Temple of Abu Simbel Travel Forum

We are visitin Egypt in april, and have an option of going to Abu Simbel or Alexandria given our limited time there. Please advise - which is the better one?

I havent visited Alexandria, but Abu Simbol was amazing
take a look at Ian-in-Bangkok`s pages, he recently visited both and has some great info about them

Give me more details where in Egypt you will be staying? Abu Simbel is in Aswan i.e. in the south of Egypt...from Sharm El Sheikh or Hurgada it might be easy to go by plane. But need how long are you intend to stay?
From Cairo, Alexandria will be nearer as you can do it by Bus or Car only 2.50 hours. Planes are also available from there to Aswan or Cairo...depending what is your Budget and timing...
Let me know...

Amrou
2 012 215 7727

Abu Simbel is impressive and a must see, but I like Alexandria very much. In Alexandria there are several historical places and nice museums, the Cornish and good cafes.

I would suggest abu simbel if you are puruing historical adventure. Alexandria is more or less the smae like other meditranean cities such as in greece, but it worth the visit as well.
Cheers

Alexandria has lots of things to see: the view over the Corniche out to the harbour and the Med, the food, the catacombs, fortress, etc - lots of "little" sights, if you like. Abu Simbel is just one thing (the temple), but it's a very very good one. Abu Simbel is a half day excursion from Aswan (or overnight if you want to see the temple at night and early morning) whereas Alexandria can easily occupy two or three days of relaxed exploring. So if you've only got a single spare day, I'd make the trip down to Abu Simbel; it's pretty awesome. But if it's a couple of days you have to fill, I'd say go to Alex because no matter how impressive Abu Simbel is (and it's very impressive indeed) it's a big chunk of time to take out of your trip for something that unless you stay overnight you will only visit for a couple of hours.

Pack your job in, call in sick, tell them you've rediscovered a long lost rellie and do both.

Abu Simbel will blow your head off. It is a very different site to the free standing temples and pyramids. We flew in but have it on reliable advice that arriving by cruiseship is THE WAY to do it. HOWEVER, the temple is the only one thing there.

Alexandria was good for doing a bit of the Graeco Roman Egypt stuff. There's more things to do, but none of the sites match up to Abu Simbel on their own. If you can scuba then the advantage Alexandria has is that you can dive down onto the old Lighthouse and Cleopatra's Palace in the harbour. That's why we went.

If by Abu Simbel, you mean staying in Aswan and then taking the van tour to Abu Simbel, then definitley go there. Aswan is number two for culture and antiquities in Egypt after Luxor in my book. Cairo tops Alexandria for urban life. Aswan is in Nubia and has a unique aspect about it. Naturally, Abu Simbel is the best of the antiquities in the region, but there are many, many others too...plus there's the most beautiful part of the Nile river right there....