Weekend retreats: City for all
Where the Mediterranean and Suez Canal meet lies one of the most beautiful cities in Egypt. Let Rasha Sadek be your guide in Port Said
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A promenade along the Corniche; a day trip traveller selecting a souvenir ; the Suez Canal Authority building is a landmark of the Mediterranean city
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Why go now?
Port Said, the northern gate of the Suez Canal, is only 220km from Cairo (from two and half to three hours drive) enjoying a Mediterranean climate throughout the year (27- 32C) in the summer and (18-25C) in winter. Famous as a summer resort, the city is also idyllic in the winter, offering a year-round pedestrian and children-friendly retreat, away from the hustle and bustle and pressure of Cairo.
One of the most captivating elements of the city is its place amidst the water; the city is surrounded by water, with the Mediterranean to the north, Lake Manzalla to the southwest and the Suez Canal separating it from Port Fouad.
Hotels in Port Said usually offer reasonable room rates, even in the summer (it is known to be a cheaper alternative to Alexandria). In winter, those prices drop even further. During those colder months, you can still enjoy the beaches of Port Said. Although they cannot rival those of Egypt's internationally renown resorts (such as Sharm El-Sheikh), they offer the allure of being free from direct encroachment of roads and development. Thus a walk on the sand stooping occasionally for shells -- or a stroll along one of the many promenades is not only pleasurable, but also traffic free.
You can promenade along the Corniche, or near the National Museum, watching vessels from far away enter the Suez Canal, or witnessing their departure -- their bulky hulls dwindling to lights bobbing far off shore. You can also enjoy the city itself with its various restaurants, cafes, cinemas, and historical sites.
This is not all, as shopping is one more thing the city is known for given its tax free status.
If you are a fishing lover, this is the time for you too to pack and head to Port Said. The Egyptian Angling Federation is holding a fishing contest between 3 to 5 October. The contest will take place over Al-Gamil Bridge, with the Shooting Club, Port Said branch, hosting both the opening and the finale. There is a LE20 admission fee. Two hotels are offering special rates for contestants: The Helnan Port Said Hotel offers double rooms for LE90 per person on a half board basis while the Canaria Village offers chalets for LE75 without meals.
Getting about
Port Said has no airport. It is easily accessible, however, by bus, train or private car from Cairo. East Delta (bus) services from Cairo run every hour from 12.30pm to 9.30pm for LE15-16. Superjet runs at 6.15am, 6.45am, 7.30am, 8am, 8.30am, 9.30am, 10.30am and 12.30pm for LE15-20 each way. Stations are located in Almaza in Heliopolis, and Turguman downtown. Services back to Cairo run hourly from 8am to 12am except 1pm; tickets must be reserved and purchased from the Port Said bus station.
Air-conditioned trains run from Cairo's Ramsis Station at 6.30am, 8.45am, 11.30am, 2.35pm and 7.10pm for LE17.
All taxi fares within Port Said and Port Fouad LE2.
City fact file
Port Said is the second most important Egyptian port after Alexandria. Situated on a narrow peninsula between Lake Manzalla and the Mediterranean sea, Port Said was founded in 1859, five years after the project of the Suez Canal was negotiated. It was named after Said Pasha, then Khedive of Egypt. Port Said has seen battles for freedom and independence. The city endured the 1956 tripartite aggression and the Israeli attacks during the 1967-1973 Arab- Israeli war. Port Said was built on the European 19th century architecture style with high wooden balconies; some of which still stand today.
In 1976, Port Said was declared a duty-free zone, leading to its attraction as a shopping haven for Egyptians and foreign residents; Al-Togary Street is the most famous shopping area in the city. The free-zone agreement is due to end in four years.
Although Port Said has a number of nice beaches, fine hotels and sightseeing options, foreign tourists seldom visit the city aside from day-trippers off cruise liners.
Check-In
Though Port Said boasts fine beaches that are excellent for swimming and relaxation, none of the hotels own private beaches because of the Corniche that separates them from the sea. Except for the Helnan and Sonesta hotels, there are no international chains represented there. There are, however, a number of local resorts and small hotels, and enough variety to cater for all tastes.
Helnan Port Said Hotel 00+(2066) 320 890) a five-star hotel in Tarh Al-Bahr Street which overlooks the sea, offers double rooms for LE250 and single rooms for LE158 on bed and breakfast basis (sea view, canal view or town view). A presidential suite attached to a spacious roof runs at LE1,000 per night, or you can have a junior suite for LE550.
The Helnan has the only Bowling centre in Port Said in addition to a Dolphin sporting centre with a Squash court, with utilisation prices ranging from LE10-20. You can also purchase hotel day-use at the Helnan for LE150 -- meals not inclusive -- or spend a day by the pool for LE30.
