Port Said city information

Port Said map

Egyptian city lies on the north Mediterranean coast of Egypt. Port said was established in 1860 by Said Pasha (Khedive of Egypt) to house men working on the Suez Canal. It is clear that he city was named after Khedive Said the founder of it.

The strategic location of Port Said at the northern entrance of the Suez canal made it a target for a series of wars in Egypt modern history starting from the Suez crisis of 1956 when Britain and France allied with Israel to stage a war against Egypt to control the Suez Canal right after the British forces left Egypt ending a 74 year occupation. In 1967 Israel attacked Egypt and occupied Sinai causing the Egyptian government to evacuate Port Said until the 1973 war in which the Egyptian army defeated Israeli forces and secured a 6 km strip to the east of the Suez canal enabling Port Said people to return to their devastated city.

Destruction of Portsaid during 1967 war, was actually a blessing in disguise as it resulted in rebuilding Port Said in a modern way which has shaped Port said in being an elegant city.

a photo of the fishing harbour in Port Said

Port Said has a population of around half a million (520,000) many of them working in trade and industry. Port Said is also an important harbour for Egyptian exports and imports as well as being a duty-free port and a summer resort for Egyptians.

Football is the most popular sport in Port Said and its local team, El Masry (the Egyptian) being the widely loved by most locals.

Being a  coast city, seafood constitutes a major part in a local meal. When you go to Port Said don't miss the Molokheya with Shrimps meal, You will sure like it.

 
an important square (Al Gomhoria) in Port Said where the Port Said Hotel is.

Port Said has lots of sites and places to go, you can go visit the national museum of Port said to see Pharaonic, Coptic and Islamic artifacts. There is also the Military museum which has exhibits of war dated since the Pharaonic and Islamic era as well as war items from the Suez crisis in 1956 and the wars of  1967 and 1973.

Port Said is considered a summer resort as it has a long beach on the coast of the Mediterranean and it's low living cost  makes it perfect to spend your holidays in a rented flat or in a hotel.

• Egypt travel guide
• Port Said hotels