One of the cradles of civilisation, Egypt packs in more history than you can shake a textbook at. Home to the only surviving wonder of the ancient world, the Great Pyramid of Giza, this country is positively littered with pyramids, tombs and temples, as well as a new breed of museums to show off all the discoveries. A great way to take in all the sights is with a cruise along the Nile, the world’s longest river.
Hundreds of resorts line the east coast, making Egypt a winter-sun favourite among shivering Europeans, while scuba divers in the know come to marvel at the Red Sea reefs. Most visits to Egypt start in Cairo, although more direct flights are arriving from Europe and the Middle East to Luxor, Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh. Here’s our pick of the best places to visit in Egypt.
This article contains affiliate links that will earn us revenue
1. Cairo
As chaotic as it is captivating, Egypt’s capital is the most populous city in Africa and the Middle East. The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) opened its doors fully in 2025 west of the city centre in Giza, about a mile from the Pyramids of Giza via a connected walkway. It’s the new focal point for those interested in Egypt’s vast collection of historical treasures, including those of Tutankhamun. At the heart of downtown on Tahrir Square is the dusty-pink Egyptian Museum Cairo, which is still packed to the rafters with display cases of ancient artefacts and worth a visit.
Ideal for combining with a visit to the GEM, the pyramids crown a plateau and are visible from elevated points in the city on clear days. The brave can even scramble around inside the steamy structures, while the Great Sphinx lies protectively at their feet. East of downtown, the neighbourhood of Islamic Cairo is a showcase of architecture through the ages, with mosques, madrassas (religious schools) and the maze-like medieval lanes of Khan el-Khalili, where traders have been touting their wares since the 14th century.
Make it happen
Stay in the centre of it all at the Nile Ritz-Carlton, which backs onto Tahrir Square.
This nine-day Highlights of Egypt guided group tour from Exodus Adventure Travels starts in Cairo and includes a visit to the Pyramids of Giza.
2. Beni Hasan
The middle section of the Nile between Cairo and Luxor is less visited, and many tours simply fly over or take the sleeper train through. The riverside temples and other ancient sites aren’t packed in as densely as between Luxor and Aswan, but it’s worth spending the time to explore Egypt off the beaten track. The beautifully painted rock-cut tombs at Beni Hasan were prepared during ancient Egypt’s Middle Kingdom (c 2055–1650BC) for local governors and nobles, and you certainly won’t need to queue to see them like the lines that stretch out from the underground chambers at the Valley of the Kings in Luxor.
Make it happen
Jules Verne runs a tour called the 600-Mile Nile that takes in most of the world’s longest river that lies within Egypt. Stops include Beni Hasan and the ruined city of Akhetaten, built by the “heretic” pharaoh Akhenaton.
vjv.com
3. Saqqara
The Pyramids of Giza certainly hog the spotlight, but they aren’t the only pyramids around. Take a day trip from Cairo to Saqqara and Dahshur to see the Step Pyramid (pictured), the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid — three even earlier examples that show how the ancient Egyptians worked to perfect the pyramid shape in their funerary architecture.
It’s possible to go inside the Step Pyramid, as well as the nearby Pyramid of Unas — although today this structure looks more like a mound than a pyramid. The burial chamber contains the first carved hieroglyphs of the Pyramid Texts, containing spells used to assist the pharaoh in his journey to the afterlife.
Nearby in Dahshur, the Red Pyramid and Bent Pyramid are a step closer to obtaining the smooth pyramid sides seen at Giza, though the maths wasn’t quite right — notice how the angle of the Bent Pyramid was altered during construction. The interiors of both pyramids are open for visitors to climb around, but will prove a lot more challenging for most.
Make it happen
Saqqara and Dahshur are on the western side of the Nile, closest to Giza. Stay at the historic Marriott Mena House at the foot of the Pyramids of Giza for a pyramid-filled day out.
Riviera Travel includes a visit to Saqqara on its 15-day Wonders of the Nile river cruise from Cairo to Aswan.
