"Aswan" a Aswan Travel Page by MM212

Considered a frontier city since the earliest of times, Aswan is the southernmost city of Egypt of past and present. In ancient times, the city known then as Swenet (or Syene in Greek), also lay at the southernmost navigable point on the Nile, for a little to the south was the first cataract where waters rushed between many granite-rock islands only to reach Aswan and calm as they flowed to the rest of Egypt. Since the construction of the Aswan and High dams, the River Nile at this point has meandered lazily around numerous granite rock islands and carved its way through palm groves and descending sand dunes. The magic of Aswan lies within the combination of salmon-coloured desert dunes, sapphire blue waters, and lush green palm-dotted farms, all against a backdrop of vivid blue sky. The Nile here is mesmerising, unforgettable.

Aswan is also rich in archeological finds. Elephantine Island, known in Ancient Egypt as Yebu, has been inhabited since 3000 BC, while Aswan's west bank contains tombs from Early and Middle Kingdoms. The city's importance continued through the Graeco-Roman period and into the Islamic empires that followed.

For visitors today, Aswan provides a beautiful and relaxing stop on any itinerary in Egypt, as well as a good departure point for many of the important sites nearby, including Philae, Kalabsha and Abu Simbel.

Egypt December 2007 Itinerary:
Cairo - Saqqara - Pyramids of Giza; Luxor - Karnak - Necropolis of Thebes; Aswan - Philae - Kalabsha; Abu Simbel; Cairo again.