19 Ideas For What to Do in Cairo, Egypt

Cairo is the bustling superior of Egypt and it’s 1 of the astir fascinating places connected Earth. As the gateway to the Great Pyramids of Giza, and location to galore inspiring museums, it’s nary wonderment it’s 1 of the world’s astir fashionable cities to visit.

But erstwhile it comes to deciding connected what to bash in Cairo, it tin get overwhelming. The sheer fig of Cairo attractions tin marque deciding which ones to sojourn a hard task.

Egyptian pyramids

To assistance you out, we interviewed Giulia Cimarosti, who has antecedently lived successful Cairo and is simply a regular visitor, who has shared with america each the apical things to bash successful Cairo for a archetypal clip visit.

Giulia not lone shares with america her insider tips connected what to bash in Cairo, Egypt, but she besides shares the champion places to eat, stay, drink, and explore. Let’s spot what she says…

Is Cairo Worth Visiting?

Cairo has ever been included successful bundle tours for fundamentally immoderate trip to Egypt, but what’s usually shown is not the metropolis itself. Only the Pyramids, the Great Egyptian Museum, and a fewer much touristic spots are each the visitors get to see.

Too galore times I perceive radical saying they’ve been to Egypt but each they did was spell to a formation edifice and walk not much than a week there.

It mightiness beryllium beauteous but it’s decidedly not an authentic Egyptian experience!

In my opinion, 1 can’t accidental he’s been to Egypt without spending immoderate clip successful Cairo, this truly takes radical into the hectic Egyptian life, unneurotic with its galore contrasts and existent culture, food, habits.

In Cairo you tin find 1 happening and its opposite; luxury and poverty, civilization and illiteracy, quality and ugliness, the friendliest radical connected Earth and the astir dishonest ones, and truthful on.

Two days ne'er look the aforesaid erstwhile you unrecorded successful Cairo. If you person to spell from A to B you’ll decidedly person to look challenges and find a antithetic solution each time and this is what makes it truthful exciting!

No 1 tin accidental that Cairo is not an adventure, and for the adventurous traveller, for that crushed I would accidental it’s decidedly worthy visiting.

What to bash successful Cairo

Cairo Skyline

To reply this question, I indispensable inquire myself “where would I instrumentality you if you visited maine successful Cairo?” – and the reply is undoubtedly these apical attractions successful Cairo.

1. Visit Al Azhar Park for Sunset

On the aforesaid time you arrive, I would instrumentality you retired for meal astatine Al Azhar Park conscionable earlier sunset, to amusement you the metropolis from supra and the prima going down connected the Pyramids.

Located connected the Mokattam Hills, it is 1 of the largest parks successful Cairo and offers a wide scope of activities and attractions specified Bab El-Wazir Cemetery and City Of The Dead cemetery.

It besides has immoderate bully fountains, pools, and play areas for children. Its immense greenish lawns are cleanable for picnics oregon taking leisurely strolls.

This parkland is simply a alternatively fancy and clean, which I judge is the cleanable spot for a brushed instauration to the city.

2. Visit the Cairo Citadel of Saladin

Another “easy” happening to bash successful Cairo is sojourn the Citadel, a spot with nary cars wherever you tin rotation and instrumentality beauteous photos of Cairo from above.

Located connected a elevation successful the bosom of Cairo, it offers stunning views of the metropolis and beyond. The Citadel itself is simply a testament to its affluent history, with remnants from assorted empires, including Mamluk and Ottoman periods.

Inside the Citadel, you tin research respective breathtaking landmarks specified arsenic mosques, palaces, and charnel houses.

When visiting the Citadel, you should instrumentality clip to research the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, which is considered to beryllium among the astir beauteous architectural masterpieces successful Egypt.

Adorning its walls are intricately carved designs made from marble and alabaster chromatic that show accepted Islamic artistry.

Another country worthy exploring is Salah El-Din’s Street wherever you tin find galore souvenir shops selling accepted items specified arsenic leather bags and hats that marque for fantabulous gifts oregon memories of your trip!

3. Take a Felucca Ride connected the Nile

It mightiness dependable touristy but it’s precise typical, truthful I would invitation you connected a felucca thrust connected the Nile astatine sunset, to unbend and bask the views and the uncommon silence.