4. Luxor
Often touted as the world’s greatest open-air museum, Luxor has a rich cache of historical treasures like few other places on the planet. The pharaohs of the New Kingdom had their capital here, then called Thebes, and constructed mighty monuments to their gods and themselves, many of which still stand today. Luxor is split in two by the Nile: the east side, where the sun rises, was seen as the “land of the living”, while the west was considered the “land of the dead” and the setting sun. The vast Karnak temple complex is an impressive east-bank site covering 250 acres and connected via the Avenue of Sphinxes to Luxor Temple, which is fronted by colossal statues of Ramses II. This certainly isn’t the last you’ll see of this prolific pharaoh. Across the Nile, the Valley of the Kings is the New Kingdom’s royal necropolis, and the magnificent tombs are carved and painted floor to ceiling with spells and blessings for a smooth journey into the afterlife.
Make it happen
On the quieter West Bank, the personality-filled rooms at Al Moudira, one of the best boutique hotels in the country, inject luxury and local character into a Luxor stay.
Wendy Wu’s 11-day Dreams of Egypt tour starts off in Cairo then takes in some of Luxor’s best sights before embarking on a Nile cruise.
5. Aswan
Laid-back Aswan is one of the best places in Egypt to enjoy the Nile. Cruises arrive and depart from here, and you can also hop aboard a smaller felucca (a traditional wooden sailing boat) and skirt around the Nile islands. In fact, going by felucca is the easiest — and sometimes the only — way to see some of Aswan’s sights, including the Tombs of the Nobles and the colourful, mural-covered Nubian village of Gharb Soheil. South of the Aswan Low Dam, the Temple of Isis is set on Philae, a photogenic island studded with palm trees. At the end of the day, enjoy a sundowner on the terrace of the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract hotel; built by Thomas Cook and opened in 1899, it features in Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile.
Make it happen
For history with a side of sundowners, the Old Cataract hotel (pictured) is unbeatable.
Intrepid Travel’s 15-day Explore Egypt tour includes a homestay with a family at a Nubian village near Aswan for the ultimate local experience.
6. Abu Simbel
Less than 25 miles from Egypt’s border with Sudan, Abu Simbel is the southernmost tourist stop on the Egyptian portion of the Nile. The Great Temple is guarded by four colossal statues of Ramses II. In the 1960s, the temple was moved a short distance from its original location to save it from the rising waters caused by the construction of a dam, but it’s still aligned so that twice a year on February 22 and October 22 (one day later than the original ancient structure) the first rays of the sun illuminate the interior statues of Ramses II and the gods Ra-Horakhty and Amun but leave Ptah, the god of darkness, in the shadows. A smaller temple nearby is dedicated to Ramses II’s favourite wife, Nefertari, and the goddess Hathor.
Make it happen
Most travellers visit Abu Simbel on a day trip from Aswan by road (a three and a half hour drive) or air; however, the village itself has some accommodation options. Try Eskaleh Eco-Lodge for welcoming Nubian hospitality and traditional architecture.
Abu Simbel is often an add-on to Egypt tours, but Abercrombie & Kent’s Egypt and the Nile itinerary includes flights between Aswan and Abu Simbel.
• Best Egypt tours
• Best all-inclusive hotels in Egypt
7. Alexandria
Founded by Alexander the Great in 332BC, Alexandria was one of the great intellectual cities of antiquity and famous for its library. Though long since destroyed, the institution has been resurrected as Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a modern marvel capable of housing up to eight million books. Meanwhile you can trace the footsteps of the Romans at the Catacombs of Kom el-Shoqafa and Pompey’s Pillar, and take the sea air at the 15th-century caramel-coloured Citadel of Qaitbay. While Alexandria has a decent selection of hotels, some parts of the city feel faded, so travellers often opt for a day trip from Cairo.
Make it happen
The Four Seasons Hotel Alexandria at San Stefano is hands down the most luxurious property in this seaside city, with plenty of sophistication and romance.
G Adventures’ 14-day Highlights of Egypt tour tacks on a visit to Alexandria after taking in major Nile sights and the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.
