HOW TO GET THERE

Mark Jackson, inset right, was a guest of Egyptian Tourism and Egypt Air, which flies from Dublin to Sharm El Sheikh and Cairo. See egypt. travel and egyptair.com

Package to Sharm El Sheikh and Cairo with Discover Travel. See discovertravel.ie

Five nights at the 5* Savoy Hotel Sharm El Sheikh (allinclusive); two nights at the 5* Kempinski Nile Cairo (B&B basis) from €1,595pp, including transfers and Egyptian Visa. Email worldwide@discovertravel.ie

WHAT TO SEE…

Old Cairo is a stopping point that will resonate with those who enjoy a good bible story.

The Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus is built above a cavern where the Holy Family hid after their flight into Egypt. About 10% of Egyptians are Christian – which makes up a lot of people in a city of 10 million.

Definitely spend a day at Cario’s Khan el-Khalili bazaar and souk. Don’t pay more than half of what a seller asks and usually expect to pay over a third. With everything from sishas/ hookahs to exotic perfumes and counterfeit football shirts the fun you’ll have bartering with the good-humoured sellers is an entertainment in itself.