The civilization of Egypt is one of the oldest in the world. The prehistoric period ends around 3000 BC, when the ruler of Egypt, Menes, united Lower Egypt (delta) and Upper Egypt (Memphis-Syene) with the capital in Memphis and founded the first dynasty. The history of ancient Egypt is divided into the Old State (circa 3000-2050 BC, the time when the pyramids were built in Giza), the Middle State (2050-1575, expansion period; reorganization and flourishing) and the New State (circa 1570-1085 BC, further flourishing country, trade development, construction of temples in Thebes, current Kamak, and in Luxor, and the necropolis in the Valley of the Kings, as well as the increase in the power of priests, loss of Asian provinces) and the Late Era (around 1085-332 BC, the political fall of Egypt, the state from 671 BC under the rule of Assyria, and then, from 525 BC, the Persians). In 332 B.C.E. Egypt was conquered by Alexander the Great and became one of the provinces of this ruler. After his death, the Hellenistic Ptolemy monarchy was established there. Queen Cleopatra VII (69-30 B.C.) came from the Ptolemy dynasty, whose rule was another successful period in the history of the Egyptian state. In 30 BCE Egypt became a Roman province and was it until 395 CE, when it was within the Byzantine Empire.
Ancient Egyptian GODS AND Pharaohs
As a result of the fighting, as well as the peaceful joining of individual Egyptian theocrats, two kingdoms were eventually formed: the kingdom of the North, whose divine “ruler” was the falcon – Horus, and the kingdom of the South, which was ruled by the god Seth. The capital of the northern state, ie Lower Egypt, was the city of Behedet in the western part of Delta, while the capital city of the southern state, ie Upper Egypt, was Ombos on the left bank of the upper Nile. Prolonged struggles between these two countries ended in pre-historic times with the victory of Lower Egypt and the unification of the whole country under the divine authority of Horus. In this way, the first united Egyptian state was created with the capital in Heliopolis (Biblical On, northeast of today’s Cairo). Heliopolitan priests created during this period the most important theological and cosmogonic system that was adopted throughout Egypt and survived until Christian times. However, many naivety and contradictions conveyed by tradition have not been excluded from this system.
Read More About Ancient Egyptian GODS (Complete Guide)
Mummification in Ancient Egypt
Mummification was a very complicated activity and lasted on average seventy days. Basically, it proceeded as follows: first the brain and the guts of the deceased were removed, and the corpses were rinsed with a solution of soda and lye or molten asphalt, then they were soaked in a solution of salt and soda for several weeks, and then dried. The abdominal cavity was filled with fragrant herbs and disinfectants, and then the corpses were wrapped in increasingly thicker canvas bandages three hundred to four hundred meters long. Many different amulets were put into the mouth, chest and abdominal cavity of the deceased, and between bandages to protect him from the dangers of the afterlife. The most important of these amulets, scarab-shaped, was to replace the deceased’s heart at the after-death court and tip the scales of justice in his favor. A “Book of the Dead” was placed between bandages on the breasts, under the arms or between the legs of the mummy. The last layer of bandages was saturated with glue, which after drying formed a uniform, hard shell.
Relevant symbols and hieroglyphs were painted on it. The guts removed from the corpses were washed in cedar wine and put into four stone urns (so-called canopies), which remained under the care of the four “sons of Horus”. The urn covers were shaped like the heads of these deities: the shape of a human head (Imset), baboon (Hapi), vulture (Kebehsenuf) and jackal (Duamutef). Such a prepared mummy was put into a casket, which in turn was placed in several other, increasingly larger coffins. During the Old Kingdom they were ordinary, wooden or stone boxes. During the Middle Kingdom, coffins were tried to decorate, and in the New Kingdom period they were given the shape of a mummy.
Hieroglyphics
Egyptian writing called hieroglyphs was used primarily to write texts on the walls of temples and tombs, and on papyri. This letter was used for nearly three millennia. Contrary to appearances, the principle of hieroglyphic writing is complicated by the need to express abstract concepts and a great variety of words. As in Hebrew, there are no vowels in the hieroglyphs (a user who knows the sound and pronunciation of a word adds vowels when reading). The base of the letter is formed by one-, two- and three-letter characters. The signs reflected objects taken from nature – hence people, animals, plants appear in the hieroglyphs. For example, to express the word “bull”, this animal was simply drawn. Such signs, which have full meaning, are called ideograms. However, all concepts cannot be expressed in this way. Some signs were therefore used not because of the meaning, but because of to sound (phonograms.) Hence the string of phonograms resembled rebuses or picture charades.
