Where to go for a walk in Sharm El Sheikh. Sharm el-Sheikh: interesting places, prices, reviews
Located near the center of the Old Town, the colorful oriental bazaar “Old Market” attracts the attention of numerous visitors with a wide variety of goods and a bright oriental atmosphere. Here you can buy original oriental items and souvenirs, jewelry and leather goods, exotic fruits and Egyptian spices. In addition, there are numerous national cafes and restaurants on the market territory, where you can have a pleasant time with a cup of aromatic coffee or a glass of freshly squeezed juice. The market is open daily from 12.00 to 00.00. You can pay in the market in dollars, euros and pounds.
Water parks
The newly built water park impresses its visitors with its unusually beautiful territory, designed in the style Ancient Egypt. Various attractions and water activities designed for both children and adults. The water in the pools for the youngest guests of the water park is always heated to a comfortable temperature for swimming. Entrance ticket to Cleo Park costs 150 pounds ($25) for an adult and 60 pounds ($10) for a child. The price includes a towel and use of the changing room. The park's opening hours are daily from 09.00 to 18.00.
The most famous water park in the resort of Sharm El Sheikh is distinguished by a wide variety of slides and strict adherence to safety regulations. Its visitors have a unique opportunity to swim in a rowing boat in a pool with artificial waves. Price entrance ticket is 180 pounds ($30) for an adult and 120 pounds ($20) for a child. The park is open daily from 10.00 to 18.00.
A visit to the famous Egyptian Dolphinarium, where dolphins brought from Russia perform, will help you get a lot of positive emotions and vivid impressions. The most interesting show programs with the smartest animals that cheerfully and cheerfully perform various tricks: jumping, dancing and singing, are held in the dolphinarium every day at 15.00 and last 45 minutes. The cost of admission to the show is 120 pounds ($20) for adults and 60 pounds ($10) for children under 7 years old. The Dolphinarium is open every day from 10.30 to 18.00. The cost of visiting it is 90 pounds ($15) for an adult and 48 pounds ($8) for a child. At the dolphinarium you can also swim with dolphins in the pool. Such entertainment will cost a group of 6 people 600 pounds ($100).
By visiting the unique oriental themed palace “A Thousand and One Nights”, you can plunge into the atmosphere of a fairy tale. There is a feeling of luxurious oriental architecture with colorful towers and domes, marble paths and fountains shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow. To enjoy all this beauty, just sit in any of the many cafes or restaurants in the complex. And the bright thematic show programs that take place here on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and start at 19.00 will help you get into the spirit of Ancient Egypt. The cost of visiting such a performance will be 240 pounds ($40) for an adult and 120 pounds ($20) for a child.
Whole line variety of entertainment and European service offers its guests an area of extraordinary beauty called “Soho”. In the very center of it there is a “singing” fountain, shimmering with bright colors, accompanied by musical performance. On the sides of the fountain there are various numerous establishments for every “taste”:
On the second floor of the Kulturama building, which is located in the central part of the square, there is a small but very cozy skating rink with artificial ice. Here you can rent skates and skate to your heart's content to the fiery rhythms of European music. The skating rink is open daily from 11.00 to 00.00. You have to pay 90 pounds ($15) for entry and you can ride for an unlimited time.
With the guide site you will see all the attractions of Sharm el-Sheikh in 24 hours.
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Royal Gulf - this is how the name of one of the most popular is translated from Arabic sea resorts Egypt - Sharm el-Sheikh.
The main attractions of Sharm el-Sheikh are, of course, magnificent, well-maintained beaches and the picturesque underwater world of coral reefs.
But in this guide we will not write about diving, trips to the Ras Mohamed Marine Reserve and such tourist attractions as “quad bike safaris”, “camel riding”, “dinner and tea with the Bedouins”. This will be offered to you in every hotel, in every travel agency.
We will tell you what to see in Sharm el-Sheikh itself.