Taking a felucca thrust allows you to consciousness the gentle breeze and calming waters of the river, and the views on the banks are breathtaking, with lush vegetation, past monuments and stunning Islamic architecture.

You tin observe section beingness arsenic you cruise along, ticker fisherman casting their nets and sailing boats trading goods.

At nighttime the Nile transforms into a magical place; you tin spot stars glittering supra you and perceive the distant dependable of drums from locals celebrating astatine river-side cafes. As your felucca sails further distant from the city, it’s conscionable you and nature’s wonders surrounding you.

If you’re unfamiliar with feluccas, they are shallow boats powered by upwind oregon sail, making them cleanable for navigating done constrictive channels portion avoiding sandbanks successful this large stream that is filled with history. Being connected a felucca adds to the wide ambiance of being successful specified an astonishing metropolis similar Cairo.

4. Visit the Famous Pyramids of Giza

Sphinx and the Great pyramid successful Egypt, Giza

Visiting the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx is of people a must. The Great Pyramids of Giza are 1 of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and person go a awesome of Egypt’s past civilization and heritage.

Located connected the westbound slope of the Nile River, this UNESCO World Heritage Site are immoderate of the astir awesome monuments ever built by man.

The oldest pyramid connected the Giza plateau, known arsenic the Pyramid of Khufu, is thought to person been commissioned by the 4th-Dynasty Pharaoh Khufu successful the 26th century, and is estimated to incorporate much than 2.3 cardinal stones. It is besides the largest pyramid successful Egypt and stands astatine an awesome 139 meters tall.

The different 2 pyramids, known arsenic the Pyramid of Khafre and Pyramid of Menkaure, were constructed betwixt 2558 BCE and 2510 BCE.

Inside each pyramid determination exists a expansive burial enclosure lined with polished granite flooring, hieroglyphs that archer stories astir past life, and constrictive shafts that pb to further tunnels oregon concealed chambers.

Visiting the Great Pyramids is simply a once-in-a-lifetime acquisition for galore radical truthful don’t miss this fig 1 attraction successful Cairo!

5. Wander Around Downtown Cairo

souk marketplace successful cairo egypt

Some neighborhoods are arsenic large arsenic cities truthful it’s not casual to simply rotation the neighborhoods. I heard that the vicinity of Maadi unsocial has thing similar 2 cardinal people!

But if you privation to locomotion astir and simply instrumentality successful the neighborhoods, my favourite 1 is Downtown (Wust el Balad). I instantly fell successful emotion with the country the archetypal clip I saw it from the model of a bus, connected a “Cairo by night” tour.

This is wherever the Egyptian Museum and Tahrir Square are located, conscionable to sanction the astir celebrated things.

The adjacent clip I went backmost to this country I was connected my ain and I indispensable accidental I was intimidated by its chaos and radical staring astatine me. But present I wouldn’t unrecorded anyplace else!

Something precise absorbing to sojourn successful Cairo is the alleged “Coptic Cairo”, oregon “Old Cairo”, an country wherever you tin sojourn churches, Christian graveyards, and the celebrated Hanging Church.

It’s specified an unexpected atmosphere, it astir feels similar being successful different city.

6. Eat Delicious Egyptian Food

Koshary

In Cairo, determination is decidedly a batch of prime erstwhile it comes to food! For precise inexpensive meals, effort the Felfela takeaway for falafel and foul – you tin devour a “taameya” (falafel sandwich) for astir 1.50 EGP: 0,25 USD.

If you similar koshary (a emblematic premix of rice, pasta, lentils, meat, and spices) don’t miss Abou Tarek, conscionable down Tahrir Square. It’s ace inexpensive and you can’t get thing much emblematic than that!

For a fancy meal with a beauteous view, don’t miss the Restaurant astatine Al Azhar Park.

I besides person to notation my favourite Italian edifice successful Cairo: it’s called “La Bodega” and adjacent if it’s pricey successful section presumption (about $30 per meal) the nutrient is delicious and with a precise bully service.

falafel sandwich

Last but not least, Cairenes emotion accelerated foods!

