It’s easy to forget how mesmerizing Egypt is: modern, ancient, bustling, quiet, shining gold and silver. 
Egypt’s beauty is undulating, because even under all these layers of dust and carelessness, it still shines brightly. Despite the killer traffic and the boundless amount of garbage, Egypt is a country that is full of magic. Here are 40 pictures that prove just that. 

1- Montaza, Alexandria 

Montaza Alexadria
Credits: Instagram user @esra23ammar

Did you know that the word “Montaza” comes from the root word “Nuzha” which variably means “to be far, untouched, unblemished and free”?

2- El Moez Street, Cairo (At Night)

El Muizz Street
Credits: Instagram user @3br7man_hammam

Strolling through El Moez is the equivalent of walking through a time machine to when life was simpler and brighter.

3- Fayoum

Fayoum
Credits: Instagram user @jasoncharleshill

Fayoum is an ancient city that gives you the feeling that something great once happened here.

4- Bay Side, Ras Sudr 

Bayside Ras Sudr
Credits: Instagram user @_allab0utlife

Here’s all you need to know about Bayside: It has amazing scenery.

5- Pyramids, Cairo 

Pyramids
Credits: Instagram user @helloemilie

And of course, this list wouldn’t be complete without a picture of the pyramids.

6- Dahab

Blue Lagoon
Credits: Instagram user @matthew_raef

The one of a kind Blue Lagoon! I have never met someone who hasn’t told me that this is the most beautiful place they’ve ever been to in Egypt.

7- Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam
Credits: Instagram user @helloemilie

8- Downtown, Cairo

Downtown Egypt
Credits: Instagram user @emanuelmansour

The old city’s soul will never get old.

9- Marsa Matrouh

Marsa Matrouh
Credits: Instagram user @q.sl

You can’t even see where the sky begins and where the sea ends.

10- Luxor

Luxor Hot Air Balloon
Credits: Instagram user @mohamedyoussefmohamed

Hot air balloon rides in Luxor!

11- El Gouna

El Gouna
Credits: Instagram user @365daysofegypt

12- Wadi El Rayan, Fayoum

Wadi El Rayan
Credits: Instagram user @hesham.a.elsherif

What do you expect people to do when there’s a waterfall right there and it’s sizzling hot outside?

13- Nile River, Cairo 

Nile, Cairo
Credits: Instagram user @noorq76

14- Banha

Banha
Credits: Instagram user @gamalbagoury

15- St. CatherineSinai

Saint Catherine Sinai
Credits: Instagram user @ahmed.elsayed88

16- White Desert, Farafra

White Desert Farafra
Credits: Instagram user @ahmad.ossama

A little bit of the gold I mentioned earlier!

17- Aswan

Aswan
Credits: Instagram user @youmnouchi

18- Nile River, Cairo

The Nile Egypt
Credits: Instagram user @3br7man_hammam

Whichever angle you take a picture of the Nile from, it’s still beautiful.

19- Ras Shitan

Ras Shitan
Credits: Instagram user @3br7man_hammam

20- Cleopatra Bath, Marsa Matrouh

Cleopatra Bath
Credits: Instagram user @duran.mittoduckett

21- Alexandria

Alexandria Streets
Credits: Instagram user @matthew_raef

22- Marsa Alam

Marsa Alam
Credits: Instagram user @jasoncharleshill

23- Hurghada

Hurghada
Credits: Instagram user @helloemilie

24- El Gouna

El Gouna
Credits: Instagram user @365daysofegypt

25- El Moez Street, Cairo (During Ramadan)

El Muizz Street
Credits: Hazem Khaled Photography

Another picture of El Muizz because one just wasn’t enough. No place does Ramadan better than El Moez Street. I think all these hues speak for themselves.

26- Alexandria

Alexandria Streets
Credits: Instagram user @matthew_raef

27- Colored Canyon, Nuweiba

Colored Canyon
Credits: Instagram user @ayman.madkour.studio

28- Sidi Yakout El Arsh Mosque, Alexandria

Sidi Yakot El Arsh Mosque
Credits: Instagram user @matthew_raef

29- Castle Zaman 

Castle Zaman
Credits: Fares Herz photography

30- Al Nayzak, Marsa Alam

Al Nayzak
Credits: Instagram user @nournasreldin

31- White Desert, Farafra

white-desert
Credits: Instagram user @bazilizk

When a picture of a place looks more of an oil painting than reality, you know it’s a place you should go.

32- Stanley Bridge, Alexandria

Stanley Bridge Alexandria
Credits: Instagram user @3br7man_hammam

33- Mountain of Moses, St. Catherine

mount-sinai-mountain-of-moses
Credits: Instagram user @ramy_m_ibrahim

34- Black Desert 

Black Desert
Credits: Instagram user @petersize10

This place is a shooting stars haven.

35- Cairo 

Cairo Egypt
Credits: Instagram user @365daysofegypt and Captured by @hassan_ex

36- Karnak Temple, Luxor

Karnak Temple
Credits: Instagram user @emilinegypt

37- Siwa Oasis, Western Desert 

siwa-oasis-western-desert
Credits: Instagram user @ramy_m_ibrahim

A billion-stars hotels and the milky way, what more could a person want?

38- Fayoum

Fayoum Campaing
Credits: Instagram user @jasoncharleshill

39- Luxor

flying over luxor
Credits: Instagram user @alice.fvd

40- Egypt From Space

egypt from space

So, think twice every time you’re forced to believe otherwise!