Egypt

Offering a Modern Exterior, This Hotel Comprises 150 Rooms and Suites Spread Over 4 Floors. Facilities Include a Spacious Lobby With a 24-Hour Reception Desk and Lifts, 6 Different Restaurants, Bars and Cafés. A Selection of Small Shops Are On Offer, As Are Conference Rooms and It is Possible To Take Advantage of the Room Service. Car Parking is Available To Those Arriving by Car.

The ancient Egyptian craft of papyrus making died out around the 10th century AD but was revived over 1,000 years later by Dr. Ragab, who conceived the idea of building a museum to demonstrate its ancient techniques. Here you will see papyrus go from grass to decorated wall piece and all the steps in between. The museum details the papyrus making process and its attached art gallery regularly holds exhibitions. More than anything, the boat functions as a papyrus showroom with some of the most expensive, though best quality, papyrus art in Egypt.

The commentary might not impress you, but the dazzling light show and awe-inspiring backdrop of the Sphinx and Pyramids surely will. Three times a night in three different languages, the Sphinx plays the role of storyteller, narrating the history of ancient Egypt. Shows are held in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Arabic. Call ahead to check the time of the performance you want to attend; private viewing times can be arranged. Admission: 44EGP for foreign translation shows. The desert's cold in the evenings, so make sure to carry along something to keep you warm.

Forming part of Dreamland City, the largest private sector development in the world, this is a truly impressive golfing and tennis venue. The 18-hole golf course has a fantastic view of the Pyramids and there is a full range of facilities including professional instruction, floodlit range, power carts and a shop.

The tennis facilities are just as impressive with eight floodlit courts and a team of coaches. The Swiss Inn restaurant and lounge provides the weary with a good selection of snacks and refreshments.

Opened in 1988, the Opera House complex is a stunning jewel of postmodernist architecture incorporating Islamic and Pharaonic motifs. There are two opera halls, one of which is strictly jacket-and-tie while the other is a little more laid back. The complex also offers an open-air theatre and an amphitheatre for summer performances. There is always something going on here, usually more than one event per night, so it is advisable to call ahead or check local newspapers for a schedule. International music, ballet and opera troupes perform here throughout the year and tickets cost a fraction of what one would pay to see the same performance elsewhere.

Located in Maadi, this center is aimed at everyone from the novice to the very experienced scuba diver. It specialises in diving education and runs PADI and NAUI courses. The center also organises diving trips. In addition to this, it has a full selection of top quality diving equipment to buy and hire. If you prefer to stay on dry land, the center also arranges desert safaris.

The capital of Egypt for thousands of years, little remains of this once great city to attest to its glory. Memphis was founded by the I Dynasty pharaoh Menes around 3100 BC and destroyed after the Arab conquest in the 6th century AD. Most of its treasures were looted or reused in other monuments and the sparse remains hardly warrant a special excursion. Worth seeing, however, is the colossal statue of Ramses II, alabaster sphinx of King Thutmose III and embalming slabs where the holy Apis bulls were mummified. Most of the artifacts have been gathered for display in a garden. A nominal admission fee is charged.

Cairo is one of the cheapest places in the world to buy gold. This market offers standard pharaonic-styled jewelry, or basic gold jewelry. One of the most popular buys here is the cartouche. Perhaps the most famous cartouche maker is Mihran and Garbis Yazejian Jewelers, 8 Sikket El-Badestan, Khan El-Khalli, who will make you a personalised cartouche with your name in hieroglyphics. This is a no bargaining shop—a definite advantage. If you decide to shop around in the gold area, be sure to compare prices, as you may be able to get the same work cheaper elsewhere. And remember, Egyptian gold is usually a higher carat than that found in the West, and so is a darker color.