Tanta
Egypt · Africa
About Tanta
Tanta is a city in Egypt. It had a population of 530,000 in 2024, making it the seventh most populous city in Egypt. The city is located between Cairo and Alexandria: 94 km (58 mi) north of Cairo and 130 km (81 mi) southeast of Alexandria. The capital of Gharbia Governorate, Tanta is a center for the cotton-ginning industry.
A key city in Egypt, Tanta is both a major commercial hub and a significant cultural center. One of the major railway lines in Egypt passes through Tanta, enhancing its connectivity and importance. It is also famed for its sweet shops and snack industry, particularly for its roasted chickpeas and confections like Hab El-Aziz. In addition to food production, the city is known for its oil, soap, flax, and textile industries. It hosts both Tanta University and a branch of Al-Azhar University, the only two universities in the governorate, offering diverse academic disciplines. The city also includes the historic Ahmadi Mosque, a long-standing center for Islamic scholarship.
Historically, Tanta dates back to the Late Period of ancient Egypt and has gone by several names over time, such as Tanitad, Tantathna, and Tantata. It witnessed massive urban expansion, especially during the reign of Isma'il Pasha and later between the 1950s and 1970s, absorbing farmland and neighboring villages like Qaffaha, Sejer, and Satouta, and connecting with villages such as Sibrbay, Mahalla Marhom, Meet Habeesh El-Bahareya, and Kafr Essam.
Tanta travel guide
Understand
Tanta is famous for the mosque and festivals of Sayed Ahmad al-Badawi, and also for the delicious sweets made in that area.
Getting there
By plane
By train There are frequent daily connections from Alexandria, Cairo, and Port Said. 1 Tanta railway station is centrally located, just south of the city centre.
By car
By bus Minibuses and Peugeot shared taxis abound in other cities.
By boat
Getting around
The easiest way to get around is by taxi. Another option is to take one of the public minibuses.
See
The Ahmad Al-Badawi mosque and Al Azher schools were founded hundreds of years back. The sayed al-Badawi mosque is spectacular and can get very very crowded during the festival seasons. Gold and crystal chandeliers, impressive tile work, painted wood, and stained glass decorate this holy place in Tanta's downtown. You can certainly walk there from the train station, it's probably less than 1 km. There are custodians at the mosque to hold onto your bag or backpack while you are making the prayers or touring the mosque.
1 Ahmad Al-Badawi Mosque (مسجد أحمد البدوي). (updated Sep 2018) 2 Tanta Museum (متحف اثار طنطا), Moustafa Al Gendy Moheb Sabekan. Sa-Th 08:00-14:00; closed F. Some old artifacts from Ancient Egypt. (updated Oct 2020)
Buy
traditional sweets canes and wicker work peasant vests, underwear, and crocheted caps
Eat
Near the Mosque of Sayed al-Badawi, on one of the streets to the right side if you're facing the mosque, is a fuul and ta'amiya restaurant called Abu Sina. It's packed with locals eating the delicious fuul. For LE 10 LE, you get two plates of fuul, gargeer, babghanoush, tahini, ta'miyas, salad, tomatoes, potato salad, pickles, and one can of pop. Plus it was absolutely delicious! You can also buy some delicious sweets from hallawyat masr or if you want to get some other eastern sweets go to adly sweets.
1 El Watanya Restaurant (مطعم الوطنية), ☏ +20 40 3348848. Noon-01:00 M-Sa, Noon-00:00 Su. Here you can try some molokhia or other yum-yums. (updated Oct 2020)
Drink & nightlife
Rural conservatism is apparently on the decline, as one sees women and men in coffee shops, including near the main mosque. Enjoy a drink of karkadee or yansoon, in addition to the traditional tea or coffee.
Sleep
1 New Arafa Hotel (فندق عرفة الجديد), ☏ +20 40 3336954. (updated Jul 2017) 2 Green House Hotel (فندق جرين هاوس), ☏ +20 40 3330761. (updated Jul 2017) 3 Panorama Hotel, ☏ +20 100 640 3223. (updated Jul 2017)
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.