The beauty of Egypt - Aswan

Egypt's southernmost city (population 150,000) and ancient frontier town has the loveliest setting on the Nile. At ASWAN the deserts close in on the river, confining its sparkling blue between smooth amber sand and rugged extrusions of granite bedrock.

Lateen-sailed feluccas glide past the ancient ruins and gargantuan rocks of Elephantine Island, palms and tropical shrubs softening the islands and embankments till intense blue skies fade into soft-focus dusks. The city's ambience is palpably African; its Nubian inhabitants are lither and darker than the Saiyidis, with different tastes and customs. Although its own monuments are insignificant compared to Luxor's, Aswan is the base for excursions to the temples of Philae and Kabasha , near the great dams beyond the First Cataract, and the Sun Temple of Ramses II at Abu Simbel , far to the south. It can also serve for day-trips to Darow Camel Market, Kom Ombo, Edfu and Esna - the main temples between here and Luxor. But the classic approach is to travel upriver by felucca, experiencing the Nile's moods and scenery as travellers have for millennia. However, Aswan itself is so laid-back that one could easily spend a week here simply hanging out, never mind going anywhere. The tourism scene is much the same as in Luxor.

The time of year is a major influence on people's level of activity. Situated near the Tropic of Cancer, Aswan is hot and dry nearly all the time, with average daily temperatures ranging from a delicious 23-30°C in the winter to a searing 38-54°C over summer. Late autumn and spring are perfect times to visit, being less crowded than the peak winter period, yet not so enervating as summer, when long siestas, cold showers and air-conditioning commend themselves, and the number of tourists dwindles.

Traditional Aswani diversions are promenading along the Corniche and bazaar, meeting friends in riverside restaurants, and listening to Nubian music. For tourists, during the day you can go swimming - or you could go in search of alligators, by boat; at night there's the Philae Sound and Light show and nightclubs to consider

Although Nubian stars like Hassan Jazuli and Khitr al-Atar only visit town occasionally, taped music plays everywhere and impromptu sounds can be heard in cafés and backstreets, or sometimes at Ferial Gardens. Live bands are chiefly found at weddings, during the summer months. Over winter, locals flock to see the Nubian Folk Troupe perform stories of village life, wedding and harvest numbers and the famous Nubian stick dance, which pantomimes a sword fight. Performances at Aswan's Soviet-inspired Palace of Culture (tel 097/313-390) usually take place every night (9.30-11pm) except Friday from October to May and throughout Ramadan; tickets (roughly £E10) are sold on a first-come, first-served basis. The Nubian Restaurant also has nightly shows with dinner, but is expensive (£E55 not including drinks); cheaper options are to visit the Nubian House on Elephantine Island (£E35 for dinner and music) or the house of Omar Abdel Aziz on Sehel Island (tel 097/301-514; £E25 including transport, music and dancing, and a tasty dinner in beautiful adobe surroundings). Omar can usually be found at the felucca dock opposite EgyptAir.

Eating out in Aswan offers the pleasures of fresh fish and Nubian dishes such as okra in spicy tomato sauce, in riverside restaurants which are great on balmy nights but empty when it's cold. You won't find any Chinese food, and Italian or French cuisine is limited to a few big hotels. The bazaar is good for street food , with fuul and liver sandwiches sold near the station end of the street, and fruit and nuts on every corner. There are simple cafés for chicken and fish meals or kushari, and the usual array of juice bars and coffee houses. All the Corniche places are open till around midnight (or later if there is custom); the cafés in the bazaar may close earlier at around 10-11pm. The cheapest place for drinking is the bar in the Oscar Hotel (Stella £E6).

Sooner or later, you'll find the idea of swimming irresistible. Non-residents may use the pools at the Cleopatra (£E8) and Isis (£20), but foreigners aren't admitted to the municipal baths on the Corniche. Although local boys happily bathe in the Nile, tourists seldom do for fear of bilharzia, and would be even less inclined if they knew that some alligators have slipped through the High Dam and established a breeding colony just upriver from Aswan. However, the tourist office asserts that they are too nervous of humans to pose a threat, and can arrange a boat trip to view them if anybody is interested. There are also some crocodile farms on Lake Nasser, which are harder to reach.