Sights of Sharm el-Sheikh. 10:00 - 11:00 - wake up and have breakfast at the hotel
What is the first thing you need to do on vacation in Egypt? That's right, get some sleep! Therefore, we will not blow up the alarm clock at 8:00 - we are on vacation. Moreover, there are not so many attractions in Sharm el-Sheikh; there is no need to rush, as in London, to see everything. But be that as it may, you shouldn’t sleep longer than 10 - sleep through breakfast!
When it comes to choosing a hotel, we would recommend staying at the Sultan Gardens Resort, which is often called one of the best in Sharm el-Sheikh. Room prices are not that cheap, but believe me, the Sultan's vacation is definitely worth it. Standard double room all inclusive costs $121 per day.
However, we will not impose it. You can choose a hotel to suit your taste in our article.
11:00 - 15:00 - we go to the water park
There are usually only two things you can do before sunset in Egypt: either swim or sit in well-conditioned rooms. We offer you the first option, but with a dose of extreme. Grab your swimming trunks and sunscreen and head to the water park.
There are several water parks in Sharm el-Sheikh. The most popular: Cleo Park and Albatross Aqua. The first one is decorated much more interestingly - in the ancient Egyptian style. But in terms of entertainment, it’s not so good here; there are only a couple of slides for adults.
The water park is located on the territory of the hotel of the same name in the center of the Hadaba residential area. Don't be afraid - everyone is allowed in. Open from 10:00 to 22:00. Prices for both the first and second water parks are the same: guides charge $35 for adults and $25 for children (including lunch). On site, if you come yourself, it’s more expensive: $40 and $30, respectively.
The easiest way to get to the water park is by taxi (minibuses in Egypt are a real pleasure). Just call the driver Albatross Aqua.
Sights of Sharm el-Sheikh.15:00 - 16:00 - walk in the Il Mercato area
After having fun at the water park, don’t rush to leave the Hadaba area. After all, there is also something to see here. In fact, this is an elite part of the city, where offices, restaurants, cafes, shops, and car dealerships are lined up.
As you already understood from the name, Il Mercato Street claims to be called “Italy in Egypt”. Indeed, it is decorated very nicely. You can even read online that Il Mercato supposedly offers good shopping - don’t believe it. There are 10-15 brand stores that are also in Ukraine, the prices are no different.
So just take a walk around Il Mercato and take a couple of pictures. Especially against the backdrop of the luxurious 1001 Nights complex.
There is even an original “mini-train” running through the territory of Hadaba, with trailers for tourists. However, a typical “divorce” - the area can be leisurely walked around in 20 minutes.
Sights of Sharm el-Sheikh.16:00 - 17:00 - cool off at the skating rink
Even after lunch, it’s quite hot in Sharm el-Sheikh, so to cool down a little, we head to another elite area - Soho.
It would probably be more accurate to say that Soho is not a district, but a street between the Savoy and Sierra hotels with singing fountains, shops, children's carousels and a stage where various musical groups often perform. But the main attraction is the skating rink! Imagine an ice skating rink in Egypt!
It is located in the center, right next to the singing fountain, you won’t miss it. The cost of an hour of skating is $15. You can hire a coach, but it will be strange if an Egyptian teaches a Ukrainian to skate, don’t you think? However, we cannot claim that all the coaches there are local.
Sights of Sharm el-Sheikh.17:00 - 18:00 - dinner at Fares restaurant
By evening it's time to head out Old city. First we’ll run in for dinner, because we’ve worked up a very good appetite all day.
With all the variety of establishments, good restaurants in Sharm el-Sheikh once or twice and I was wrong. One of the best is Fares, which is located in the Old Town on the territory of the market.
- FIND OUT what to try in Egypt from our article
They serve gorgeous shrimp here, make an excellent mix of seafood on charcoal, and be sure to try the signature Fares soup. Come with the waiter to the exhibition table and choose the products yourself.
By the way, the service is pleasant - the waiters work quickly and discreetly (often in Egypt the service is very intrusive), they understand Russian. The menu is also in Russian.
With all this, very reasonable prices. The average cost of dinner per person is $20.
It is advisable to arrive exactly at 17-18. If you're an hour late, you'll stand in line, the restaurant is bustling with customers.
