EGYPT

The civilisation that first shaped this northeast African country left much behind to admire, even if some of its stranger rituals have slipped beneath the sands of time. Ancient Egyptians are known to have revered cats as demigods and shaved off their eyebrows in mourning when a beloved feline died (the punishment for killing a cat was more straightforward: death). Times change, but Egypt’s past can be experienced firsthand, through its wealth of jaw-droppingly unique archaeological sites. The wonders just outside Cairo, of the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx, remain must-sees for a reason. But to reduce your Egyptian experience just to these spectacles would be to miss out on the country’s spirit of exploration. To visit Egypt is to be a time traveller, looking back to a 5,000-year-old civilisation whose innovations still fascinate us today. From the dazzling Temple of Ramses II in Abu Simbel, to a trip along the Nile, or the catacombs and above-ground delights of the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, Egypt offers endless inspiration.