Egypt

Egypt follows the Nile’s green valley through the desert to the Mediterranean; the Red Sea lies east. Giza, on Cairo’s edge, has the pyramids, the Great Sphinx and the Grand Egyptian Museum. UNESCO-listed Islamic Cairo and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar keep historic domes and minarets; the Nile Corniche lines the river. Alexandria has its Mediterranean Corniche and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.

Luxor, UNESCO-listed ancient Thebes, has Karnak and Luxor temples on the East Bank and the Valley of the Kings on the West. Upstream, Aswan has granite islands, feluccas and domed Nubian-style architecture, plus Philae and, further south, Abu Simbel. A Nile cruise between them is the classic way to the temples.

Red Sea reefs invite diving and snorkelling; Ras Mohammed national park near Sharm El Sheikh protects wild reef fish and turtles. El Gouna is known for kitesurfing, Sahl Hasheesh near Hurghada for its calm coast. Meals bring koshari (rice, lentils and pasta in tomato sauce), ful medames (stewed fava beans), molokhia (green-leaf soup), fresh fish and mint tea, with heartfelt hospitality. It is hot and dry; the Nile Valley is best in the cooler months, roughly October–April, the Red Sea warm year-round. The currency is the Egyptian pound. Egypt suits couples, honeymooners, history lovers, divers, kitesurfers, Red Sea families and travellers combining Cairo, a Nile cruise and the coast.