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Sights of Sharm el-Sheikh.18:00 - 19:00 - buy souvenirs at the market in the Old Town
Since we found ourselves in the Old Town, it would be a shame to leave here empty-handed. Moreover, if you need souvenirs, you need to buy them here, and not in hotel shops. It will be much cheaper.
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Carpets, clothes, hookahs, spices, souvenirs - you can find everything here. Even if you don’t buy anything, it’s worth wandering around the bazaar purely out of ethnographic curiosity.
By the way, every evening a local star named Tito performs here. You will not see such a belly dance performance anywhere else - we recommend it. Ask any merchant: “When will Tito be there?”, they will tell you.
Sights of Sharm el-Sheikh.19:00 - 20:00 - smoke hookah in a cozy cafe
After a hearty dinner, you need to... smoke! Even if you hate cigarettes, you must try hookah in Sharm el-Sheikh. Moreover, the atmosphere in hookah bars is very inviting: lie down on the carpet, a pillow under your head, everything around sparkles, oriental music plays.
There are good hookah cafes on Naama Bay. It is logical for us to move there from the Old Town, since it is in this area that the night life Sharma.
In principle, the choice of establishment does not matter - go to the first one you like, order a hookah, hibiscus tea and relax - let the whole world wait. This pleasure will cost about $3.
Sights of Sharm el-Sheikh.20:00 - 22:00 walk along Naama Bay
It is no exaggeration to say that Naama Bay is the main attraction of Sharm el-Sheikh. This is the heart of the city, a street that, to use a popular template, never sleeps.
Restaurants, clubs, shops - all this is here in such concentration that it dazzles your eyes. You can stop by the Hard Rock cafe, have a cup of coffee at StarBucks Coffee, or check out the cult establishment called Little Buddha.
However, don’t rush to waste money and energy - we still have a cherry in store for dessert!
Sights of Sharm el-Sheikh.22:00 until dawn - we have a blast at the PACHA club
We mentioned the cherry for a reason - it is the symbol of the legendary PACHA club. This chain of establishments is famous throughout the world. Ask any clubber what his dream is, and he will probably say: “Hang out at PACHA.”
True, they mostly dream of a club located in Ibiza, but we assure you that the scale of PACHA is also impressive. There is even a swimming pool on site! Plus very good sound, excellent light - everything is on the level.
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I don’t like just baking in the sun! I begin to feel sad, to feel that time is flowing like sand through my fingers. I start looking for flaws in myself, and that’s nothing! It’s worse when I start looking for flaws in the people closest to me. For me, these symptoms are a signal to start taking action!
The timid words of the husband: “You knew where you were going! Egypt is a place of relaxation, there is nowhere to rush, there is nothing to look at except fish!” spur me on even more. I came to an Arab country, so please get to know it better: buy a guidebook, look for local beauties, admire the sights. That is, do everything that a disciplined tourist does when he gets abroad.
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“Darling, but it’s hot, it’s hard!” - my beloved suffered.
“Nothing!” I objected enthusiastically. - “There are comfortable buses with air conditioning!” My husband sighed resignedly - he was afraid to argue with me. And I, already falling asleep, dreamed of new impressions. What can you do if you were born so restless!
Failed excursion
I started the morning of the new day in a shop near the hotel. I decided to buy a map to see the main attractions in Sharm el-Sheikh on my own. The first item on the list of the most visited places by tourists was an Orthodox monastery! I read the details:
“A small island of Christianity in a Muslim sea. The ancient Greek Orthodox monastery of St. Catherine is located at the foot of Mount Jabal Musa (aka Sinai, aka Mount Moses). In the Bible this mountain is called Horeb. It was on it that Moses received the tablets with the Ten Commandments, which he then smashed in rage when he saw the Israelites dancing around the golden calf. People call this mountain God’s because God himself walked on it and talked to people.
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In the 4th century, a small chapel was built at the foot. Later a monastery was built in honor of the Great Martyr Catherine. Pilgrims from all over the world flock here, because the silent stones witnessed the events described in the Holy Scriptures...”
