Old Market Self-Guided Food Walk

The Old Market Self-Guided Food Walk is an independent route through Sharm El Maya, the old town of Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt's South Sinai Governorate. There is no tour operator behind it: visitors follow a printed or saved route on their own, which means there is no fixed start time, no guide and no group. The walk begins at the main square of the Old Market and takes roughly two to three hours at a relaxed pace, depending on how long is spent at each stop. Unlike the resort strip at Naama Bay, the Old Market is where residents shop and eat, so prices are noticeably lower and the food is aimed at Egyptian tastes rather than hotel menus. The route centres on four tastings. A bowl of koshary, the national dish of rice, lentils, macaroni and chickpeas topped with spiced tomato sauce and crispy fried onions, is eaten at a small specialist shop. Ta'amiya, the Egyptian fava-bean falafel, is picked up as a sandwich in flatbread with salad and tahini. Fresh sugarcane juice, pressed to order, provides a sweet counterpoint, and the walk finishes with sweet mint tea at a street-side cafe. The balance is therefore mostly savoury, with one sweet drink and one hot drink. Because every stop is a pay-as-you-go purchase, nothing is prepaid. The listed budget of EGP 200-400 (about $4-8) covers the tastings for one person, and extra dishes or second helpings raise the total only slightly. Drinks are included in that estimate, but transport to the Old Market is not; visitors staying at Naama Bay or Sharks Bay usually take a local taxi, agreeing the fare before getting in. Language is rarely a barrier at the main stalls, where staff are used to tourists, though a few Arabic phrases help. Dietary substitutions are not formally offered, but the menu suits vegetarians and vegans well, since koshary, ta'amiya, juice and tea contain no meat; those avoiding gluten will find options limited. The best months are October to April, when midday heat is manageable, and late afternoon into early evening is the liveliest time in the market.