20 THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN CAIRO

The capital of Egypt is the largest city in Africa and one of the largest metropolises in the world. So mentalize that, in order to enjoy its fascinating treasures, you will first have to suffer its chaos. But it will certainly be worth it, because beyond traffic, dust and crowds, the charms of Cairo make more than one traveler lose his mind. Two days is the minimum time we recommend you spend here, and you are 20 are the things to see and do in Cairo during that time.

1. First things first, if you visit Cairo you have to approach to know the Pyramids of Giza. They are the oldest monuments in the world, are shrouded in mystery and are only one step away from Cairo. We went with a guide and we highly recommend doing it this way (unless you are not an expert Egyptologist hehe). This tour seems very good option and has very positive reviews. In the enclosure you will find the three main pyramids: Pyramid of Cheops (or the Great Pyramid), the Pyramid of Chephren and the Pyramid of Micerino. General admission costs 160 LE (less than € 8), and extra tickets to enter the Great Pyramid (360 LE) or the Pyramid of Kefrén (100 LE), not suitable for claustrophobic. In this post we will talk more in detail about our visit to the Pyramids of Giza (coming soon).

2. In addition to the pyramids, in this place there is another great attraction no less impressive and mysterious: the Great Sphinx of Giza. It is a monumental limestone rock sculpture with a human head (it is believed to represent Pharaoh Kephren) and a lion's body, and it was sculpted more than 4,500 years ago! It measures more than 50 meters in length and about 20 meters in height. Here you have to take the tourist and take the typical photo giving you a kiss with her.

3. If you want to continue researching about the pyramids and diving in the history of Egypt, it is best to approach the stepped pyramid of Zoser, in the Saqqara necropolis, considered the first pyramid in Egypt and the model on which Giza was based. And take the opportunity to visit Memphis, the oldest city in the world. There is a tour that includes the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx in the morning, lunch, and visit Saqqara and Memphis in the afternoon.

4. Every night they make a light and sound show at the Pyramids of Giza. It can be a very interesting evening, if you like history, of course. This offer includes pick up and return to the hotel, tickets for the night show and traditional Egyptian dinner.

5. As an alternative and in our view, the best option, you can go to the Al Hadaba restaurant terrace, which is located in front of the entrance of the enclosure (the one in the Sphinx) and watch the sunset and the show from there, while you taste some of their specialties of local cuisine. To suck your fingers!

6. And since we talk about food, in Cairo you have to take the opportunity to eat one or another typical egyptian dish. Our favorites are the koftas, spicy meatballs the sea of ​​good, and the national dish, the koshari, which consists of a mixture of pasta with tomato, rice, lentils, garlic, caramelized onions, tomato sauce and spices. They say the two best are prepared in the Koshary El Tahrir and in the Abou Tarek Koshary.

7. The Coptic neighborhood It is one of the most curious in Cairo. Do you know who the Copts are? Thus the inhabitants of the city were denominated, of Christian faith, when the Arabs conquered Egypt. Today 10% of the country's population is Coptic, the rest is Muslim. In the Coptic neighborhood of Cairo there are a couple of essential churches: Church of Santa María, the oldest in the city and also known as the Hanging Church, and the Church of San Sergio and San Baco, which served as a refuge for the Holy Family in their flight from the persecution of Herod.

8. Also in this neighborhood you can visit the oldest synagogue in the country, the Ben Ezra Synagogue, where it appears that the basket that carried Moses through the waters of the Nile arrived. Tradition tells that Moses was born in the period when Pharaoh decreed that all Hebrew babies should be disposed of. Moses' mother, to save him from certain death, put him in a basket and threw him down the river. In the place where the synagogue is located, the woman of the pharaoh found the little one and decided to adopt him. Moses, according to the Bible, was God's chosen to free the Hebrew people and take them from Egypt to the promised land.

9. Another truly amazing place of worship is theMonastery of San Simón, excavated in the wall of the Mokattam mountain itself, which according to legend, was dragged to this place by a group of faithful under the orders of St. Simon. It is located in the neighborhood known as “El Cairo dump,” as it is the place where city waste is concentrated, and to visit it it may be convenient to get a guide. We weren't there, but seeing the pictures we really wanted to!