This is the beginning of my excursion program! The husband picked up the guidebook: “Adult ticket for bus tour- 35 $, children - 20 $. The one way journey takes about 2 hours. You are crazy! , you’re not going anywhere!” Said it suddenly and bluntly. I nodded silently and began to develop safer routes.
Friends advised me to go to the dolphinarium (ticket - $25), but I considered children's entertainment a frivolous matter.
Reserves of Sharm el-Sheikh
I associate the word “landmark” with the palaces of St. Petersburg and Moscow, with the house-museums of writers and artists. What should we call the palace hotels of Sharm el-Sheikh - “hotel fund” or “attraction”? More likely, the first one. Because it would never occur to anyone to inspect the 200 hotels of young Charm as if they were a historical relic. Maybe in a thousand years our ancestors will walk through the ruins, studying the holiday traditions of the ancient Russians.
Having realized that I studied the architecture of the resort city using the example own hotel, began to look for the highlight of the place where fate (not without the help of my husband) threw me to serve my next vacation.
Old Market
Thinking: “Where else can I go in Sharm el-Sheikh?”, it dawned on me! To visit an Arab country and not see an oriental bazaar is a crime!
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I dreamed of seeing mountains of melons with sellers sitting on top, bunches of grapes hanging from the counters, exotic fruits. But here I was deeply disappointed. Dust, dirt, shops with boring souvenirs, not enough exotics. But a visit to a fish restaurant, where they prepared an excellent dish from live crab in front of us, smoothed out the overall impression. There is a picturesque waterfall built behind the restaurant. It is crowded around it, because there are not many attractions in Sharm el-Sheikh.
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And for lovers of boutiques and shopping centers -
The final
The week's vacation was coming to an end. I went around all the points of the resort that I found reviews on the Internet and came to the conclusion: the main attraction of Sinai is the Red Sea. Everything else is just a pleasant addition to a wonderful holiday in Egypt!
Dec 9, 2015 Kate
So, now I've reached the famous Egyptian resort Sharm el-Sheikh. What I want to say right away is that this is one of the best places on the planet, which uniquely combines entertainment, attractions and sea beauty. Although, the first points of my frantic joy simply pale in comparison with the last. It is not for nothing that annual competitions among amateurs, amateurs and diving professionals are held here.
It is not without reason that the great Jacques Cousteau conducted repeated research here in his time, who, it seems, was already raising the price of this famous resort. It is not for nothing that no one here pays attention to the infrastructure of the resort town itself and the surrounding environs, because it is not without reason that it is criticized for the simplest ordinariness, they say, such beauties require an appropriate style and level of hotels and service.
True, all these curses begin only after a person returns home and begins to think about whether he was cheated on something. Discussions begin, searches for reasons begin, and for some reason everyone comes to the conclusion that the lack of modern entertainment and active recreation.
And who, in fact, asked you to come here if you knew that here the entire emphasis is on relaxation either in the water or under the water. Do you want large parties or dozens of different entertainment options? Go to any more large resort, such as, for example, Alexandria. While a holiday in Sharm el Sheikh will appeal to many other tourists who love to bask in the sun.
I want to say right away that I knew where my friends and I were going. First of all, what would possibly look, or rather, read, amazingly, I went here for the purpose of ordinary passive relaxation, since I knew that there would be nothing more to see here besides the sea beauties. Yes, I wasn’t particularly upset. Even at the stage of purchasing air tickets from Moscow to the glorious Shar el-Sheikh, I knew that this would be a real vacation, but, to get ahead of myself, I still found something to do here and something to tell you about.
So, a little about the resort itself city of Sharm el Sheikh. The resort has existed for several decades and is famous for its beauty, which is why hotels whose age definitely does not exceed the creation of the resort itself are still in good demand here. If you want, go swim at the beach.
If you want, go to a party, start dancing and relaxing in the morning. If you want, do sports all day, play football, tennis, or something else, in general, whatever, but that’s not the point. The city was created solely for lying in the sun, sunbathing, swimming and occasionally getting out to see some sights. Although, that’s what I say to them.
The sights of Sharm el Sheikh are not as pathetic as I say about them. For example, only in the city itself you can take sightseeing tours. tours to several beautiful national parks. Both parks cover an area of approximately thirty kilometers. By the way, here you can travel on foot or in an open jeep.
