The Golden Age of Egypt - Cairo & Alexandria
Explore Cairo, Alexandria and the Pyramids on our wonderful city break and don't forget to check out the Nile cruise option to really make a trip of it.
This Spice Escapes and WingsItaly adventure focuses on the golden age of travel, evoking the glamour and romance of exotic travel during the1920s and 1930s in Cairo, Egypt.
This period was indeed a booming period of growth in the then Kingdom of Egypt. The history of downtown Cairo dates back to 1867, when Ismail Pasha had a vision to make Cairo a beautiful city, competing with other European cities, hiring French and Italian planners to design downtown Cairo.
In 1925 Cairo won the title of the most beautiful city in the world! “Paris on the Nile.”
This adventure commences in Cairo, and includes a day trip to the famous city of Alexandria.
Claire and Andrea at WingsItaly visited Cairo in 2022 for a pre visit, staying at the Cosmopolitan Hotel and they also visited Alexandria. .
It is important to stress that modern day Cairo is a chaotic city, full on 24 hours a day, with approx.21 million people living within the city. Vehicles are driven around avoiding the many carts still driven by horses and donkeys, however, as Claire says with very open glasses and an open mind you can still absorb the wonderful atmosphere of the 20s and 30s and of course the indescribable ancient Egyptian World .Claire and Andrea found the people welcoming and extremely friendly.
Egypt is Muslim country therefore alcohol will be available at certain times and can be expensive compared to many European countries. Local bars, stores and some restaurants serve alcohol and European wines .
WingsItaly adventures focus on experiences, therefore a high level of flexibility is required on this trip. As we have a personal local guide throughout we may change plans in order to follow the magical moments.
Note. The New Grand Museum was planned to open in 2022 but is delayed until 2023. Once opened it will be the largest archaeological museum in the world, covering 50 hectares and housing around 100,000 objects, including artifacts from Tutankhamun's tomb. If the New Museum is opened by October 2023, you will be given the opportunity to visit at an additional cost.
Further in-depth details and an information pack will be provided nearer the time.
Your holiday includes
- Meet and Greet at the Airport
- 5 Nights in a down town 1920s Cairo Hotel Bed and Breakfast all ensuite
- All Private Transfers
- Palace of Manial, The National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation
- Meet and greet by the Museum’s Director
- All Entrance fees within the Itinerary
- Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx
- 1st Evening Meal
- 2 Typical Egyptian Lunches with the locals.
- Day Trip to Alexandria
- Entrance to the Palace In Alexandria
- Egyptologist throughout
Your holiday extras
- Single Room Accommodation if required
- Egyptian entry visa $25
- Optional Evening Meal Cruise on the Nile in Cairo
- Optional Entrance to the New Grand Museum
- Personal extras
- Personal travel Insurance
- Covid testing as required at the time of travel
Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great, is still today a major city. In ancient times it was the greatest city of the Mediterranean world and a centre of Hellenic scholarship and science.
The light house, one of the seven wonders in the ancient world, and the library of Alexandria the biggest at the time were the most renowned attractions.
Even today Alexandria has long occupied a special place with its association with Alexander the Great and Cleopatra.
Alex as now known to the locals was the capital of Egypt from 332BC until 642BC. Here you will also visit the Italian and French designed place of Princess Fatma Al Zahra.
Location & Itinerary
This classic tour will be in the company of an expert Egyptologist plus Claire and Andrea at WingsItaly .
During your adventure you will visit many iconic buildings, one being the site of a famous Italian pastry maker who set up a tearoom in 1924 and is still open today! Established by Giacomo Groppi (1863-1958), a Ticino pastry cook who arrived in Egypt in the 1880s, the pastry shop is widely considered to be one of the most famous tearooms of the city with its Venetian multi-coloured mosaics.
Your Adventure
Day 1 Depart the UK and arrive in Cairo where you will be met. It's a quick transfer to your hotel for check in followed by a welcome drink in the hotel in the bar, which apparently was King Farouk’s favourite. 1st evening meal together .
Day 2 Local down town tour with guide.
Day 3 Museums , Pyramids and Giza
Day 4 Day Visit to Alexandria, approx. 2 hours each way. Visit the Royal Jewellery Museum containing an inestimable collection of jewellery of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty. This palace of Princess Fatma Al-Zahra’ was originally built in 1919. It has 4,185 square meters interior space and is surrounded by gardens. Having a strong European architectural design, it was built by Italian, French and Belgium architects following the themes of the teaching of Michelangelo.
Your adventure in Alexandria will include a downtown tour, also the famous Cornice which is the promenade on the sea where the lighthouse and library were originally housed . This will be a full day out!
Day 5 Palaces and the Grand Museum*
Day 6 Depart Cairo to return to the UK or continue your adventure with a flight down to Luxor to join our Nile Cruise.
After 5 nights in Cairo, you have the option to return to the UK, or, continue with your guide, Claire and Andrea flying to Luxor a 1-hour flight joining your bespoke and private Nile Sailing on a traditional sail boat called a Dahabiya.
Travel & Stay
You will be staying in a classic 1920s hotel in down town Cairo in the historical stock exchange area. The iconic Cosmopolitan Hotel opened originally in1925, built by an Italian architect in an era of opulence and luxury, sadly, the hotel closed its doors in 1961, however it has been recently refurnished giving its guests the flavour of the roaring 20's atmosphere!
Exploring locally there are lots of historical beautiful buildings, silent relics of a by gone era, feeling like you are suddenly transported to a strange worn-out copy of a European city during the 1920s, now with a touch of the modern-day Cairo.
However, whilst the heavy dust and the recent times have muffled their voices, and are drowned out by the heavy city Cairo traffic, these buildings still remain and so do the rich stories of their pasts.
Provisional Flight information
11/10/23 London Heathrow to Cairo Dep: 1500 Arr: 2040
16/10/23 Cairo to London Heathrow Dep: 1635 Arr: 2105
Return transfers between airport & hotel are included when booking the flight inclusive package.
If you prefer to arrange your own flights from another airport we are able to provide transfers for an additional cost. Closer to departure when we know which airports are being used and arrival times we will be able to confirm the exact cost of these transfers.
Availability & Pricing
| Accommodation | Price | |
|---|---|---|
| Place in a twin share room | £36.00 | Available |
| Sole occupancy room | £386.00 | Available |
| Flights | Price | |
| Own flight without transfers | £999.00 | Available |
| London Heathrow | £1599.00 | Available |
Not enough spaces left for you? Click here to join the waitlist
Passport validity
You should have at least 6 months remaining on your passport from the start date of your holiday and your passport must be less than 10 years old (even if it has 6 months or more left). Your visa for entry can be purchased on arrival in Egypt.
Travel Insurance
Please ensure that you have adequate personal travel insurance to suit your requirements in place before you travel. Spice Escapes have arranged a scheme with Staysure who are fully authorised and regulated by the FCA (firm reference number 663617) full details of which can be found on the FCA website www.fca.org.uk. For an instant online quotation please click here.
The latest FCO travel guidance for Egypt
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/Egypt
Host & Everything Else
October is slightly cooler than preceding months but remains exceedingly hot.
The average temperature still reaches a high of 30°C during the day and dip no lower than 18°C at night. You can expect to experience no rain and around 10 hours of average daily sunshine.
Whilst this adventure is Bed and Breakfast basis and a selection of meals included, all other meals will be planned by Claire, Andrea and your local guide.
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