Hieroglyphic characters were written in columns from top to bottom or horizontal lines from left to right (but also vice versa!). So how do you check the direction of the hieroglyphic writing? You have to look at which side the figurines of people or animals are facing (when to the left, the text is read from left to right).
MOST INTERESTING CITIES OF EGYPT
CAIRO
Everyone is familiar with ancient Egyptian monuments of the pharaohs and those from ancient times. Few, however, realize that between Cleopatra and Hosni Mubarak (current president of Egypt) these lands were ruled by Byzantine emperors and Muslim sultans.
A central place in the life of Egypt, from time immemorial Cairo is a city with many faces, which layers in its urban tissue various cultures and historical events. A tourist prepared to discover its uniqueness will not be disappointed.
Contemporary Cairo is 18 million. “octopus”, a monster created by human hands, hell and torment in life. The largest city on the African continent. It’s so monstrous and ugly that it’s fascinating. Discovering the attractions of this place is hard work and drudgery at the temperature of a microwave and cacophony of rickety taxis. No, this city is definitely not boring. Every day, several million people, driven by inexhaustible energy, swim into the streets of Cairo to exchange gossip, trade pray, steal or cheat accidental visitors. This city is a cauldron in which the daily struggle of thousands of people for survival takes place. Any tourist who is not prepared to meet this strange city will be shocked by the noise, poverty, overcrowding and clutter. However, whoever gets to the agenda of such attractions will not want to leave. The capital of Egypt, although ugly, has many attractions. And it’s not about the Egyptian Museum and the Sphinx. Cairo is one architectural mishmash in which nineteenth-century colonial tenement houses are adjacent to antique Ramesses II.
The New City, which currently serves as the financial and cultural center of the Arab world, was founded in the 19th century, during the reign of British and French colonists Cairo lies on the left bank of the Nile, on the right is Giza. The center of the left side of the city is Tahrir Square, near which are key buildings, including the Egyptian Museum. The architecture of local palaces is often a picturesque mix of Arabian facades and European interiors. Currently, the district is the residence of Egypt’s financial and political elite.
PYRAMIDS IN GIZA
Eight kilometers from Cairo, in Giza, three great pyramids tower over empty areas and a complex of smaller pyramids and tombs. Not far away is a huge Sphinx statue. These wonders of the ancient world survived for nearly 5000 years, but it was only from the 19th century that archaeologists began to gather information about their origin. The great pyramids of Giza were built during the fourth dynasty. The largest of them, the tomb of Pharaoh Cheops (Khufu), was created first. The pyramid standing in the middle, built as the second one, is slightly smaller and belongs to Cheops’ son, Chefren (Chefra). The third, much smaller, is the pyramid of Pharaoh Mykerinos (Menkaura), the grandson of Cheops. The Pharaohs were considered living gods who were to unite with many other Egyptian deities after death. Some of the gods – such as Osiris, ruler of the world of the dead, or the portrayal of the jackal Anubis – took part in the court of the dead. The rulers of Egypt built “the houses of the dead”, with a number of underground rooms equipped with everything they needed in the afterlife, including food, everyday appliances and jewelry. These tombs were strategically located on the edge of the desert on the west bank of the Nile. (The west is the side where the sun disappears, so the ancient Egyptians associated it with death). The Cheops Pyramid, whose construction took about 30 years, was not only an amazing engineering work, but also required the transport of millions of tons of material and the efficient organization of the work of about 10,000 people. Most of the rock blocks were cut in local quarries, but the limestone used for facing them had to be imported from the town of Tura, located on the east bank of the Nile, 13 kilometers away. The pink granite used to make the burial chamber comes from Aswan, 965 kilometers south of the city.
SPHINX
In the sculpture of ancient Egypt, the image of a lying lion with a human head (usually a portrait of a ruler) or animal (a symbol of a deity). The most famous Sphinx in Giza carved in monolithic rock served as the guardian of the royal necropolis.
In Greek mythology, the sphinx was a creature with a woman’s head and a winged lion’s torso. Sent by Hera, he ravaged Thebes and devoured people who had not solved the riddle he had solved.
LUXOR
Today’s Luxor is ancient Thebes, a city stretched along the Nile. The river divided the city into two parts, temples were erected on its eastern shore, and Western Thebes was the land of the dead.
