Egypt

SAFETY: fair
In general, the country has been subject to terrorist incidents, some of them serious. Petty crime is reported in the larger cities.

TRANSPORT:good
The transport system is fairly good, especially between the main cities, along the Nile and on the coasts. Frequent domestic and international air connections with Italy from various cities and with the whole region. Fairly frequent coach connections with all urban centres, although often slow and overcrowded. The rail network is limited but good. Ferries to the Red Sea islands and an impressive cruise system along the Nile and on Lake Nasser. The road network is in good condition and paved along the Nile and the coasts, making it easy to cross the country. For the oases and the desert, dirt tracks only.

Main airports: Cairo (Heliopolis), Alexandria, Aswan, Hurghada, Sharm el Sheikh, Taba, Luxor, Marsa Alam and St Catherine.
Main ports: Alexandria and Port Said on the Mediterranean, Suez and Nuweiba on the Red Sea.

ACCOMMODATION:very good
The country has an extensive, comprehensive network of services of every kind, standard and price. As a rule, count on one star fewer than the official classification. The higher categories are on a par with European ones. The lower categories do not guarantee good levels of comfort and cleanliness.

COUNTRY FACTS: Full name: Arab Republic of Egypt – Location: North Africa. Borders:Mediterranean Sea to the north, Libya to the west, Sudan to the south, Red Sea to the east, Gaza Strip and Israel to the north-east – Time zone: UTC +2, 1 hour ahead of Italy; observes daylight saving time – Area: 1,001,000 sq km – Capital: Cairo – Population: 80,335,000– Religion: 90% Muslim, 9% Coptic, 1% other – Languages: Arabic (official language); English is fairly widely spoken
 Measures: metric system.

CURRENCY: Egyptian pound (EGP).There are no limits on importing or exporting foreign currency (subject to declaration above 10,000 USD), but importing or exporting more than 5,000 Egyptian pounds is prohibited – Credit cards: the most widely used credit cards and traveller’s cheques are accepted – Exchange: bring euros; exchange is easy (euros and US dollars are also accepted for payment).

ELECTRICITY: 220 V and 50 Hz (as in Italy)–Sockets: two-pin type; bring an adapter.

DOCUMENTS: passport with six months’ validity; for beach holidays an identity card valid for travel abroad may be sufficient. On arrival at the airport a tourist visa is issued, for a fee, for which a passport photo must be presented–Driving: international driving licence –Car: local third-party insurance.

COMMUNICATIONS AND TELEPHONES: Int. dialling code: 0020– GSM: coverage along the Nile, on the coasts and in urban centres. Standard: GSM 900 (as in Italy). Local operators: Vodafone, Mobinil– Internet: widely available in the major urban centres and in the large hotels  – Web domain: .eg.

RULES, LAWS AND CONDUCT: the law severely punishes the possession of drugs, even in small quantities, and the abuse of minors. Homosexuality is considered a criminal offence.

HEALTH SITUATION:no compulsory vaccinations. Public facilities are below the average European standard. The larger cities and the capital have good private clinics. Pharmacies are fairly widespread.Some cases of avian flu have been recorded. Bathing in inland waters is not recommended; remember that the waters of the Nile (and Lake Nasser) are home to many crocodiles.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS: 1 January, New Year’s Day; 7 January, Coptic Christmas; 25 April, Sinai Liberation Day; 1 May, Labour Day; 18 June, Liberation Day; 23 July, Nasser’s Revolution Day; 6 October, Armed Forces Day; 23 December, Victory Day; 25 December, Western Christmas; Coptic Easter, about a week after Catholic Easter; Sham el-Nessim (spring breeze day); Islamic holidays.

OPENING HOURS:Banks: Sun-Thu 8.30-14.00 – Public offices: Mon-Sat 9.00-14.00 – Shops and souks: Mon-Sat 8.30/9.00-19.00/20.00 (variable) – Closing day: Friday.

CLIMATE:temperate Mediterranean along the coasts, desert over almost all the rest of the country. The country is characterised by low annual rainfall and considerable seasonal and daily climatic variations, with bright sunshine almost all year round. In the desert, between March and June, cyclones known as the khamsin whip up sand and dust. The basic climate has two seasons: winter lasts from November to March, summer from May to September, with short transition periods. Winters are cool and mild, summers hot. Humidity decreases from north to south, while along the Mediterranean coast it is high all year round and peaks in summer. Rain normally falls only in winter. Rainfall is modest, with averages that can vary  greatly from year to year.

Monthly min/max temperatures (in °C)

Rainy days (at least 1 mm of rain)/monthly rainfall in mm

USEFUL ADDRESSES IN ITALY

Embassy of Egypt
Via Salaria 267 – 00199 Rome – Tel. 06 8440191/85301991 – Tel. 06 84401976 (consular section) – E-mail: ambegitto@pelagus.it

Consulate
Via Porpora 26 – 20131 Milan – Tel. 02 29516360

Tourist Office
Via Barberini 47 – 00187 Rome – Tel. 06 4827985 – Fax 06 4874156

USEFUL ADDRESSES IN EGYPT

Italian Embassy
Shara Abdel Rahman Fahmi 15 – Garden City – Cairo – Tel. 0020 2 7943194-5 – Fax 0020 2 7940657 – www.ambilcairo.esteri.it – ambasciata.cairo@esteri.it

Consulates

Midan Saad Zaghloul 25 – Alexandria – Tel. 0020 3 4847292/4879470/4870095 – Fax 0020 3 4875344 – Web: www.consalessandria.esteri.it – E-mail: consolato.alessandria@esteri.it

Domina Coral Bay Shopping Centre (unit 10258) – Sharm El Sheikh – Tel. 0020 69 3601610/3601650  – Fax 0020 69 7480513