Magazines to subscribe to in Egypt

There are tons of magazines that are printed in Egypt in Arabic & English. Many new printing companies start up a new publication every day & an equal number of them shut shop everyday.

There are links to a lot of magazines in the right hand section of this blog, under the headings "Egyptian Newspapers" and "Egyptian Magazines".

Magazines that are printed in Egypt are frequently distributed free of charge at coffee shops and other "youth hangout" locations.

The ones that I love and personally recommend (in no particular order) are :

1. Egypt Today : A well written magazine to let you know what is going on in town. Lots of current events, well researched articles, profiles of locals who are great at their fields of interest but not very well known. You can expect all this and more from this magazine.

You can view the latest online copy & archives at http://egypttoday.com/

You can subscribe to the magazine online or pick them up individually from a variety of bookstores. It costs 15LE per copy or 96 LE (as quoted on the site, the latest magazine copy quotes 135LE ) for an annual subscription.

2. Business Today : A sister publication of Egypt Today. This covers the Business developments in Egypt. Reviews into existing businesses, interviews with the movers and shakers in the corporate world among others. They also have an annual bt100 ranking of companies based in Egypt.

You can view the latest online copy & archives at http://businesstodayegypt.com/

You can subscribe to the magazine online or pick them up individually from a variety of bookstores. It costs 15LE per copy or 96 LE (as quoted on the site, the latest magazine copy quotes 135LE ) for an annual subscription.

3. Business Monthly : A free magazine brought out by the American Chamber of Commerce in Egypt. The insight is American Oriented and the articles are extremely thoroughly researched. This is a more technical magazine than Business Today.

You can check the archives online at http://www.amcham.org.eg/Publications/BusinessMonthly/Business_Monthly.asp

You can also sign up for your free subscription at http://www.amcham.org.eg/Publications/BusinessMonthly/Subscription/Subscribe.asp. It will be delivered to you free of charge into the comfort of your home.

4. Community Times : A lovely fun magazine to read. Although they have been advertising their website for over a year, it still isn't functional :) But the magazine is very good. It covers a wide variety of subjects that anyone living in Cairo would be interested in. It has a huge event listing at the back along with a restaurant listing etc.

It used to be available on sale for 10LE at the big supermarkets, but now it seems to be restricted to some major bookshops & some restaurants. It is available free of charge at some of the bigger cafes in town. But I would recommend that you subscribe to it to ensure you get your monthly dose.

Edited on 19 May 08 to add: Website is now functional and visible at http://www.ct-egypt.com/

5. The Croc :Available free of charge at multiple locations around the city including cafes & BCA. It gives you a brief on the events coming up in the month. A nice list of restaurants, cafes & bars with recommendations on what to eat there and little notes about the ambiance at times.

Its tiny, pocket size so worth carrying around in your purse for those moments when you are hungry in a different part of town and can't decide where to eat or suddenly find yourself with a free evening & longing for a dose of culture !

6. The Oasis : a free magazine published by the CSA (Community Services Association) in Maadi. The article content isnt high but it has a lot of ads for services in Maadi that can be extremely helpful. Pick up your free copy at the CSA centre on Road 21.

7. The BCA Chronicle : An excellent resource for expats. Lots of relevant articles. More articles than ads, unlike the Oasis. Pick up your free copy from the BCA clubhouses.