Amon was originally a local deity of Thebes, god of the wind and air lord. His name means “hidden” or “invisible” and his representation never appears among the hieroglyphs. When Thebes became the capital of Egypt, Amon gained importance. He became the god of all Egypt, king of the gods and protector of the pharaohs. The almighty god called and overthrew the rulers as he liked. Luxor was built on the site of the ancient city of Thebes, and its magnificent monumental architecture and excellent condition make it one of the greatest tourist attractions of Egypt. For many hundreds of years people have been visiting the temples of Luxor, Karnak, Hatshepsut and Ramses II. Fells and old barges float on the Nile, maneuvering between the luxurious ships of the Hilton and Sheraton hotels, operating between Cairo and Aswan. The Luxor Temple was built by Pharaoh Amenhotep III in place of another Theban temple, and was later expanded by Tutankhamun, Ramses II, Nektanebo, Alexander the Great and various Roman governors. Excavations have been carried out here since 1885. Temples in Karnak are a number of statues that were the main place of worship during Theban times. These include the Amon Temple Complex, which is the largest, the Mut Temple Complex on the south side, and the Montu Temple Complex. The teams of Amon and Montu were once connected by canals to the Nile, allowing holy boats to access them during the holidays.
KARNAK
The main temple was dedicated to Amon, the god of winds and air. He was portrayed as a man in a hat with two feathers, and his favorite animal was a ram. Originally, Amon was a local deity, but from the 16th century BC The New Kingdom Pharaohs made him the national deity of Egypt. He was identified with Re, the god of the sun. He was worshiped here with his wife, the goddess Mut, and their son, the god of the moon, Chonsu. At the beginning of the New Kingdom, Tutmosis I expanded the small temple of Amun at Karnak. Later, its successors extended it many times. Through huge pylons, gates with massive towers on the sides, one entered various parts of the temple. Entering deep into the building, the deity’s followers entered from the bright sunlight into the increasingly dense darkness of the rooms up to the innermost sanctuary with the image of a god. Only Pharaoh and priests had access to it.
Two avenues led to the sacred complex between rows of sphinxes with ram heads. One avenue led from the Nile and the other from Luxor. The main pylon still stands in front of the main temple. Its height reaches 44 m, width 113 m. The walls are 15 m thick. Behind them there is the Great Courtyard surrounded by colonnade, to which smaller temples open. The second pylon leads to the Great Column Hall (Hipostyle), whose area corresponds to 1/3 the size of the Basilica of St. Peter’s in Rome. This room, now located under the open sky, was once covered by a roof rising 24 m above the floor and supported by 134 columns arranged in 16 rows. Column capitals have the shape of papyrus flowers and buds. The third pylon leads to the central courtyard, behind which the next three pylons mark the entrance to the sanctuary, where a golden deity statue stood in the holy barge. On the southern side, behind 4 consecutive pylons, stands the not yet fully exposed temple of the goddess Mut, almost as large as the temple of her spouse. The complex also houses the temples of Chonsu and other gods. Long ago, the gardens surrounding all temples disappeared, but still on the other side of the lake there is a nice view of the entire temple complex.
LUXURY TEMPLE
Until the end of the 19th century, when excavations began, almost the entire village of Luxor stood among the ruins of the temple. To this day, only the Abu al-Haggag mosque remained located at the top of its walls. Unlike Karnak, which was built for a very long time, the Luxor Temple is mostly the work of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. He began a fashion for gigantomania corresponding to the imperial claims of Egypt from the time of the New State. The entrance pylons and the grand courtyard were built only by Ramses the Great. He placed six giant statues in front of the pylons, of which only three survived. Of the two obelisks he built, one was donated to the French by Mohamed Ali and now stands on the Zgody Square in Paris. On the pylons are scenes from the battle of Kadesh, in which Ramses announced his victory over the Hittites (although he barely managed to escape alive). Deep inside the temple is the sanctuary of the holy barge of Amun. His inner chamber was rebuilt in the days of Alexander the Great, who depicted himself in reliefs.
