Brazil
Argentina
Bolivia
Chile
Colombia
Ecuador
Guyana
French Guiana
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela
Germany
Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Denmark
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Finland
France
Greece
the Netherlands
Hungary
Ireland
Iceland
Italy
Luxembourg
Norway
Poland
Portugal
the United Kingdom
the Czech Republic
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
Canada
the United States
Mexico
the Dominican Republic
South Africa
Australia
Fiji
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Province · Suez Canal
Port Said
Port Said, at the northern entrance of the Suez Canal: ships passing in front of the city, buildings with wooden balconies and the ferry to Port Fuad.
In the photo: The historic Suez Canal Authority building in Port Said.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The province
Get to know Port Said
Port Said sits at the northern tip of the Suez Canal, where it meets the Mediterranean. The city was founded in 1859 when canal works began, and is named after Said Pasha, the ruler who authorized the project. On the opposite side of the canal, already on the Asian shore, is Port Fuad, connected to the city by ferries.
The center has late 19th- and early 20th-century buildings with wooden balconies on several floors, and the Suez Canal Authority building, with three green domes, on the waterfront. From the promenade you can see the ships that enter and leave the canal in convoys.
The short ferry crossing to Port Fuad offers views of the canal and the port. Port Fuad has tree-lined streets and houses dating from the canal company era.
To the west of the city lies Lake Manzala, and along the sea there are beaches popular with locals in summer. Fish and seafood are served in restaurants in the center and at the port.
When to go
From October to May the days are usually mild. Summer is hot and humid, with activity at the beaches. In winter the sea wind can be strong.
Getting there
Port Said is about 200 km from Cairo, with buses and trains from Cairo and Ismailia. The road that runs along the canal links the city to Ismailia and Suez, and the coastal road connects it to Damietta.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Port Said
Where can you see Suez Canal ships in Port Said?
On the waterfront promenade near the Suez Canal Authority building, and on the ferry to Port Fuad. Ships pass in convoys at varying times.
What is Port Fuad?
It is the portion of Port Said on the east bank of the Suez Canal, already in Asia, linked to the center by ferries. It has tree-lined streets and houses from the canal company era.
How do you get to Port Said from Cairo?
Buses and trains depart from Cairo and take three to four hours, passing through Ismailia. By car it’s about 200 km via the desert road.
When was Port Said founded?
In 1859, when work on the Suez Canal began. The name honors Said Pasha, the Egyptian ruler who authorized the project.