So don’t consciousness blameworthy if you privation to deed Pizza Hut, McDonald’s oregon the much section Hardee’s – it’s mean wont successful Cairo, and if you consciousness lazy there’s a website called Otlob.com where you tin bid astir immoderate benignant of nutrient – from Chinese to McDonald’s, to Yemenite – 24/7.

The emblematic Egyptian meal is called “foul”. It’s made with a legume paste and vegetables, served successful a emblematic level breadstuff bun.

You should besides marque definite to try:

• Taameya: the falafel sandwich named above, usually sold successful the aforesaid places wherever they merchantability foul.
• Koshary is possibly the astir emblematic thing. Very inexpensive and it fills you up for hours! It’s a premix of rice, noodles, pasta, lentils and chickpeas.
• Shawerma: besides called “kebab” by someone, but this is the Egyptian version! It’s made with either lamb oregon chickenhearted meat, peppers and a batch of spices. So tasty!
• Something precise emblematic that I didn’t situation trying is the stuffed pigeon.
• Sahlab is simply a tepid beverage pick that is served with fruits, chocolate, coconut oregon immoderate you inquire for. It’s freshly made to order.
• Also, don’t miss the “mahshy” – vegetables stuffed with meat, atom and much vegetables.

Ice Cream successful the car

Fruit juices are sold astatine kiosks connected the streets and are arsenic inexpensive arsenic refreshing. In Egypt I ate the tastier effect ever, and nary I person ne'er been sick.

Fruit stand

7. Watch a Sufi Dance successful Bayt el Harawi

If you privation to respire the ambiance of Islamic Cairo, don’t miss Bayt el Harawi at night, wherever you tin ticker escaped shows specified arsenic sufi creation and tannoura (whirling dervish), concerts with emblematic Middle Eastern instruments, etc.

Sufi creation at-Bayt el Harawy

For different things to bash successful Cairo astatine night, determination are immoderate bully clubs specified as Buddha Bar, Stiletto, Purple and countless caller clubs that support opening. Most of them are located connected docked boats connected the Nile, truthful the determination unsocial makes the outing worthy it.

Ahwa cupful with 25 January writing

Also, sitting for hours successful an “ahwa”, the Egyptian sanction for a cafe (basically chairs connected the streets) chatting, smoking shisha and playing committee games is thing precise typical.

8. Hunt for Treasures successful Khan el Khalili Bazaar

Shopping successful Cairo markets

When it comes to shopping, determination is nary amended spot than Cairo. With bustling souk markets and bazaars, you’ll find everything from textiles, spices, lamps, ceramics, silverware and more.

For souvenirs, I would decidedly spell to the celebrated Khan el Khalili market. It’s beauteous and adjacent if the main roads became mode excessively touristy you tin ever research the backstreets to find the champion deals.

If you privation to spell buying and you similar branded covering etc, you can’t miss the City Stars mall, a 7-storied gathering with shops, movie theaters, restaurants and a souq reproduction.

For inexpensive covering I ever take Downtown with its colorful and immense windows. Last clip I bought 2 pairs of jeans and spent thing similar €12.

Another happening I similar astir these shops is that virtually everything they person is shown successful the windows truthful you tin person a look from the extracurricular and participate the store lone if you are funny and erstwhile you already chose what you want.

9. Experience Ramadan successful Cairo

The 2 mosques Al-Rifa’i and Sultan Hassan

Visiting Cairo during Ramadan whitethorn not beryllium for everyone but determination are definite advantages erstwhile visiting during the Holy Month.

As astir of you whitethorn know, this is the Holy Month erstwhile radical accelerated until sunset, determination are peculiar praying sessions and everyone has to enactment well, donate to charity, walk clip with their families and successful wide unrecorded without committing sins.

After sunset though, the metropolis looks wholly different.

The streets are lightened with colorful lights, radical stitchery to devour together, the euphony is successful the air. It’s decidedly precise absorbing to witnesser the Ramadan, but retrieve that it’s not polite to devour and portion successful nationalist during the time of Holy Month – respect the radical who are fasting.

What’s large astir Ramadan is that restaurants are quiescent successful the time time, radical thin to not sojourn tourer attractions due to the fact that they privation to enactment indoors and conserve their energy, and radical are wide much affable due to the fact that of the quality of gift-giving and reflection that comes with Ramadan.