HATSZEPSUT TEMPLE
Djoser – djoser, or “holy saints”, was the name of the Egyptians themselves. Located on the west bank of Thebes a short distance from the majestic temple of Amun in Kamak, it was designed by Senmut, the royal majordomus in the seventh year of the reign of Hatshepsut. Senmut dug tunnels in the Deir rocks El-Bahari, to connect the temple and the future burial place of the queen with her chamber, carved just a few meters away. But when in early February 1482 BC Hatshepsut’s tomb of her favorite architect was empty, although it is widely known that Senmut had left this world many years earlier He was a well-known person, he left behind many buildings and statues. His character is mysterious and brings many intriguing questions to Egyptologists and literature. Like the death of his chief protector. We read in one of the inscriptions: “… now my heart turns to this or that side when I think what people will say. Those who will see my buildings in the future and those who will talk about what I have done. ” Hatshepsut died after almost twenty years of rule. Her grave temple consisted of three terraces, to which a large processional ramp led. The first was the so-called lower temple, which does not exist today. How great it will be felt only those who visited the complexes in Luxor. One has to work a lot to reach a wide terrace uphill. Just behind him, the colonnade and the temple wall with unusual frescoes depicting a trip to the land of fragrances Punt expeditions were frequent during the rule of the Pharaohs of the Middle State. We don’t know where this land was. The flora and fauna depicted on the reliefs indicate that it could have been an African country, probably around the Somali coast or Eritrea. Punt possessed many treasures desired by the Egyptians: myrrh, incense, ebony, ivory, gold, etc.
KINGS VALLEY
The Valley of the Kings is made of two rocky, dry valleys crossing the mountain massif in West Thebes. In the western part, today called the Western Valley or Valley of the Apes (in Arabic: Wadi el-Gurud, Biban el-Gurud), they were buried in forged graves in the rocky ground of the dynasty ruler of the eighteenth dynasty – Amenhotep III and Aj II. The Eastern Part of the Valley, known in Arabic as Biban el-Muluk, Gate of the Kings, served as a burial place for the rulers of the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties and members of their families.
In the lonely valley, the architect Ineni designed a tomb resembling a well for his ruler Tuthmosis I. In this way, a new tradition was created which was followed by all successors of Pharaoh. Ineni himself in one inscription on his own grave chapel wrote: “I built a tomb for my master. Nobody saw. Nobody heard.” Tuthmos, deciding on such a solution, was convinced (so wrongly) that in this way he would provide his body with security, which – as evidenced by profaned and robbed graves – his predecessors did not know.
Currently, on the west bank of the Nile – known as the City of the Dead, there are 62 royal tombs carved in the rocks, dating from the eighteenth to the twentieth dynasties. Each grave was filled with furniture, clothing, statues, food, etc. needed for the deceased king on his journey to the afterlife. Unfortunately, over the centuries, all the graves have been looted, except one – the tomb of Tutankhamun.
The Book of the Dead was an indispensable element of burial. It was a collection of texts containing magic spells and a description of the world of the dead, which in the 16th century BC replaced the previous set of texts of a similar nature (Sarcophagus texts); an excerpt from the Book of the Dead, written on papyrus, the wall of a tomb or sarcophagus, was an essential element of the grave’s equipment to ensure that the deceased would enter the World of the Dead.
MEMNON BALLS
On the vast plain between the Valley of the Kings and the Nile, you can still admire the remains of the monumental tomb temple of Amenhotep III (father of Ehnaton). Unfortunately, the temple was destroyed, and what is left of it is called the Colossi of Memnon. These two giant 20-meter tall statues were carved out of whole, uniform blocks of sandstone and placed at the entrance to the temple. They depict a pharaoh sitting on his throne with his hands folded in his lap and looking towards the Nile.
Aswan
Aswan, Egypt’s southernmost city, has long been the gateway to Africa and a prosperous trading settlement at the crossroads of ancient caravan routes. Aswan is located on the Nile, near the Tropic of Cancer. In the old days it was an organized city, known under the name Sunt. It was also important for early Coptic Christians. In this place, in the middle of the current, the Nile created the island of Elephantine, where the main city and the temple area of Sunt were located. The island was then known as Jebu and was only later renamed by the Greeks. The local temple and ruins are not as well preserved and do not make such an impression as the other Egyptian ruins, but there are several reasons to visit this place. The Nile looks great here, flowing down from the huge Great Dam and Lake Nasser, and watching the felluk glide on the river in the light of the setting sun is an extremely moving experience.
UNFINISHED OBELISK
if it were erected it would be the highest obelisk in the world. Its height is 42 meters, weight 1168 tons. It was forged from one piece of granite. The obelisk was to be made on behalf of Queen Hatshepsut in honor of the god Amon. Unfortunately, the queen’s dream did not come true because of a stone cracking during forging.
