What to see in Egypt. Visit Cairo and the land of the pharaohs

The Pyramids of Gizah are possibly the first place you think of in this country, but there is much more to see in Egypt, a land of contrasts built on the banks of the Nile River and where we can enjoy the enormous legacy that thousands have left us. of years of its history.
Visiting Egypt and getting to know it is a unique experience and you choose whether to do it on your own or in one of the numerous organized trips that exist and in which you cannot miss a cruise on the longest river in Africa. In Egypt there are several well-differentiated parts that you can visit.
On the one hand there is Cairo, on the other hand the south of Egypt where the main temples are concentrated and on the other the Red Sea, one of the most touristic places.
You can find more information in our Egypt travel diary.
The essential things to see in Egypt
The Pyramids of Giza
Cairo is a chaotic city but that chaos is possibly one of its charms.
You will not find traffic lights, its traffic is indescribable and its disorder does not go unnoticed, but the hospitality of its people will attract you.
As much as the famous Pyramids of Gizah attract you, actually located in a different city about 20km from the center.
Knowing Cheops, Kefren and Micerinos is possibly the dream of many people and it is not for less, since Cheops is the only one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world that is still standing.
Next to it, another of the best-known monuments to visit in Egypt, the Sphinx of Gizah.
If you follow the Nile River to the south you will come across dozens of pyramids, some better preserved than others.
But some are as surprising as that of Sakkara, the stepped pyramid, located next to Memphis, which was the first capital of Egypt.
Further south and in the middle of the desert we find other pyramids such as Meidum or Dashur. Here you will not only be able to enjoy these magnificent constructions but you will be practically alone without the overcrowding of the Gizah area.
Enjoy Cairo. What to visit
In the center of Cairo it is time to enjoy its chaos and get to know the most important mosques in the Islamic world
Some of them may be the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, known as the Alabaster Mosque and which is located in the historic Citadel, or the mosques of Ibn Tulun, Al-Azhar or Sultan Hasan. But there are many more and each with its own charm.
In any case, there is also a place for Christianity, although this religion is very minority in Egypt, and you can visit the Coptic Quarter, a surprising place as well as peculiar.
In Cairo we can also enjoy the Egyptian Museum, as chaotic as the city to the point that instead of a museum it looks like a warehouse but it serves to understand the history of Egyptian civilization.
You should not miss the mummies found in it. Although you have to pay a separate ticket, it is something you cannot miss.
The chaos of Egypt would not be the same without the haggling. And here you will learn to be an expert.
You will have to haggle for anything, especially in its bazaars. The most famous of them all is that of Khan El-Kalili. After shopping you can stop by the famous Café de los Espejos.
The temples of Upper Egypt
In the south of the country, known as Upper Egypt, and following the course of the Nile River, we find the cradle of Egyptian civilization, with its magnificent temples.
This is where the famous river cruises take place that will take you through one of the most enigmatic places in the world.
Practically bordering with Sudan, we find the Temples of Abu Simbel, two spectacular temples dedicated to Ramses II and Nefertari.
The temples were moved from their original location so as not to be submerged under the waters of Lake Nasser and that possibly takes away a bit of charm.
Between Aswan and Luxor we have most of the most important temples that were built.
In Aswan there is the Temple of Philae, as well as other places of interest such as the Mausoleum of the Aga Khan or the Unfinished Obelisk.
In Luxor there are two of the most spectacular temples to visit in Egypt, the Luxor Temple and the Karnak Temple, the largest and the most spectacular.
Nearby are the Temple of Hatshepsut and the Colossi of Memnon, the Valley of the Queens and the impressive Valley of the Kings, made up of dozens of tombs, including that of Tutankhamun.
Between Aswan and Luxor, and if you take the cruise you will see them, there are others like the Temple of Kom Ombo or the Temple of Orus but they are not the only ones.
The Red Sea and Alexandria
Cairo and its pyramids and the Nile River and its temples are the most visited places in the country, but there are other places to see in Egypt that you should not miss.
To the north, at the mouth of the Nile, is Alexandria, one of the most historic cities of antiquity and once the most important cultural center in the world.
There was the old Lighthouse of Alexandria, which was one of the 7 wonders of the world and is currently a place full of monuments and history and landing place for dozens of cruise ships that ply the Mediterranean.
To the east of Egypt is the Red Sea, a very touristic site thanks to the opportunities for diving. Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh are the main destinations and there you will find important hotel complexes and beautiful beaches.