Stand on the west bank of the Suez Canal at Ismailia and you are looking at the point where the waterway widens into Lake Timsah, roughly halfway between Port Said and Suez. The city grew up around the Canal, and much of what you see dates from the British and French involvement with it.
Ismailia draws visitors from within Egypt more than from abroad, and it works best for travellers who are already in the country and want a calm Canal-side stop rather than a resort. It is about a ninety-minute drive from Cairo, and from here you can continue to Sharm el-Sheikh, the Taba Border Crossing or the Rafah Border Crossing, each roughly a four-hour drive.
This guide covers the sights named in the sources, the two annual festivals, and how to string the best of it together if you have a single day.
Top things to do in Ismailia
1. Archaeological Museum of Ismailia
Also known as the Ismailia Museum, this is the city's major attraction, built in 1932. Its collection holds significant archaeological finds, particularly from sites in the Ismailia governorate such as Tell el-Maskhuta, as well as material from North Sinai and Upper Egypt.
Give it a proper block of time rather than a quick pass, since the range of finds is the reason to come. Pair it with the Canal-side sights below, which are in the same part of the city.
2. Museum of the Suez Canal
This is the historical exhibition of the Suez Canal Authority. The Authority's head office sits on the shore of Lake Timsah, and the city holds a large number of buildings dating from British and French involvement with the Canal, most of them now used by Canal employees and officials.
Visit alongside the Archaeological Museum of Ismailia to get both the archaeology of the region and the story of the waterway that made the city.
3. Battle of Ismailia Monument
The monument marks the 1973 Battle of Ismailia, fought in the city between the Egyptian Armed Forces and the Israel Defense Forces, which ended with the Egyptians successfully defending the city.
It is a short, focused stop. Combine it with the Cathedral of St. Mark and the Tank Museum Abu Atwa if you are working through the city's modern landmarks in one run.
4. Cathedral of St. Mark
A historic Coptic Catholic church, and the episcopal see of the Eparchy of Ismayliah, which was established on 17 December 1982 on territory split off from the Coptic Catholic Patriarchate of Alexandria.
It is a place of worship first, so time your visit around services rather than treating it as a monument. It sits well in the same outing as the Battle of Ismailia Monument.
5. Tank Museum Abu Atwa
A military museum in the city, and the natural companion to the Battle of Ismailia Monument if the 1973 battle is what brought you here.
Do it in the same half-day as the monument rather than as a separate trip across town.
6. Lake Timsah and the Canal shore
The Canal widens at Ismailia to include Lake Timsah, one of the lakes linked by the Canal. The Suez Canal Authority head office stands on its shore.
This is the city's defining view and the easiest thing to build a walk around. Come in the cooler part of the day, and remember that during the transitional months, notably spring, the khamsin wind can push temperatures up sharply.
7. The Canal-era architecture
Ismailia has a large number of buildings dating from British and French involvement with the Canal, most of them currently used by Canal employees and officials. They are part of the everyday fabric of the city rather than a set-piece sight.
Look at them on foot as you move between the museums and the lake shore, and treat them as buildings in use rather than attractions to enter.
8. Ismailia War Cemetery
Designed in 1919 by Sir Robert Lorimer, the cemetery marks the casualties of the Battle of Romani, which took place nearby during World War I, when the British had an air base at Ismailia.
It is a quiet, reflective stop. Go when you want time rather than as part of a rushed circuit.
9. International Film Festival for Documentaries and Shorts
Held in June, this is one of the city's two important annual festivals. The 17th consecutive edition was organised in June 2014.
If your dates are flexible and documentaries or shorts are your interest, plan the trip around June rather than treating the city as a stopover.
10. Ismailia International Folklore Arts Festival
Held in September, this festival brings folkloric troupes from around the globe to Ismailia, where they perform dances representing the culture of their countries.
It is the second of the city's two important annual festivals. September is also a month to watch the heat, so plan your daytime sightseeing around the performances.
11. Suez Canal University
The university was established in 1976 with the help of the Chinese Government to serve the region of Suez Canal and Sinai.
It is a working institution rather than a visitor attraction, so treat a look at the campus as an incidental part of a wider walk rather than a destination in itself.
If you only have one day
Morning: Start at the Archaeological Museum of Ismailia, the city's major attraction, and give the collection from Tell el-Maskhuta, North Sinai and Upper Egypt the time it deserves. Follow it with the Museum of the Suez Canal, the historical exhibition of the Suez Canal Authority, so the archaeology and the waterway story sit side by side.
Afternoon: Walk the Lake Timsah shore, where the Canal widens and where the Suez Canal Authority head office stands, and take in the Canal-era buildings along the way. Then continue to the Battle of Ismailia Monument and the Tank Museum Abu Atwa, which belong together, and finish with the Cathedral of St. Mark.
Evening: Close the day at the Ismailia War Cemetery, designed by Sir Robert Lorimer, which is best given quiet time at the end of the day rather than squeezed between other stops.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time of year to visit Ismailia?
The climate is hot desert, and the transitional months, notably spring, can bring the khamsin wind, which raises temperatures significantly and in some cases up to 40 °C. If festivals are your priority, June brings the International Film Festival for Documentaries and Shorts and September the Ismailia International Folklore Arts Festival.
Is Ismailia worth visiting as an international tourist?
The city does get tourists from within Egypt but is not a major tourism destination for international tourists. Its main draw is the Archaeological Museum of Ismailia, alongside the Canal itself and the Canal-era buildings.
How do I get to Ismailia, and where can I go next?
It is approximately a ninety-minute automobile drive from Cairo. From Ismailia it is approximately a four-hour drive to Sharm el-Sheikh in South Sinai, and roughly four-hour drives to the Taba Border Crossing at Taba and the Rafah Border Crossing at Rafah.
What can I see in Ismailia in a single day?
The Archaeological Museum of Ismailia and the Museum of the Suez Canal fill a morning, the Lake Timsah shore and the Battle of Ismailia Monument area fill an afternoon, and the Ismailia War Cemetery is a fitting end to the day.
Check the festival calendars for June and September, work out how Ismailia fits between Cairo and your onward crossing, and you have enough to start planning.