Egypt's Suez Canal was built between 1859 and 1869, but it had been considered for hundreds of years. The first idea for a canal connecting the Nile River with the Red Sea dates back to the 7th century BC, and the idea of a canal connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea dates back to the Middle Ages. Even Napoleon had 18th century surveyors working to develop a plan for constructing a Suez Canal. It took a French diplomat, Ferdinand de Lesseps, to finally get the Suez Canal built.
Unlike the Panama Canal, the Suez Canal has no locks--the Mediterranean and Red Seas are at the same level. Like the Panama Canal, the construction of the Suez Canal resulted in many worker injuries and deaths. Even without locks, the Suez Canal is an engineering marvel and a transit through the canal is very interesting.
I transited the Suez Canal on the luxury cruise ship the Silversea Silver Whisper.
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