Think of Egypt and the pyramids, the majestic temples, the Cairo Museum, the Nile and all the traces of this ancient civilisation will surely spring to mind.

In this article we want to reveal some lesser-known curiosities about the destination, which help to make Egypt a country of timeless allure.

Sailing the Nile

If, before you leave, you want to immerse yourself in the allure that only Egypt has ever been able to evoke, you could read a classic such as “Death on the Nile” by Agatha Christie; the celebrated whodunnit is set aboard the luxurious steamer Karnak, which carried visitors to the temples of Luxor and Karnak and to the pyramids of Giza.

Today it is still possible to travel along the river aboard a boat that recalls the splendour of the famous Karnak.

Sailing the Nile, you enjoy truly unforgettable views in a setting of great scenic beauty. The boats have very well-appointed communal areas and the cabins offer a truly enviable degree of comfort.

You can watch sunrises and sunsets in shades you have never seen before, contemplating the majestic outlines of artistic treasures and the tranquil life along the banks of the legendary river.

Being smaller than conventional ferries, these boats can also navigate in shallower waters, taking travellers to some lesser-known stretches of the Nile.

Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Aswan

Anyone who loves legendary places with a retro atmosphere, the scene of great events, will certainly know the famous Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Aswan, the majestic hotel on the banks of the Nile, facing Elephantine Island, which hosted none other than Agatha Christie while she was writing her celebrated mystery.

The hotel dates back to 1899, when Egypt was a British colony, and is renowned for having hosted numerous famous people, including Nicholas II, Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, François Mitterrand, Princess Diana, Queen Noor and King Farouk, and has been the setting for several films.

The building has a majestic appearance that evokes the colonial era; the furnishings are sumptuous and refined. Given its great success, over the years it has undergone a series of restoration and extension works that have given rise to a new wing and a spa. Inside there are four restaurants: the renowned 1902, a restaurant serving French cuisine and fine wines chosen by a sommelier; Saraya, a brasserie-style venue; Oriental Kebabgy, a Mediterranean restaurant overlooking the river; and Palms, a poolside restaurant.

The hotel’s surroundings are also full of interest: Elephantine Island, with its grey, curved rocks, and the Nilometer, an ancient well once used to measure the height of the river’s waters.

The French Institute of Oriental Archaeology in Cairo

This is one of the curiosities of the capital, a city usually appreciated for the Egyptian Museum and the enormous Khan el-Khalili souk; it is a French research centre, founded in 1880, which can be visited by appointment in small groups.

Housed in a wonderful palace, the institute holds a remarkable collection of typographic works and a library of more than 100,000 volumes devoted to Egypt, which have made it a place of study for researchers and scholars of antiquity.

Alexandria: one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World

Founded by Alexander the Great and famous in antiquity for its Lighthouse and its Library, Alexandria deserves a visit. In the past it was a hugely important trading centre where ships carrying goods of every kind would call; it was for this reason that the immense Lighthouse of Alexandria was built, considered by the Romans one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The Library of Alexandria, the hub of Alexandrian culture, was immense and is thought to have held more than 500,000 volumes.

Today the city is full of attractions: archaeological sites to visit, cultural cafés to stop at for exhibitions or events, walks along the seafront and archaeological scuba dives to see the submerged remains.

Guiness Travel Tours

Guiness Travel offers two types of tour in Egypt that let you discover and enjoy the ancient allure of this country. For Guiness, travel is an enriching experience to be savoured in every pleasant moment, and it means enjoying the cultural atmosphere that characterises each place.

All the itineraries in the catalogue are 100% independently planned and are carefully designed and tested, allowing our product to evolve constantly and reach a high and wide-ranging cultural standard.

The Guiness Exclusive Tour is a unique travel experience with an eye to sustainability, which offers you significant advantages:

  • organisation;
  • attention to detail;
  • a search for excellent services on the ground (designed to give you maximum comfort, leaving you free to think of nothing but enjoying the moment).

Thanks to the Guiness Exclusive Tour you will come home with a suitcase full of wonderful new memories, immersed in the beauty of the world, thanks also to the many UNESCO World Heritage sites included in all our programmes.

Indeed, in all our itineraries you can see at a glance how many and which UNESCO sites you will be able to visit, thanks to an intuitive, user-friendly icon in the catalogue. That way, travellers know which UNESCO sites are included in the travel programme.

Discover all the tours in Egypt by Guiness Travel

Team Guiness