Experience the best of Sohag

Sohag stands on the west bank of the Nile in Upper Egypt, on a fertile plain a few kilometres south-west of Akhmim. It has been the capital of its governorate since 1960. The Sohag Museum holds about 5,000 objects from across the governorate, dating from the Middle Kingdom to Greco-Roman times.

The White Monastery, named for the pale limestone of its walls, lies about five kilometres west of the city. It is the church of a once much larger Coptic complex founded in honour of Saint Shenouda. The Red Monastery, so called for its red brick, stands a few kilometres further north and has a similar plan. Akhmim, across the river, is an old textile town with a weekly market, and Abydos, a royal necropolis and temple site, lies to the south.

Feteer, flaky layered pastry, is a favourite across Upper Egypt, eaten with honey or cheese, alongside ful and taameya. Sohag is one of the warmest places in Egypt, and almost no rain falls. The cooler months from November to March are the pleasantest.