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Voykit pocket guide · Egypt
Tanta
Spend a half‑day to explore the Badawi Mosque and nearby market; add a night if you want a relaxed stay.
Tanta, Egypt's fifth‑largest city, offers a compact historic centre centred on the Ahmad al‑Badawi Mosque, a university campus, and lively street food. A few hours cover the main sights; an overnight lets you sample local sweets and rest before heading to Cairo or the Nile Valley.
- Country
- Egypt
- Best months
- Oct–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (very hot)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EGP
- Money
- Currency is the Egyptian pound (EGP, also written LE or £E). Hotels, cruise boats and larger restaurants take cards; taxis, markets, small cafés, tips and toilet attendants are cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget EGP 150–250 excl. bed · Mid EGP 250–400 excl. bed · High EGP 400+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat (e&) and WE sell tourist SIMs at Cairo airport with passport; about EGP 500–1,000 for 20–40 GB — check.
- Emergency
- Police 122 · Ambulance 123 · Tourist police 126
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European round-pin sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 10% even when service is added (it rarely reaches staff).; Guide, full day: US$10–20 per person.; Driver, full day: US$5–10.; Cruise crew: About US$5–10 per person per day in the envelope.; Toilet, porter, small help: EGP 10–30.
- Water
- Tap water is chlorinated in cities but most visitors drink bottled; do not drink Nile water.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; attendants at sites expect EGP 10–20. Carry tissue.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Fuul plate (local restaurant) | EGP 10–15 |
| Ta'amiya (Egyptian falafel) | EGP 5–8 |
| Traditional sweet (hallawyat masr) | EGP 5–12 |
| Taxi (city centre, ≤ 2 km (1.2 mi))Taxi (city centre, ≤ 1.2 mi (2 km)) | EGP 30–50 |
| Train ticket to Cairo (2nd class) | EGP 70–120 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- CAI · Cairo International Airport
- Main international gateway, about 100 km (62 mi) north; buses and trains connect to TantaMain international gateway, about 62 mi (100 km) north; buses and trains connect to Tanta
Typical fares
- Tanta station → city centre taxi
- ≈ EGP 40, 5 min (check)
- Train Tanta → Cairo (2nd class)
- ≈ EGP 100, 1 h 30 min (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Taxis are the quickest option; minibuses run frequent routes between the station and the city centre. Walking is feasible for the mosque and market (under 1 km (0.6 mi)).Taxis are the quickest option; minibuses run frequent routes between the station and the city centre. Walking is feasible for the mosque and market (under 0.6 mi (1 km)).
See and do
Known for
- Ahmad al‑Badawi Mosque
- Tanta University
- Traditional sweets
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cairo | Train from Tanta station, about 1 h 30 min | ≈ 2 h |
Sleep
- New Arafa Hotel
- Budget‑friendly, central, close to the railway station.
- Green House Hotel
- Mid‑range, near the mosque, easy walk to restaurants.
- Panorama Hotel
- Higher‑end, on the city’s main boulevard.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | أهلاًahlan |
| Thank you | شكراًshukran |
| How much? | بكم؟bikam? |
| Where is the mosque? | أين المسجد؟ayna al-masjid? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: 'Salam alaykum', handshake; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Hugging strangers
- Eating: Right hand; accept tea; avoid: Refusing hospitality flatly
- Bargaining: Humour and patience; avoid: Anger
- Dress: Shoulders and knees covered in cities; avoid: Beachwear outside resorts
- Baksheesh: Keep small notes ready; avoid: Showing a thick wallet
- Photos: Ask; pay if agreed; avoid: Photographing police or military
Scams and watch-outs
- The Badawi Mosque can become extremely crowded during the annual Mawlid festival; allow extra time.
- Taxi fares are not metered for short trips; agree on price (≈ EGP 30–50) before boarding.
Tanta is generally safe for day visitors; stay alert in crowded markets and agree on taxi fares.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Tanta yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Ahmad al‑Badawi Mosque
- Tanta University
- Traditional sweets
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Tanta: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12345
- Wikivoyage: Tanta, revision 5205004 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5205004
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/tanta). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.