EGYPT

Egypt is one of the countries having the most peculiar geographic position all over the world! Most of its territory lies in Africa, more precisely to the Northeast, but a strip of land, i.e. the Sinai one, lies in Asia. This country directly faces the Mediterranean Sea on one side and the Red Sea, even more enchanting, on the other one.

It covers an area of 1,001,450 square kilometres.

Almost 78 million inhabitants live in Egypt.

Cairo has got 15 million inhabitants and it is one of the largest cities all over the world. Many tourists come here to visit the fascinating manufactured articles of the Egyptian museum and the various archaeological sites.

Cairo, Hurghada, Dendera, Giza, Luxor, Karnak, Saqqara, Sharm El Sheikh.

International Airport Ophira - Sharm-El-Sheik; International Airport in Marsa-Alam; International Airport in Luxor ; International Airport in Hurghada.

 The origins of the history of Egypt go back to the beginning of time. The whole ancient phase is characterised by the succession of Pharaonic dynasties, i.e. Egyptian kings. It was always a land of conquest for its well-known features of fertility due to the mythical Nile and revered as a God. Egyptians may be probably counted among the few populations that have left endless traces of their own past. The pyramids, the necropolis and the temples of the ancient gods are an indelible sign of what has been. Egypt was the homeland of the Hebrew civilisation for an extremely long period of time. It was conquered by the Greeks and Romans, who made a province out of it. Who can not remember the forbidden love between Caesar and Cleopatra, the descendant of the Ptolemaic dynasty, and the one even more passionate and overwhelming, ending in a tragedy, with Mark Anthony. Even Great Octavianus Augustus was so bewitched by those places that it started building the Egyptian architecture in Rome. The decline of the Roman Empire led the country under the rule of Arabs, who left a wider and even more evident mark. Even great Napoleon touched the Egyptian soil at the end of the 18th century. The English colonisation occurred later. The English invaded Egypt by means of a trick in 1881 and ruled it till 1922, when it became partially independent since the British military occupation lasted until 1952, when a coup d'état changed Egypt into the current Republic.

The Liberation Day on 23rd July and the National Holiday on 6th October.

Presidential Republic.

The official language is Arab, but you will very often meet people fluently speaking French, English and somebody even Italian, above all the tourist centres of the Red Sea.

Just as many peoples from African countries, Egyptians profess the Muslim religion. Over 90% of citizens are faithful to Koran, but there are also some minorities of other religions. As a matter of fact, a small percentage is Copt-Christian.

The time zone is one hour ahead Italy. Since the Daylight Saving Time is not applicable in Egypt on the same days of validity in our country, in some periods it may happen that there is no time zone difference.

Italian citizens coming to Egypt for tourism purposes are only required to produce a passport having at least 3-month validity or an identity card, valid for expatriation, having at least 3-month validity, starting from the day of entry in Egypt. Visa is compulsory and you can apply for it at Consulates or at the Embassy of Egypt in Italy or at the airports, upon arrival, against payment of 15 USD or the corresponding amount in euro.

The official country's monetary unit is the Egyptian pound. Egypt is a quite cheap country for Italian travellers at the current exchange rate, always depending upon the type of holiday you wish to spend.

CHECK THE CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATE

The main international credit cards are accepted in hotels, shops and restaurants.

No specific vaccination is required. If you come from the areas infected by the yellow fever, you shall produce the corresponding vaccination certificate. Before leaving, it is recommended to take out an insurance policy against sickness and accidents.

Since Egypt is the home land of the Libyan Desert, the climate cannot but reflect the territory and it will be typically desertic. The almost total absence of rain makes it a dry country, except for the Mediterranean area, where temperatures are much milder. Spring is from September to May. These are the most suitable months for a journey to Egypt. Khamsin - the so-called desert wind blowing for many consecutive days, thus causing strong sandstorms - is much feared. Get ready for the temperature ranges typical in the desert.
 
CHECK THE WEATHER FORECASTS IN REAL TIME

Voltage is 220 volts. There should be no problem with European plugs. However, an adaptor may be useful since plugs are of the American or German type in many hotels.

Calling Italy from Egypt is extremely simple: just dial the country code for Italy 0039, then the Italian area code - including zero for fixed net numbers - and the number you wish to call (for example: to call a fixed net telephone number in Rome from Egypt just dial 0039 06 68.... ; to call a mobile phone number from Egypt just dial 0039 333 12...).
To call Egypt from Italy, dial the country code for Egypt 0020, followed by the area code without 0 and then the number you wish to call
The GSM network perfectly works in the whole country, therefore also our mobile phones. Since rates vary according to the operator, it is advisable to get informed about costs before departure to avoid having a bad surprise as soon as you come back to Italy.
There are many Internet bars in the main cities and in tourist places. Reading or sending an e-mail is no problem at all.

There is no special restriction for pictures and videos in Egypt. Please never hurt the Egyptians' feelings. Never forget to ask before taking a picture or a video of local people.

Those who visit Egypt will be astonished by the extraordinarily great number of objects, souvenirs and alike they can purchase everywhere. Cairo is famous for its Khalili market, where you can find cheap fabrics, clothes typical of Egypt, statuettes of sphinxes and pyramids, perfumes... Those who visit Egypt must absolutely buy a hand-painted papyrus, a gold or silver jewel and semi precious stone that can be easily found on the market and may be counted among the most particular objects and most in demand.

