Cairo is the capital of Egypt, located on both banks of the River Nile near the head of the river’s delta in northern Egypt.

Most visitors to Cairo make a bee-line for the pyramids which are located in Giza, 11 miles from the city centre. However, Cairo is much more than just the pyramids.
There is much more to see in Cairo, like the narrow streets of Old Cairo, the Coptic quarter and Islamic Cairo, which are like museums of historical buildings, with mosques, the city gates and the citadel.

Khan al-Khalili

At the Khan al-Khalili, the city’s main market, you can watch the locals going about their daily lives.
To the north of Cairo is Bulaq, a district of medieval back streets along the Nile.
To the south is Garden City, a tree-lined former British enclave of the wartime years.
The Nile island of Gezira, famed for its opera house and art museums, and for a fashionable area of bars and restaurants known as Zamalek, is also worth a visit.

CLIMATE
Cairo is hot and dry all through the year. Between November and April (winter), is one of the nicest times to visit as the weather is mild. From May to October (summer) the weather is noticeably warmer.
Each year in March and April there are gusty periods when the hot ‘khamsin’ wind blows across from the western desert and can at times fill the air with sand and dust.

PLACES TO VISIT

Tutankhamun

Egyptian Museum of Antiquities
This museum has more than 120,000 artefacts spanning Egyptian history from the earliest dynasties to the Roman era and has the largest collection of its kind in the world. The top attractions are the Tutankhamun Galleries, which display the gold and gem-inlaid funeral mask and 1,700 other treasures found in the tomb of the Boy King, and the Royal Mummy Room, which contains the corpses of 11 of Egypt’s most powerful pharaohs including Seti I and his son Ramses II. Room 27 displays intricate models of ancient life on the Nile during the Middle Kingdom, while the Old Kingdom Rooms contain beautiful statues and death masks from Giza and Saqqara.

Pyramids of Giza

Pyramids of Giza

One of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the pyramids of Giza are Egypt’s top tourist attraction.
The Great Pyramid of Cheops is the oldest on the site, and the largest in Egypt. It stands 447.5ft high and is made from an estimated 2.5 million limestone blocks. It was built to house the sarcophagus (coffin) of King Cheops, although it is not known whether he was ever actually buried here. Nearby are three smaller pyramids built for the king’s queens, and beyond are the two other large pyramids, those of Chephren and Mycerinus. Chephren was the son of Cheops and it is believed that he had the idea of building the Sphinx, to stand guard by his own tomb and that of his father. Some archaeologists say that this is not the case, and the Sphinx may even be around 2,600 years older than the pyramids themselves. Surrounding the pyramids are lots of smaller tombs.
Whilst visiting the pyramids it is a good idea to also visit the Solar Boat Museum. This museum is home to a very well preserved wooden boat found near the Great Pyramid.

Coptic Museum

Coptic Museum
This museum is located in a beautiful garden within the former Roman fortress of Babylon-in-Egypt and features Coptic art from the Christian era. Among the highlights are the wonderful Coptic textiles, carved ivories, papyri (ancient paper) with text from the Gnostic gospels of Nag Hammadi, and Nubian paintings from the flooded villages of Lake Nassar. The ornate rooms of the museum are decorated with beautiful mashrabiyya (carved wood) screens, fountains and painted ceilings.

El-Muallaqa Church

El-Muallaqa Church (the ‘Hanging Church’)
El-Muallaqa is the oldest Christian place of worship in Cairo. It is called the ‘Hanging Church’ because it is built on top of a Roman gate and reached by a stairway that leads to the courtyard. The church has a fascinating interior, featuring three barrel-vaulted aisles, altar screens of inlaid ivory and bone and an exquisite, carved marble pulpit supported by 13 pillars representing Christ and his disciples.

Bab Zuwayla
The southern gate of Bab Zuwayla is all that remains of the Fatimid city of el-Qahira. Executions took place here in Mamluk times but in the 19th century it became a happier place when Mitwalli (a local saint) performed miracles near the gate. Even today, people seeking healing nail a lock of hair or piece of clothing to the gate in the hope of receiving divine aid. Rising above the gate are the minarets of the Mosque of el-Muayyad, offering fantastic views over Cairo. The mosque contains the mausoleum of the Sultan el-Muayyad and his son, who began building the mosque in 1415.

Bayn al-Qasryn

Bayn al-Qasryn
In medieval times, Bayn al-Qasryn was the leading public square in Cairo. Today, it is lined with three Mamluk palace complexes. The finest of these is the Madrassa (theological school) and Mausoleum of Qalaun which has an elaborate stucco arch bearing stars and floral motifs, ornate coffered ceilings and stained glass. The Mausoleum of an-Nasir Mohammed and the Madrassa and Khanqah (monastery) of Sultan Barquq also have fine architecture and decoration.

Bayt el-Suhaymi
Dating from the Ottoman era, Bayt el-Suhaymi offers an insight into how the well-to-do merchants of the 16th and 17th centuries lived. The maze of rooms on different levels feature an ornate first-floor harem with mashrabiyya screens overlooking the garden and an impressive ground-floor reception room where men were entertained with music and dancers.