THE TEMPLE OF ISIS
The cult of Isis, the goddess who brought her husband Osiris back to life and conceived a son with him, enjoyed popularity even during the reign of the Roman Empire. Since the island of Biga, considered to be the burial place of Osiris, was accessible only to priests, the neighboring island of File became the center of popular worship. The Temple of Isis was built for almost 700 years, mainly by Ptolemaic and Roman rulers wishing to emphasize their attachment to the cult of Osiris and Isis. The temple is a beautiful mix of ancient Egyptian and Greek – Roman architecture perfectly harmonizing with the natural surroundings. In Roman times it was the most important pilgrimage center in Egypt. The Temple of Isis was the longest-functioning temple in Egypt, it was closed only in the 6th century CE.
HIGH ASUAN DAM
For the first time in the history of Egypt, the dam allowed to completely control the flooding of the Nile.
Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, opened a new dam on the Nile on January 15, 1971. Work on it began 11 years earlier, during President Gamal Abdel Nasser. The dam is 111 m high and 3.6 km long. At the base, its thickness is 975 m, at the top 40 m. The dam has also created a large artificial reservoir – Lake Nasser. It is one of the largest artificial lakes in the world: its area is 5244 km2 and its length is 510 km; it goes through Nubia to Sudan. About 6 km down the river is an old dam, completed in 1902. In its time it was the largest dam in the world, and in Arabic it is simply called el-Sadd (“Tama”). Numerous ancient monuments disappeared under water, although some of the most important ones were saved thanks to an unprecedented international rescue operation under the auspices of UNESCO.
ABU SIMBEL TEMPLE
Located near the Egyptian-Sudanese border, the Abu Simbel rock temples would disappear under the waters of Lake Nasser, were it not for the UNESCO rescue operation. Two temples built for Ramses II around 1260 B.C.E. cut into the rock. The four large statues of Pharaoh himself guarded the facades of the larger of them. They were 20 m high and they were carved in the rock of the face of the mountain. The original plan was to build a large glass cover around the entire monument, which would protect it from the dam’s waters, and tourists would be lowered down into special glass cages. Ultimately, however, the temples and statues were carved out of rock, cut into manageable blocks and then assembled again in another place. The larger temple was dedicated to a whole group of gods, including Amon-Re of Thebes and Pharaoh himself. It was arranged so that two days a year the rays of the rising sun reached the temple and illuminated the statues of the gods inside the mountain. The facade is 33 m high. The huge statues in front of her are realistic portraits of the pharaoh, although one of them lacks a head that was destroyed by an earthquake. Smaller characters depict some of Pharaoh’s children and sister, as well as wife, Nefertari.
ALEXANDRIA
The powerful Macedonian, Alexander the Great, came to Egypt after conquering Greece. For a place for his new capital Alexandria, he had to choose a fishing village on the Mediterranean coast. The city is spatially organized around Midan Saad Zaghoul, a large square converging towards the waterfront. Alexandria once had a wonderful library containing more than 500,000. volumes, and in its heyday it was an important intellectual, scientific and philosophical center. The Greek-Roman Museum contains souvenirs dating back to the 3rd century BC There is a magnificent black granite sculpture depicting the holy bull Apis, worshiped by the Egyptians, also mummies, sarcophagi, ceramics, jewelry and ancient decorative fabrics. The Roman theater (from the III-IV century) was only discovered recently and it is the only amphitheater that the Romans built in Egypt. There are 13 terraces made of white marble, arranged around the arena and preserved in excellent condition. Excavation work in this area is still ongoing, although it has now moved slightly north of the theater.
Pompey’s column is a massive, 25m high column of pink granite, which is 9m in circumference. When the Christian knights came to Egypt, they attributed it to Pompey, but in fact the column is what is left of the magnificent Serapeum (temple of the god Serapis). The column was erected in 297. in the middle of Diocletian’s Serapeum. When the Knights of the Cross arrived here about 100 years later, they destroyed the Serapeum and Cleopatra’s library, leaving only this column. The Catacombs of Kom el-Szukafa is the largest Roman burial site in Egypt.
SHARM EL SHEIKH
SHARM EL SHEIKH, NAAMA BAY AND SHARK BAY
These three towns located on the coast from the Gulf of Aqaba are very different Sharm El – Sheikh (shortened to Sharm for convenience) is the largest of them, located most southern and consists of several separate zones – although the continuous expansion makes it slowly changing in one big place. Downtown has as much charm as a container port, but it is difficult to fault anything in the great nearby diving sites, and moreover, the accommodation is cheaper than in Na, ama Bay, 7 km further north. In this resort, inhabited almost exclusively by tourists, everything is top-notch, from hotels and holiday resorts to the captivating reefs that can be reached on foot. In social terms, the two centers are separated by a gap. Na, ama Bay looks like a typical Mediterranean resort, while Sharm has kept much of the atmosphere of Suez or Cairo, which for holidaymakers leaving the hotel for the first time can be a real shock. In Na ama Bay beachwear is required, while in Sharm off the beach it is better to dress modestly so as not to unnecessarily get attention.