It is worth noting that here you can observe the most beautiful representatives of marine flora and fauna. What's most interesting about these National parks tourists constantly come not only from Shar el-Sheikh itself, but also from other neighboring resorts and even from the capital.
Moreover, if you would like more active entertainment, then a city water park, which is considered one of the most beautiful such places in the whole, and, of course, the famous nightlife of the city, can also be an excellent choice for a local attraction. In fact, the city almost never sleeps - round-the-clock parties and discos are considered the norm for such a famous resort.
Besides the fact that Sharm el-Sheikh is the main beach resort in Egypt, located at the end of the Sinai Peninsula on the shores of the Red Sea, its resort area is becoming more and more popular place holiday destination for international tourists, and there is a good reason to visit it. Cheap direct flights from most regional airports in Europe make this resort easily accessible.
And now, even when low-cost airlines such as Easyjet have added their routes here, the price of plane to Sharm el Sheikh decreased noticeably. As I said above, the sun is shining here all year round, visitors are waiting sandy beaches, pristine sea waters and affordable housing are the main attractions here.
So, if you are one of those who are considering a holiday to Sharm El Sheikh as a potential holiday, I have specially curated the top five reasons to visit this fascinating destination.
Snorkeling
Sharm el-Sheikh is considered almost the most best place for diving in the world. The local water is crystal clear and warm, while the endless underwater world presented here is considered almost the complete opposite of the desert areas of Egypt.
Due to the presence of some fast currents locally, there is a real abundance of plankton here, which means that a huge variety of fish awaits you here. Sharks, barracudas and moraines can be a real live experience.
Moreover, they are available here for viewing almost every day, not to mention representatives of bright reef fish, corals and many other representatives of the marine world.
The underwater world not only includes playing with seahorses and hunting for some interesting fish, there are also caves and sunken ships waiting for you here. One of the best shipwrecks to view is definitely the ship called Thistlegorm. Prices for diving in Sharm el Sheikh start at thirty dollars for one hour of diving, but it is definitely worth it.
Camel ride in the Sinai Desert
A ride through the desert on the back of a camel is definitely worth it, believe me. There are at least ten camel companies in the city that offer excursions through the desert. But here it’s not even about the desert itself, but about the “you need to saddle a camel” checkbox.
I definitely recommend a visit, especially taking into account the incredible starry night sky, cooking dinner over a fire and communicating with local representatives of the desert. By the way, if you don't want to travel on camels, I can also recommend you a similar trip on ATVs.
These trips are taken either early in the morning to see the sunrise or in the evening to capture the sunset and night sky.
Monastery of St. Catherine
The Orthodox Monastery of St. Catherine is an object World Heritage UNESCO and located at the foot of Mount Sinai. It is considered one of the oldest Christian monasteries still operating in the world. Another similar structure is the monastery of St. Anthony, located south of.
The monastery was built in the sixth century, and is a structure surrounding the site where Moses once saw the burning bush. After the Vatican Library, it is this monastery that contains the second largest collection of manuscripts and ancient records in the world.
The very place where the monastery was built is sacred to Muslims, as well as to Christians, in addition, it contains the original document in which the great Muhammad declared his own protection of this monastery.
Old town of Sharm el-Sheikh
The local market is a real bargain place. If you find yourself in a market in the old town, don't hesitate to bargain, and in most cases you will definitely be successful. The Old Town features some ancient buildings and caravan cave passages that date back at least 2,000 years.
Local merchants can be said to be more aggressive than in any other part of the city, so it is quite possible that they will force you to buy something. Therefore, if you do not want to spend extra money, it is better not to come here in splendid isolation.
As you can see, it’s a great city for traveling and active/passive recreation at the same time. Compared to all of Egypt, prices in Sharm el Sheikh are quite affordable, perhaps due to not so new hotels and not such quality service, but you can definitely turn a blind eye to this. So it all depends on you. Of course, this place is ideal for sunbathing and swimming, but if you don’t want to sit still, you will definitely find something to do.