The huge city on Egypt’s Suez Canal ‘so big’ it’s in Africa and Asia

By Jon King, News Reporter

Suez City straddles two continents - Africa and Asia. (Image: Getty)

There is a seaport city on Egypt's Suez Canal that straddles Africa and Asia which is an important trade hub.

Suez City is 80 miles east of Cairo and is the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, which connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean.

Arguably less well known than Istanbul, which straddles Europe and Asia, Suez City lies on the Isthmus of Suez, the land bridge between Africa and Asia.

According to realegypt.com, the city is reportedly a good place for pilgrims to stop en route to Mecca and has a population of about half a million.

Suez was the site of the closing battle of the Yom Kippur War between Israel and Arab states led by Egypt and Syria in October 1973.

Suez City sits at the southern end of the Suez Canal. (Image: Getty)

The closure of the Suez Canal during that conflict and the Six-Day War in 1967 devastated the city's economy, but it returned to its former glory when the trade route reopened in 1975.

It is now an industrial hub, boasting petrol refineries, canal workshops and a fertilizer plant.

However, besides its industrial clout, the city and surrounding area have "a lot of wonderful places" for visitors, according to traveltriangle.com.

It lists the Suez National Museum as one of the city's "most famous" attractions. The museum charts the history of the canal from its first attempts to build it to its opening.

Ataqah Mountain is hailed for its trekking and views across the Red Sea, while Anba Antonios Monastery is named after the founder of the Egyptian Coptic monks.

Lake Timsah borders Ismailia. (Image: Getty)

The Moses Eyes oasis near the city has a "panoramic beauty", with palm trees, fresh water and local handicrafts. It's a popular place 24 miles from Suez, according to traveltriangle.com.

For a closer look at the Suez Canal, Blue Guide recommends Ismailia, 53 miles north and an 80-minute drive from Suez City.

According to realegypt.com, Ismailia was founded in 1863 and still has buildings dating back to the 19th century.

It has a "small but interesting" museum with over 4,000 objects from the Pharaonic, Greco-Roman and Islamic periods.

Memorials to the October 6, 1973, victory and Memorial of the Unknown Soldiers overlooking the canal are also points of interest.

There are also beaches and watersports available at Lake Timsah, which is bordered by the city.