See what the experts are saying about Red Sea. Get expert advice on how to get there what to see and more.
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Introduction
Egypt is such a big and varied country that it's hard to know where to even start describing its best, most intense, and most satisfying places and moments. Every time I'm in the country, I think I've found the best of Egypt, and every time I... Continue reading »
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Best dining bets
Abu Sid (Off 26th of July St., Zamalek, Cairo; tel. 02/27359640): Reservations are required at this upscale eatery, and when you get to the table, traditional Egyptian cuisine never tasted so good. Get down to the classics in an intimate atmo... Continue reading »
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Best hotel bets
The Best High-End Hotels Adrere Amella (Siwa; tel. 02/2735 1924; www.adrereamellal.net): Gorgeous local scenery meets gorgeous local architecture in this high-end, high-concept, all-inclusive ecolodge. Bask by the pool, eat local foods, an... Continue reading »
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The best ancient sites
The Pyramids in Giza (Giza): There's no way to come to Egypt and not visit the pyramids. They are as vast and imposing as they were when they were built more than 4 millennia ago, and their impact has not been dimmed by the crowds of tourists... Continue reading »
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The best authentic experiences
The Call to Prayer from the Citadel (Fatimid Cairo): As the sun sets over Fatimid Cairo, dozens of mosques send out their calls to prayer. With flocks of pigeons circling in the golden light and the last sun of the day picking out the highlig... Continue reading »
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The best museums
The Aswan Museum: This tiny museum on the southern end of Elephantine Island in Aswan lost most of its best pieces to the new Nubian Museum and, hence, doesn't receive many visitors now. But its 19th-century building, the residence of the arc... Continue reading »
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The best shopping
Aswan Souk: Even though it's rapidly becoming more touristy, this rambling, sprawled-out souk retains all the vibrancy you would expect of a millennia-old crossroads on the trading routes between Africa and the Mediterranean world. Egypt C... Continue reading »
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The best resorts & spas
Four Seasons Resort Sharm el Sheikh (1 Four Seasons Blvd., Sharm el Sheikh; tel. 069/3603555; www.fourseasons.com): Perfect from the moment you ride through the front gate until the time you leave, the Four Seasons in Sharm sets the standard... Continue reading »
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The best religious sites
The Best Islamic Sites Al Azhar Mosque (Cairo): This mosque has undergone a number of changes since it was built in A.D. 972 and has been the centerpiece of the Islamic world's most prestigious university since A.D. 988. Bab Zuweila (Cair... Continue reading »
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The best scuba diving
Giftun Island (off Hurghada): The coral reefs around this big, sandy island are second to none for color and variety. There are at least a dozen places to dive around the edge of the island, and with a good guide you can usually get away from... Continue reading »
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Planning a trip
Egypt is a big, diverse country that encompasses some of the most verdant and fertile farmland in the world, stretching across thousands of miles of the most forbidding and remote desert on Earth and bordering on two seas. As culturally diver... Continue reading »
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Fast facts
American Express -- Cairo: 33 Nabil El Waqad St., Ard El Golf, Heliopolis (tel. 02/24130293/4/5 or 02/26909129; fax 02/26909131), and 15 Kasr El Nil St. (tel. 02/25747991/2; fax 02/25747997). Alexandria: 14 May St., Madenat El Sayadla, Semouh... Continue reading »
