Sharm el Sheikh (Egypt)

Situated at the heart of the mountains, St. Catherine's Monastery is the cultural highlight on the Sinai Peninsula. The orthodox diocese in which only Greek monks reside was erected on the spot on which God is thought to have spoken to Moses from a fiery thorn bush.
Parts of the labyrinthine monastery may be paid a visit. Given that the monastery was never plundered, it boasts the second largest collection of icons after the Vatican. Whilst walking or driving to the monastery, Sinai's mountainous landscape that can turn into a bewitching sea of blossoming colour following one of the particularly rare rain showers unfolds before visitors.
Another display of nature's beauty is on offer in Ras Mohammed National Park that covers the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula with Cape Mohammed. The nature reserve is home to countless sea creatures such as trumpet fish, dolphins and barracudas that live amidst the colourful coral reefs. Some types of coral are several millions of years old. The varied scenery above the water is also fascinating as the peninsula is itself a reef that was raised above the surface of the sea by the process of volcanism long ago. The stony corals can easily be distinguished in the cliffs, testifying to the maritime origins.