Sonesta Port Said Hotel 00+(2066) 325 511) a four-star hotel on Sultan Hussein Street, offers double rooms for LE156 on a half board basis until the end of October (instead of the usual LE280). The day-use price is the same as Helnan.
Holiday Hotel 00+(2066) 220 711), a three-star hotel situated on Al-Gumhoreya Street, offers double rooms for LE104 and single rooms for LE80 per night on a halfboard basis. Unfortunately the hotel does not offer day-use services.
New Concorde Hotel 00+(2066) 235 342) another three- star hotel on Mustafa Kamel Street. The hotel offers double rooms for LE88 and single rooms for LE67 on a bed and breakfast basis. Weekenders can also reserve day-use for LE60 -- excluding lunch.
Noras Beach Hotel 00+(2066) 329 834) a three-star huge beachside complex that boasts chalets that can accommodate up to four persons for LE220 on a bed and breakfast basis. Day-use chalets cost LE120 -- excluding lunch.
Must See
The Military Museum, which lies on 23 July Street, opened in 1964 on an area of 7,500 metres square. The museum has paintings and dioramas of the Egypt-Israel wars in 1956, 1967 and 1973. There are exhibits of Pharaonic warfare as well. The museum's winter hours are from 8am to 2pm, while in summer it opens from 9am to 3pm daily. Tickets are LE1 for Egyptians and LE2 for foreigners; cameras usage is charged at the same rate, while video cameras use within the museum costs LE15 for Egyptians and LE20 for foreigners.
Ferdinand de Lesseps Statue. Though the statue of the French diplomat who negotiated the Suez Canal project with Khedive Said in 1854 was pulled down during the 1956 Suez War, the plinth of the statue still lies opposite to the Canal's elevated walkway.
Al-Messallah Square. An oblique established after the battle of 1956, located at the top of Al-Nasr Museum which pictures the Egyptian heroism against the tripartite aggression.
Tombs of Martyrs. Memorial of the unknown soldier for the heroes and martyrs of Port Said.
The National Museum, which is currently shut for repairs, contains a collection of artefacts dating from prehistoric, Pharaonic, Coptic and Islamic periods and covers the history of the building of the Suez Canal. The museum lies on the same street as the Military Museum.
Al-Gamil Beach is a splendid beach near Manzalla lake, 12km west of Port Said. An ideal spot for fishing.
Daily Excursions
From Port Said you can head to Port Fouad -- founded in 1927 as a suburb for Suez Canal Company bureaucrats. It lies on the eastern side of the canal and is distinct because of its expanses of green surfaces and wonderful beaches. Port Fouad can be reached by free ferries running all day from Sultan Hussein Street. The ferries accommodate cars too, and the trip takes less than five minutes.
The city has a number of beaches, the most famous of which are Al-Tafri'a and Al-Za'eem, (no entrance fee). There are also the Yacht centre and the Suez Canal Club, which charges LE3 for entrance unless you're a member. Chalets close to the beach in Port Fouad can be rented through the local district.
Dining out
Port Said is famous for its sea food. Fresh out of the sea and onto your plate, sea food restaurants are scattered generously around the city. Among them, you can try Abu Essam and Al-Borg in Tarh Al-Bahr Street, and Al-Gendy in Port Fouad.
In addition to the "regular" fast food chains, there are a number of restaurants such as Pizza Pino and Cecil Reanu in Al-Gumhoreya Street and Maxim's in Tarh Al-Bahr Street. Noras floating restaurant is an open-air boat that serves lunch and dinner, from 3.30pm and 9.30pm respectively. You dine while cruising the Canal (minimum charge LE25). If you want the experience of a canal cruise without being restricted to lunch or dinner, you can still do that for only LE10 including a drink.
The Helnan Hotel has Al-Sohbagya open-air coffee shop which serves oriental food. Also at the hotel is Marina restaurant, serving international cuisines and special diets. The Sonesta Hotel boasts the Italian restaurant La Gandola, in addition to its oriental coffee shop Al-Khedive.
Food options are endless in Port Said with the various restaurants and coffee shops all around the city, and if you are a pavement-café-life lover, the city grants you multiple choices.
Into the night
Port Said is a scenic and peaceful city once night falls. You can walk along the Canal walkway, watching ships come and go, feeling the evening breeze; or stroll along the beach's Corniche picking up shells under the star-studded sky. You can also rent a hantour (horse-drawn carriage). A hantour will take you along the Corniche and the important sites of the city for LE10 for Egyptians and $3 for foreigners.
Both the Helnan and Sonesta have open-air summer cinemas showing Arabic films for LE10. Arabic films are also screened at the Suez Canal club on Saturdays. The Helnan's night life starts at Al-Sohbagya, which puts on an oriental show and hosts a DJ daily, in addition to their Atlantis nightclub, which hosts a belly dancer and a band daily except Tuesdays. The Noras Beach Hotel has the Rigina coffee shop that hosts a nightly DJ-ed night of fun.
