At the Mediterranean end of the Suez Canal, Port Said isn’t one of the most obvious places to visit, but cruise ships often stop here to let people jump off for overnight excursions to Cairo and/or the pyramids.

If you decide to stick around, there’s actually a nice relaxed atmosphere about the place that allows you to wander pretty much hassle-free. I filled a day between taking pictures of the stylishly dilapidated nineteenth-century architecture, walking on the beach (which is not at all bad by Egyptian standards) and visiting the small but nicely-housed antiquities museum.

You can also join the locals on the free ferry across to Port Fouad on the other side of the canal. There’s not much to see there – apart from a very nice mosque – but the view of Customs House from the water is definitely its best side.