However, it tin besides beryllium hard to find accommodation, particularly during the archetypal nighttime and the past 3 nights of Eid.

Also, astir clubs (and companies successful general) enactment closed during the Holy Month truthful if your purpose is partying good that’s not the champion clip of the year!

On the different manus Ramadan is simply a large clip to bask the metropolis without excessively overmuch postulation arsenic galore radical instrumentality vacations and question extracurricular of Cairo.

There are galore spiritual feasts passim the year, but 1 that I deliberation is worthy mentioning is the Eid el Adha – this is the feast erstwhile radical slaughter cows and sheep successful the streets.

And if you don’t similar the show of humor past you tin decidedly debar it, oregon instrumentality vantage to person a abbreviated travel extracurricular of Cairo.

Other than spiritual festivities, the large nationalist holidays are the Sinai Liberation Day (April 25th), Labour Day (May 1st), Revolution Day (July 23rd, with notation to the 1953 Revolution), Armed Forces Day (October 6th), and of people the National January 25th Revolution Day!

10. Take a Day Trip to Quieter Pyramids

River Nile, Cairo

I emotion Cairo due to the fact that successful a 2 hours scope you tin spell from the oversea to the desert! I volition database 3 beauteous broadside trips that you tin person successful 1 afloat day:

The pyramids of Saqqara, Dahshur and Memphis: did you cognize that determination are galore much pyramids successful Egypt different than the Giza ones?

Before the Pyramids of Giza, determination were immoderate smaller pyramids built to effort and get the plan right.

Dahshur has 3 pyramids and is overmuch little touristy than Giza.

You tin participate the “Red Pyramid” and you won’t find immoderate assemblage oregon tout astir it. Memphis, besides known arsenic the bent pyramid, was the past superior of Egypt, and Saqqara is wherever the celebrated “Step Pyramid of Djoser” is located, unneurotic with its temple and galore beautifully decorated tombs.

11. Take a Trip to the Beaches

Ageeba beach, Mersa Matruh, Egypt

If you privation to spell to the sea, Ein El Sokhna is the closest formation edifice to Cairo. You tin get determination successful astir 2 hours, driving east. There is nary coral reef oregon anything, and the spot is not excessively crowded arsenic Sharm El Sheikh, truthful it’s precise quiescent and simple.

Another enactment is driving northbound to the alleged “North Coast”, connected the Mediterranean Sea. There are immoderate beauteous formation resorts up there, specified arsenic Marsa Matrouh for example.

12. Take a Trip to El Fayoum

Wadi el Hitan

Last but not least, astatine conscionable astir 2 hours driving southbound of Cairo you tin get to the oasis of El Fayoum with its beauteous towns, water and pottery factories.

Just extracurricular of the oasis determination is the beauteous godforsaken of Wadi al Hitan (the vale of the whales) and Wadi al Rayan, wherever you tin thrust beauteous dunes, campy and spot the fossils of oversea plants and food that utilized to unrecorded determination erstwhile the godforsaken was erstwhile an ocean… however fascinating!

13. Visit Mokattam Mountain

There’s a “drive through” mentation of astir thing successful Cairo: you tin halt by a kiosk and get your drinks, food, ice-cream oregon adjacent shisha straight connected your car.

This is thing precise emblematic and fun! Ask your Egyptian friends to instrumentality you to immoderate of these places and you’ll decidedly person a bully laughter unneurotic with yummy meals.

For immoderate much beauteous views implicit Cairo you tin bask sitting connected the borderline of the level Mokattam Mountain, overlooking the city.

They besides service drinks and shisha up there, but the cafes thin to beryllium a spot excessively pricey if compared to different places successful Downtown.

14. Visit “Garbage City”

Children successful Garbage City

An acquisition that I urge to everyone is visiting the alleged “Garbage City”, an country wherever radical virtually unrecorded successful the garbage, spending their lives separating the trash and selling the antithetic materials to marque a surviving retired of it.

It goes without saying, Garbage City is simply a precise mediocre area. It’s a Christian vicinity and aft you transverse it each (a beardown acquisition itself) you are “rewarded” by the magnificent presumption of the Cave Churches.

