mount Sinai, at the mouth of a gorge and on a well maintained, two way street, left from the main road leading to the nearby, minuscule town of Saint Catherine. We spent a lot of time admiring the amazing icons collection and the beautiful silver gilded books donated by various Eastern European kings, went downstairs to see a small room containing skulls of hundreds of monks who met their Creator while serving the monastery, and then just spent some time walking on the monastery's narrow alleys. We twice went there at 5 pm, sat in a corner of the main church, and just listen to the sermon and the songs of the monks, in the dim lights and lightening of the evening, in the the smell of the candles and the incense and the awareness of the rich religious and historical significance of the place....
9. Pyramids of Dahshour
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,501 reviews
This complex contains pyramids from the Fourth and Twelfth Dynasties including the Southern Pyramid, or Bent Pyramid due to its unorthodox outline, and the Red Pyramid.
Reviewed By chrissN1564LJ - Appleby Magna, United Kingdom
Red pyramid has three sound chambers with acoustic ceilings.... wonderful ‘Bent’ pyramid is actually 2 pyramids with one harmonic chamber on top of the other. Nothing bent about it - all intentional and built by a race that knew a lot more about everything than we do today...
10. Fort Qaitbey
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,068 reviews
Resembling an imposing castle fortress, this citadel was built in the 1480s by Sultan Qaitbey on the site of the Pharos Lighthouse, to protect the city from the crusaders who used to attack the city by sea.
Reviewed By 277vincentm - New Orleans, United States
The Citadel of Qaitbey with its splendid views of the Mediterranean (see Rampart View view), is easily the most striking historical structure in Alexandria. Built in 1477, it’s relatively modern by Egypt’s timeline, which goes back ten times further. But 1477 is a good 15 years before Columbus discovered America, and the history of the site predates the Roman Empire. The citadel stands on and incorporates stones from one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Qaitbey was neither Arab nor Egyptian, but a Circassian. But he did a credible job of building a newer, stronger fortress where the old Lighthouse had been. The NW corner of the fort might put you directly above or beside where the Pharos used to stand, as a placard states that this is “most likely to be attributed to the remainings of the old lighthouse.” I assume that when the Arabs captured Alexandria from the Byzantines in 641, the Baths were still being used. The first of the series of earthquakes that destroyed the Lighthouse occurred 150 years after the Arab conquest. (See Byzantine Bath photo). As well as walking the ramparts carefully (see Rampart View) and looking at the warm waters of the Mediterranean just as archers did centuries ago (see Torquoise Waters photo), you can go into the main tower, the most imposing structure in the citadel (see Main Tower photo). The rock steps are irregular; there are no handrails; and the roof of the main tower is not accessible. A door on the top floor of the tower looks as if it leads up to the top of the tower, but its gate is firmly locked (see Don’t Man the Rooftop photo). Some graffiti spray-painted onto the NE corner of the tower may be why rooftop access is now prohibited. Still, inside the tower you’ll find striking windows, chambers and passageways (see Ancient Windows and Passageway photos). Persons with minor mobility impairments can enter the courtyard below, but should use care if trying to climb up to upper levels (the footing is treacherous in many areas). Those with severe impairments (wheel-chairs, etc) can enjoy the view from the wide courtyard, but almost certainly should not attempt to go any higher. Similarly, children should be closely controlled for their own safety, because potential falls are a real danger in some spots. Other visitors can easily spend an hour or two wandering around the ramparts, enjoying the views through ancient windows, and wandering through the labyrinthine chambers of the tower.
