Port Said, Egypt

The entry point to the Suez Canal

On the northeastern coast of Egypt lies Port Said, which dates back to 1859 when it was a working camp to house the men building the Suez Canal. Since it’s now the entry point to the Suez Canal by the Mediterranean Sea, Port Said makes for the perfect place to watch huge ships wait in line to enter the canal. But let’s be honest. We’re not here to do a little naval gazing.

Because with our early morning arrival and late-night stay in Port Said, we have plenty of time to explore the incredible sites of Cairo, including the Great Pyramid of Giza—the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still in existence—go on a Jeep safari in the desert, see the treasures of Tutankhamun at the Egyptian Museum, and even take a cruise down the river Nile. There’s even time to see exactly what the Sphinx is looking at…which is probably best left a not-so-ancient secret.