I cognize determination are radical that would ne'er situation going to Garbage City, but I besides judge that successful bid to afloat recognize wherever we are, we can’t lone spot the beauteous sides of the places we visit.

Cave Church

15. Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum

Learn astir Ancient Egypt and the Egyptians astatine the Grand Egyptian Museum, which is expected to unfastened successful 2023, but the nonstop day has not been confirmed yet.

The Grand Egyptian Museum volition location artifacts from past Egypt, spanning implicit 5000 years of history.

It volition incorporate artifacts from the world-famous Tutankhamun pharaohs’ tombs, including sculptures, treasures, jewelry, and hieroglyphics.

The depository is expected to beryllium 1 of the astir implicit and largest museums connected Ancient Egyptian past successful the world, and volition beryllium the cleanable spot to summation penetration into Ancient Egyptian civilization portion learning much astir its history.

16. See the Royal Mummies astatine The Egyptian Museum

Another depository successful Cairo not to miss is the Egyptian Museum, not to beryllium confused with the Grand Egyptian Museum – confusing, I know!

The Egyptian Museum is an incredibly enriching and acquisition experience. This depository contains artifacts from past Egypt, including the royal mummies, statues and reliefs depicting past Egyptian gods, and galore different items from Ancient Egypt.

Not lone is the postulation vast, it provides a captivating penetration into humanities events, civilization and traditions.

Learn astir the religions, customs, beliefs and lifestyles of this influential civilization.

17. Wander Over to Gezira Island

The riverside promenade connected Gezira land

Gezira Island is located successful the Nile River and sits successful the precise halfway of Cairo, location to the Zamalek district. It’s location to galore iconic landmarks successful Cairo, specified arsenic the Cairo Tower and Cairo Opera House.

Visitors tin marvel astatine the grandeur of The Pyramids of Giza from the apical of Cairo Tower and research the beauteous gardens and creation galleries.

18. Visit the Ben Ezra Synagogue

For Christians visiting Cairo, oregon those funny successful Christian history, volition bask visiting the Ben Ezra Synagogue, which is said to beryllium built connected the spot wherever moses washed up successful a handbasket among the reeds.

The Ben Ezra Synagogue was archetypal built successful the 9th period AD and has been beautifully maintained implicit the centuries.

It inactive stands arsenic a testament to Jewish civilization and heritage, with its stunning architecture and interior design.

Not lone is it an bonzer humanities site, but it’s besides a pilgrimage tract for Jews for generations.

19. Visit the Coptic Museum

Another important spiritual tract successful Cairo is the Coptic Museum, which houses an extended postulation of artifacts and artworks from past Egypt and different countries, offering a unsocial penetration into the culture, history, and coptic religion religion of the region.

It has implicit 1,600 items connected show including stone, wood and metallic works, icons, frescoes, textiles and ceramics from each implicit the region.

The depository besides features immoderate displays dedicated to Christian creation and architecture arsenic it relates to the Coptic Church.

While here, visitors tin presumption stunning pieces specified arsenic ornate partition paintings, intricate mosaic floors and spectacular stained solid windows.

Getting Around Cairo

Public proscription successful Cairo includes taxis, metro, buses and microbuses.

I wouldn’t urge moving astir by autobus and microbus to a newcomer – it’s not casual to fig retired their destination due to the fact that it’s either written successful Arabic oregon there’s thing written connected the autobus itself: idiosyncratic peeking from the autobus doorway conscionable screams the destination to the radical successful the thoroughfare truthful if you don’t talk the connection is rather hard.

After immoderate clip you tin fig retired the routes of buses and microbuses besides by asking to locals truthful that you tin yet effort this escapade and research the metropolis successful the cheapest imaginable way.

The metro is casual to use, determination are abstracted cars for men and women (that is: women tin thrust men’s cars – astatine their ain hazard – but men can’t entree the women’s ones) and it’s cleanable enough.

Unfortunately, the metro doesn’t scope each areas of Cairo yet, but it’s precise inexpensive (1 EGP per thrust = 12 Euro cents) and it makes you debar traffic, truthful sometimes you tin usage a operation of metro and taxi to determination quicker.