10. On the hill al-Muqattam, in the heart of the Arab quarter, the towering Saladin Citadel, an impressive Islamic medieval fortification (entry 140 LE). It was built by Saladin (Al-Nāsir Ṣalāḥ ad-Dīn Yūsuf ibn Ayyūb), one of the most important figures in Arab history and the first sultan of Egypt (between 1171 and 1193). The Saladin Citadel It is a World Heritage Site and its objective was to protect the city from attacks by the Crusaders. Within its walls, the great jewel is the Mosque of Muhammad Ali (also known as the Alabaster Mosque), reminiscent of the New Mosque in Istanbul. Other places of interest are the Al-Nasir Mosque, Gawhara Palace, the Yusuf Well and a couple of museums.

11. But this is not the oldest or oldest mosque in Cairo, that honor is held by the Ibn Tulum Mosque, which was built in the ninth century.

12. If you want to buy souvenirs or if you just want to get lost in the most photogenic places in the city, go to Jan el-Jalili Market. In this bazaar, which dates back to the fourteenth century, you will find stalls of all kinds (spices, jewelry, clothes, food ...), although be patient: the merchants can get overwhelmed a bit. By the way, don't forget to haggle, there is an unwritten law!

13. You can't leave without having tea or coffee in a legendary place: The Fishawi, also known as the coffee of mirrors (you can already imagine the reason). The best thing is that it opened in 1769 and they say that it has not closed once since (and that opens 24 hours a day). Sit down, have a drink and enjoy the atmosphere.

14. Do you still want to keep walking? Then write this name: Al-Muizz street, (Al Moez Ldin Allah Al Fatmi), one of the oldest and most interesting in the city. It measures approximately 1 km, along which you can enjoy the occasional treasure of the old quarter of the city. It is pedestrian until 11pm, so for once in Cairo you can move without fear of being driven by a crazy taxi!

15. Destine at least one morning or one afternoon to tour the Egyptian Museum of Cairo (Egiptyan Antiquities Museum, entry 120 LE). As you can imagine, it collects the largest collection of objects from Ancient Egypt, although many of them are not even exposed. To remedy it (and increase a couple more hours in sight), a new museum is being built, which at the time it opens (it seems to be going long) will become the largest in the world. For now, settle with the former, where the main protagonist is the treasure room of Tutankhamen. But we already anticipate that the rest of the objects are super interesting and surprising. It is included in the day tour of Cairo (recommended).

16. It is worth paying the extra 80 LE to see the Royal Mummies Room (which is not included in the price of the Museum ticket or in the organized tours). It is not a visit suitable for the most sensitive but if you are passionate about the history of Egypt you can be “face to face” with some of the most important pharaohs, such as Thutmose II, Ramses II or Hatshepsut (the pharaoh woman).

17. On departure, take a tour of the Tahrir Square, very close to the museum. It is the largest public square in the city and the place chosen by the population to concentrate on important events, such as the 2011 Egyptian Revolution.

18. If you like to take panoramic photos you have to upload to the Cairo Tower (Burj Al-Qāhira) To have the city at your feet. It is located on Gezira Island, on the Nile and measures 187 meters. The trouble is that the entrance is quite expensive for foreigners: they charge 180 LE (almost € 9). We did not go.

19. For the most daring, there is a place in Cairo certainly disconcerting. We talk about the call City of the Dead, ancient Muslim cemeteries where today more than 1 million people live. Here the neighbors subsist very modestly between the graves, in some cases through agreements with the owner families, which allow these people to stay here in exchange for maintenance. We believe that it is best to find a local guide or taxi driver to accompany you on the visit.

20. To finish off your time in Cairo, make a Nile cross. Most likely, you have already planned one of several days to discover the best temples in Egypt, but one of a few hours around Cairo is also cool! This, for example, includes pick-up and drop-off at the hotel, dinner on board and luxury boat tour of the Nile, with folkloric show.

We leave you an interactive map with the locations of all the things to see and do in Cairo.

Do you know more things to see and do in Cairo? Did you like this chaotic city? To us a lot, you know that we are going!

Video: CAIRO Egypt's top places to visit (May 2024).