Columbus Cruise Review

Home > Cruise Destination Guide > Port Said

Time Zone: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from May to September).

Currency: Egyptian Pound (E£) = 100 piastres.

Language: Arabic.

Sightseeing: Located at the Mediterranean entrance to the Suez Canal, Port Said is a fishing port, established in 1859, when work on the Suez Canal began. From here, cruise passengers can visit Cairo, the capital of Egypt and the largest city in Africa. Cairo is a city of astonishing diversity and vitality, uniting elements of Africa, the Orient and Western Europe. Sprawling around the Nile and up towards the Delta, Cairo has a population of around seven million. It takes several days to visit it properly. The highlight of any visit to Cairo is undoubtedly a visit to the magnificent Pyramids of Giza. There are three, the largest being over 137m (450ft) high and containing some three million huge blocks of stone. One can explore deep inside the pyramids by means of labyrinthine tunnels and staircases. Adjacent is the massive Sphinx, much admired by Alexander, Caesar, Cleopatra and Napoleon. Camels and horses may be hired and there is a golf course nearby. At night there is an atmospheric son et lumière show (an unusual but effective way to see the pyramids and Sphinx).
The Egyptian Museum in Tahir Square is also worth visiting – it contains more than 100,000 relics and houses the largest, and one of the most impressive, collections of local and international Pharaonic and Byzantine art and sculpture, including statues of Akhenaten and the celebrated treasures of Tutankhamun. Nearby is Tehrir (Liberation) Square, the focal point of central Cairo. The Cairo Tower, near the Gezira Sports Club on an island in the Nile, affords a wonderful view of the city; it stands amidst the elegant townhouses of a wealthy neighbourhood. A trip around Old Cairo is an enchanting return to a former age, and there are many fine examples of Islamic art and architecture. The Citadel and nearby Al Rif’ai and Sultan Hassan mosques should not be missed.

Shopping: The most interesting shopping area for tourists in Cairo is the old bazaar, Khan-el-Khalili, specialising in reproductions of antiquities. Souvenirs include spices, Coptic cloth and jewellery, traditional leatherwork and brassware. There are also modern shopping centres, particularly near Tehrir Square.

Eating Out: Egyptian cuisine combines many of the best traditions of Middle Eastern cooking. Local specialities include foul (bean dishes), roast pigeon, kebabs and humus (chickpeas). Although Egypt is a Muslim country, alcohol is available in café-style bars and good restaurants.