Egyptian dishes are characterised by the use of spices and aromas that can be usually found at Arab banquets. When setting its table, an Egyptian shall never forget green vegetables, which is the fundamental ingredient of the cuisine of this country. We wish to remember that Alexandria is proverbially the home of gourmands. As a matter of fact, many restaurants can be found here, but also in the capital. Those who like savouring the delicacies typical of the places they are visiting - in Egypt - must absolutely taste Mouloukheya, a typical soup, or eat the pigeon served with all sauces. Foul, a purée of pods and vegetables, flavoured with oil, sesame, garlic, cumin and an extract of lamun is just as tasty and well-appreciated. Sweets are a real delight. Baklamà, fancy cakes based on walnuts, honey and secret syrup, is ranking first, followed by Katalef, a sweet based on almonds and walnuts, at a close distance.

Egyptians listen to any kind of music, but you will be astonished by the fact that traditional music is so deeply rooted. Egyptians maintain on the basis of the works by some historians, such as Plutarch, that music comes from ancient gods. Plato praised music and Pythagoras conceived its theories just in Egypt, where music was often associated with magic rites. You will happen to be fascinated by the special sound of the very sensual belly dance.

Besides being very charming, Egyptian nights will offer you many amusements and distractions of any kind. There is a great deal of pubs, where you can take pleasure in taking part and looking at sensational shows of belly dance. However, the most appealing destinations are Sharm El Sheikh, mythical Alexandria and all the resorts on the Red Sea.

Many shows take place in Egypt every year. It is impossible to mention all of them. Here is a list of the most famous ones:

- International Festival of Oriental dance - Cairo - July.
- Song Festival - Cairo - August.
- Wafai El Nil Festival - Cairo - August
- International Film Festival - Alexandria - September.
- Arab Music Festival - Cairo - November

Those who do not wish to miss a show that is - to say the least - extraordinary shall go to Abu Simbel, where the sunrays directly penetrate the temple dedicated to Raa Hur, the Egyptian god of the sun, twice a year, thus creating a unique effect and play of lights.

..you need no visa to enter the Sinai? The Sinai Peninsula on the Asiatic territory is the destination of many tourists driven by the wish to visit religious historic sites. Everybody knows that Moses received the Holy Tables together with the Decalogue of the Commandments here, but not everybody remembers that the burning bush, which forced Moses to save the Chosen People, appeared just on mount Sinai and that Justinian had the Saint Catherine Monastery erected just in this place. This Christian-Orthodox monastery dedicated to the worship of Virgin Mary is one of the oldest Christian monasteries all over the world.

There are many more than these!

1) The Giza Pyramids, just a few steps from the capital, where you can admire the famous pyramids of Cheops, Chephren and Mycerinus, not to mention the mythological sphinx.
2) The wide Saqqara necropolis, which is well-known for the Ti and Ericka tombs, where you can see the famous Zoser terrace pyramid at a close distance.
3) The Egyptian museum having the greatest collection of manufactured articles of Ancient Egypt, sarcophaguses, statues, papyri and the "feared" mummies!!
4) Dahschur, the archaeological site of which was opened to the public just a short time ago, where you can find many monuments, including the Snefru pyramid, which is bigger than the Chephren pyramid.
5) The Nile valley, which is unique in its own way, where there are countless archaeological and natural riches.
6) Luxor, ancient Thebes, where you can admire a 40-metre papyrus, i.e. the longest all over the world, and the temple of Ramses III.
7) The Kings' Valley with its 64 tombs dug out in the rock, which was deemed to be the funeral temple of Ramses III and the guardian of Tutankhamen's sepulchre.
8) Hathor, the Graeco-Roman temple, which is well-known for its star ceiling.
9) The Sinai Region, where you can admire the Saint Catherine Monastery, which was accomplished in the 6th century a.d.
10) The Ras Mohammed Natural Park - it is a protected area of upsetting beauty. It would be a real pity to miss it.

1) Sharm El Sheikh - It is the paradise of divers and the place most suitable for snorkelling and diving to admire one of the most beautiful coral reefs all over the world.
2) Sharm El Sheikh - Dahab is a very famous village because it was loved by hippies in the past and it is now a place where you can practise many water sports, such as surf, windsurf, diving and snorkelling.
3) Sharm El Sheikh - In the surroundings of the Ras Mohammed Park, you can surf in peace and quiet or dive in really spectacular depths
4) Hurghada - This is another well-known place for its showy sea depths and its coral reef. Here, you cannot only practise water sports, but also take part in real sea safaris. Apply to the hotel desk.
5) Marsa Alam - It is the place most suitable for diving and snorkelling, also because there are some of the most beautiful coral reefs, scattered among the numerous islands.

- Shopping - You always need a great deal of sound and strong patience! Egyptians are extremely kind, but they can be very insistent, above all when you they try to convince tourists, maybe sitting in front of a nice cup of tea, to purchase this or that "souvenir". Never forget to be very kind, even when you are tired out.

- Tips - Tips are not compulsory but beyond being highly appreciated, tipping a waiter is quite a widespread habit.

- Taxi - Taxi is safe, but it is always recommended to negotiate the price.

- Not to forget- Put light clothing in your case. Please avoid clothes that are too scanty not to hurt the Muslims' feelings. Pack also some warm clothes for the cold Egyptian nights.

- Bathing in the Nile - If you are gripped by oppressive heat on the Nile, please do not plunge into the river, since it is the natural habitat of a parasite causing bilharzias.

Via Bissolati, 19 - Rome - Italy
Phone: 0039 06 4874 219
Fax: 0039 06 4874 156
www.egypt.travel/index.php

Via Salaria, 267 - Rome - Italy
Phone: 0039 06 8440 191
Fax: 0039 06 8554 424

Str. Abdel Rahman Fahmy, 15, Garden City - Cairo - Egypt
Phone: 0020 2 2794 3194/2794 3195/2794 0658
Fax: 0020 2 2794 0657
www.italembassy.org.eg