Metro sign

The easiest mode to determination astir Cairo is decidedly by taxi, but determination are 3 kinds of taxis and you person to cognize the differences.

Black taxi are the oldest ones, usually without aerial conditioned and ever without a meter. If you spell for a achromatic taxi you person to hold connected a terms earlier getting connected the car, oregon your travel volition extremity with a taxi operator asking for an outrageous magnitude of money, particularly if you look similar a tourer oregon it’s evident that you don’t cognize wherever you’re going.

Black taxi

Another enactment is to inquire nothing, enactment similar you cognize precisely what you’re doing and erstwhile the thrust is implicit springiness the wealth to the operator and locomotion away. Of people successful this case, you person to cognize astir however overmuch the thrust is worth.

An easier enactment is the achromatic taxi. These are newer and nicer, and the main quality is that they person a metre truthful you won’t person to haggle for the price. Just beryllium careful, sometimes the taxi drivers modify their meters to get much wealth oregon crook disconnected the metre to inquire you the wealth they want. Try to debar these!

The 3rd benignant of taxi is the yellowish one. This is the 1 you telephone and marque a preservation for, truthful you ne'er truly request it unless for lawsuit you person a formation astatine a definite clip and privation a reliable work to prime you up, beryllium connected clip and instrumentality you to the airport. They besides person fixed rates.

Best clip of twelvemonth to sojourn Cairo

I would accidental anytime but summertime (May to September).

Winter tin get beauteous acold successful Cairo too, truthful if your accommodation doesn’t person a heating, which is precise apt if it’s a fund edifice oregon hostel, it tin get tough.

On wintertime I would urge going southbound and visiting Luxor, Abu Simbel, Marsa Alam and the different locations successful Upper Egypt, wherever the temperatures support precise lukewarm passim the year.

Another happening you mightiness privation to see is Ramadan – since astir clubs, shops, and companies are closed during this month, it is decidedly absorbing but determination won’t beryllium overmuch to do.

Marsa Alam oversea (in November)

Where to enactment successful Cairo Egypt

I usually enactment successful apartments, arsenic it’s wide cheaper than immoderate fund accommodation. Word of rima is decidedly the champion mode to find the close sublet for you.

There are besides immoderate precise inexpensive hostels successful downtown but of course, you can’t expect overmuch luxury.

There are precise modern, luxury and beauteous hotels. Consider staying astatine the Four Seasons, Sofitel oregon the Kempinski – you won’t beryllium disappointed.

If intoxicant is important for you, cheque if it’s served successful the edifice you take earlier confirming your reservation.

Final Thoughts connected What to Do successful Cairo

I emotion Cairo due to the fact that it’s intolerable to get bored erstwhile you’re there. It’s a harmless and incredibly lively city.

People present are affable and helpful, and I met immoderate of my champion friends during my enactment successful Cairo.

I emotion Cairo due to the fact that it’s an affordable spot to unrecorded in.

It’s a metropolis wherever you tin find thing you want, and if you are stressed by its hectic beingness you tin scope the bid of the godforsaken oregon the oversea successful conscionable a mates of hours.

I emotion Cairo due to the fact that adjacent successful the worst postulation you sometimes spot the pyramids connected the horizon, oregon you find yourself crossing 1 of the countless bridges connected the Nile, and you are truthful perpetually reminded of the magnificent past of this place, and you can’t assistance feeling a profound awe, reverence, and respect towards it.

We anticipation this usher helped you program what to bash successful Cairo and gave you inspiration for immoderate attractions to adhd to your itinerary.

Tours of Cairo

Before you go, marque definite to cheque retired immoderate tours of Cairo and program successful advance. This volition assistance you maximise your clip and debar spending clip successful agelong queues.

Tours of Egypt

If you don’t privation to question to Egypt arsenic an autarkic traveler, G Adventures connection guided tours. We spouse with G Adventures for their committedness to the supporting the situation and conserving section cultures.

• 14 Days Highlights of Egypt
• Egypt: Boats and Bazaars – 8 time tour

More North Africa Travel Tips

Planning to sojourn different parts of Northern Africa? Then you whitethorn find these different guides helpful.

Do you person immoderate tips connected what to bash successful Cairo? Please stock successful the comments below.