Mohammed Ali Mosque

Citadel (el-Qal’a)
Nothing remains of Salah ad-Din’s original 12th-century palace but the mosques and palaces built here reflect 700 years of Cairo history. The fortifications were first built to repel the Crusaders and became the royal residence for sultans well into the 19th century. The Mohammed Ali Mosque, which has a huge central dome and four semi-domes, towers over the city. The enclosure also contains the Mosque of al-Nasir, Yusuf’s Well and several small museums. The views over Cairo from the Citadel are probably the best to be had.

Gayer-Anderson House (Bayt el-Kritliya)
The Gayer-Anderson House was the home of an English doctor to the royal family, who lived here from 1935-42. He restored two 16th-century houses, joined them together and filled them with exquisite furniture and oriental objects. The mashrabiyya-screened women’s gallery overlooks the magnificent reception room with its central fountain, said to be the finest in Cairo.

Ibn Tulun Mosque

Ibn Tulun Mosque
The Ibn Tulun Mosque is the oldest intact mosque in the city. Built of mud-brick and wood, this mosque covers 6 acres but is very simple in decor. This mosque is a unique example in Cairo of classical Islamic architecture inspired by Iraqi models, having been built by Ibn Tulin, who was sent to rule Cairo by the caliph of Baghdad.

Islamic Art Museum
The Islamic Art Museum is home to one of the world’s largest and finest collections of Islamic art, dating from the seventh to the 19th centuries. In the museums many rooms you will find carved woodwork and columns, mosaic fountains, metalwork and other architectural exhibits salvaged from crumbling mosques and mausoleums throughout Egypt.

Madrassa of Sultan Hassan

Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan
This is one of the largest mosques in the world, covering 85,000 sq ft. It was built between 1356 and 1363 and includes a stunning courtyard, four madrassas (theology schools) and a mausoleum flanked by huge doors. The best time to visit this mosque is in the morning when the sun lights up the dark mausoleum.

You will always find last minute holidays to Egypt, leaving in the next few weeks, on the internet.

Egyptian Museum Cairo

The Egyptian Museum is a must see if only to view King Tut and the vast amount of treasure uncovered from his tomb. Because of the historically known rampant theft of Egyptian valuables, the Museum is enshrined with police and security guards, so take your film from your camera before entering. Everything within the museum is arranged chronologically and is behind protective glass, so taking pictures isn’t really an option.

Islamic-Cairo should definitely be on your list of things to do. Hardly different from hundreds of years ago, the streets twist and turn until you feel you’ve stumbled into a giant maze, but take your time and admire the architecture telling tales of times past. When visiting any of the mosques you must dress appropriately and show the expected respect. Remove your shoes before entering prayer halls.

Khan el Kalili

Khan Al-Kalili is Cairo’s biggest open air market. Virtually unchanged since the 14th century some of the people here have been in the Khan market business for generations. Located in the heart of Islamic-Cairo, tourists amble through rows and rows of exotic jewellery, spices, perfumes and souvenirs. No price is fixed and vendors will expect you to haggle. Haggling is actually seen as a way of communicating and some vendors are insulted if you don’t haggle because it’s a way of interacting with them.

From here, head north up the side of the Mosque of Sayyidna al-Hussein, one of the most sacred Islamic sites in Egypt, toward the old northern gates for more sites of historical note. Directly South of the market you’ll find a busy market street running down to the gate of Bab Zuweila, the sole surviving gate from the old city’s southern wall dating back centuries.

The Citadel

The Citadel in Cairo is a massive stone fortress, built by Salah ad-Din in the 12th century. It was later crowned with the Mosque of Mohammed Ali and now offers amazing views of the city and in the distance the pyramids.
The Pyramids are not to be missed. By day they are impressive but by night they are even more spectacular when they are lit up with brightly coloured spot lights and ambient music plays, bringing a new life and meaning to the ancient structures.

The Sphinx

Along with the Pyramids, the Sphinx is one of the most renowned  monuments in Egypt.  While very touristy, the Sphinx (minus beard and nose) still guards the Giza Plateau with dignity and allure.

For lunch or dinner stop by Felfela which serves local traditional cuisine infused with Middle Eastern and African tastes, textures and methods of preparation. Though Felfela is a chain, it is well maintained and true to its origins. It is popular with both tourists and locals.

If you visit during November, Cairo hosts the Arab Music Festival which features some of the best Middle Eastern-influenced musical concoctions. Taking place at the renowned Cairo Opera House, the Arab Music Festival presents a mix of classic, traditional and orchestral fused pieces with subtle tones of Western and Jazz influence. 

Baron Palace

Away from the hustle and bustle of the city is Heliopolis, a suburb of Cairo established exclusively as a garden reserve in the midst of desert and city life. In past years Heliopolis housed European officials who colonized and ruled Egypt, and now houses some upmarket Egyptian homes. Here you can stroll past Baron Empain’s, the Baron’s Palace which is notoriously modeled on the temples in Cambodia.