In Na ama Bay, construction works are underway and the new holiday complexes are being built, stretching along the sea to the airport Ra, s Nasrani, and even further, towards the Nabeq Reserve. The once picturesque and secluded Shark Bay (shark bay), 8 km north of Na, ama, has now been overrun by large resorts – but a magnificent beach and a beautiful view of the island of Tiran have been preserved. For easier orientation, you should get a free Sharm El – Sheikh plan, published by Sharm Xplorers, with an alphabetical index. You can get it in most of the hotels and shops here.
DAHAB
Dahab is a small Bedouin village located on the Sinai Peninsula on the Gulf of Aqaba. Part of the village is still inhabited by local Bedouin people, while the tourist settlement consists of a series of small hotels spread over about 5 kilometers on the sea shore. In the Dahab area, about 10-30 minutes by car, you can visit many interesting dive sites: Light House, Islands, Eel Garden, Abu Helal, Abu Talha, Blue Hole, The Bells, Three Pools, Caves, Southern Oasis, where shore dives.
SAINT MONASTERY CATHERINE
St. Catherine’s Monastery is a building belonging not to Copts, but Orthodox Greeks. Its origins date back to 337 CE, when the Byzantine empress Helena ordered the construction of chapels around the alleged burning bush, already attracting hermits and pilgrims. In the sixth century, numerous plundering attacks prompted Emperor Justinian to spend money on the basilica surrounded by high walls and to set up two hundred guards here – half of them were Greek or Slavs – from whom the Bedouin tribes of Jabali descend.
Although, after the conquest of these lands by Muslims, security was supposedly guaranteed by the monastery itself, the prophet Muhammad, the number of monks gradually dropped until the relics of St. Catherine, who in the time of the Crusaders (1099-1270) ensured a steady stream of pilgrims and donations. Later, the monastery underwent cyclical falls, sporadically even almost completely depopulating. Currently 22 monks live here, most of whom came from Mount Atos in Greece.
HURGHADA
Hurghada, formerly a small settlement on the shores of the Red Sea, now a large modern and fashionable resort, located on the transparent clear Red Sea, famous for its rich underwater fauna and flora. It is located about 480 km from Cairo. The city stretches along the shore for a length of about 25 km. Hurghada is a paradise for lovers of diving and windsurfing and sunbathing on the hot, sandy beaches. In the oldest, northern part of the city (down town) you will find a typical Arab bazaar, where you can buy Egyptian souvenirs or visit restaurants and cafes with originally brewed coffee. Hurghada is the largest holiday resort in Egypt, which has one of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world, proximity to the endless desert, picturesque mountain ranges visible in the distance, quiet and peaceful surroundings, warm sea and clean air. All this makes Hurghada attract tourists like a magnet.
TRANSPORT: you can move around Hurghaga using minibuses, which run around Hurghada without interruption by horn. The fare is between 1 and 2 pounds per person, depending on the distance. Taxis are orange-navy vehicles, all have taximeters, but most drivers cover them and prefer to work according to the old, traditional bargaining method.
RESTAURANTS: Hurghada as a resort offers a wide range of various restaurants. If you are interested in Egyptian cuisine, we recommend the EL ARABI restaurant located opposite the Sea Gull hotel, seafood lovers are welcome to visit the El Joker restaurant on Sekkali Square or Star Fish.
EL GOUNA
A city that arose from one man’s dreams. It all began when Samih Sawiris found a place for himself and his family to build a house on the beautiful Red Sea. Soon his friends decided to live there. And so El Gouna began to grow. A wonderful city, 10 km of coastline, 14 hotels, villas to buy and rent. Mentioned 18-hole golf course (USPGA). Restaurants, bars, shops and wonderful beaches make El Gouna a great place to spend your vacation. It is located 25 km from the airport in Hurghada.
SAFAGA
This small town is located around 60 km south of Hurghada. In addition to the vegetable market, several shops and local cafes, this port town has no tourist infrastructure. The possibilities of entertainment are therefore limited to several hotel complexes. Safaga is always one of the wind regions for those who like to surf. Both beginners and experts will find here ideal conditions for practicing this sport. Also those who like diving will not waste time, because the Red Sea is one of the most beautiful dive sites here.