8. Lake Nasser
One of the largest artificial lakes in the world, Lake Nasser was created in the 1970s with the completion of the Aswan High Dam. Unesco enlisted the help of countries around the world to move ancient temples to higher ground, lest they be lost forever under the lake’s waters. Abu Simbel is the most famous example and is easily accessible by road, but clusters of other lesser-seen historic monuments can be visited on a Lake Nasser cruise, far from the crowds.
Make it happen
Because of the Aswan High Dam, boats on the Nile cannot travel south of Aswan, but Jules Verne’s Cairo, Lake Nasser & the Nile tour includes both parts of the river on two separate ships.
9. Sharm el-Sheikh
At the southernmost tip of Sinai, Sharm el-Sheikh provides endless days of sun and sandy fun. This resort town caters to those who need an escape as well as energetic types who prefer to peel themselves off the sunlounger and get active. On Sharm’s doorstep is Ras Muhammad National Park, which makes a delightful day trip for scuba diving and snorkelling amid the vibrant coral reefs and schools of fish that swirl like colourful clouds.
Make it happen
Mövenpick Resort Sharm El Sheikh offers the best of all worlds, with plenty of on-site amenities but also one of Sharm’s main restaurant and bar areas within walking distance.
• Best hotels in Sharm el-Sheikh
10. Dahab
A haven of hipsters and digital nomads, welcoming Dahab is as chilled out as Egypt comes. Quirky cafés line the seafront, where remote workers sip coffee and watch wetsuit-clad figures emerge from the water after a successful scuba diving adventure. Divers and snorkellers have plenty of excellent sites to pick from right in town, and underwater canyons and vertical walls of coral await to the north at the Bells and the infamous Blue Hole.
Make it happen
On the town’s northern fringes, Dar Dahab is a well-designed, hip space filled with Bedouin-style cushions, rattan furniture and carved woodwork that’s suitable for short or longer-term stays.
11. Monastery of St Catherine
Cradled in the Sinai peninsula’s mountainous interior among Egypt’s highest peaks, the Monastery of St Catherine of Sinai is the oldest continuously functioning Christian monastery in the world, established by Emperor Justinian I during the Byzantine era in AD548. It surrounds the bramble that is considered to be the biblical burning bush and St Catherine’s is a place of pilgrimage for many — but even if you’re not a devotee, making the trek up Mount Sinai for sunrise is a spiritual experience. The crowds pour out from tour buses at 4am to start the climb.
Make it happen
Most travellers visit St Catherine on a day trip from Sharm el-Sheikh or Dahab, booked through their resort. You could also try this affordable overnight trip departing from Cairo.
Join the Bedouin guides at Wilderness Ventures Egypt to camp overnight at Mount Sinai, visit the monastery and enjoy treks and a campfire lunch.
wilderness-ventures-egypt.com
12. Hurghada
Similar to Sharm el-Sheikh, Hurghada is home to a glut of Red Sea resorts that often make good-value getaways. Chill out on the beach, or go snorkelling or scuba diving in the crystal-clear waters that are filled with colourful coral and marine creatures, including highlighter-yellow butterflyfish, pouty-looking triggerfish and pipe-thin cornetfish.
Make it happen
Serry Beach Resort is one of the best in Hurghada. Monochromatic accents punctuate its Arab-style architecture of breezy corridors and arches, and the resort offers a huge menu of on-site activities.
13. Marsa Alam
Keen snorkellers and scuba divers in the know head to the village of Marsa Alam for quieter days exploring the beauty of the Red Sea. A far cry from the resorts of Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh, the coastline of Marsa Alam has seen minimal development — for now. Its coral reefs remain vibrant, thanks in part to Red Sea Diving Safari, which carries out a range of environmental initiatives and offers Padi’s Dive Against Debris course, where divers sort and report rubbish collected underwater to add to a global database.
Make it happen
Red Sea Diving Safari has three “villages”, Marsa Shagra, Marsa Nakari and Wadi Lahami, with excellent house reefs and major dive sites nearby. Choose from different accommodation options, including glamping tents, chalets and brick-domed huts right on the beach.
redsea-divingsafari.com
• Egypt travel advice: is it safe to visit right now?
• Discover our full guide to Egypt
We regularly reassess and refresh this list, adding the latest advice and inspiration
Have we missed any? Please share your tips in the comments below
