Places that you can’t miss in Cairo, Egypt
A mix of Arabic and African vibes, heavy traffic, friendly people with a good sense of humor and endless bargains are the elements that characterize Cairo, Egypt’s distinctive capital.
In my opinion, two days are enough to explore the city of Cairo. Let’s see how to take advantage of it.
Pyramids of Giza
One of the seven wonders of the ancient world is of course your first stop while in Cairo. Located in Giza (around 20 minutes from the city center), they will leave you speechless due to their magnitude and glory. The Great Pyramid and most impressive one is the one dedicated to Pharao Khufu (Cheops) while the other two located at the Necropolis of Giza accompany it and create a unique image. With an extra fee you may enter in all of them or if you are claustrophobic just admire their remarkable exterior. Whatever you choose the experience of being around them is unforgettable.
Great Sphinx
Having been blow-minded by the Pyramids, don’t forget to visit the Sphinx, which is located at the same complex and of course it is another impressive must see during your visit to the Necropolis of Giza.
Camel Ride with Pyramids view
Being practically in the desert, riding a camel with the pyramids’ view and feeling that you form part of a glorious ancient era is an unbelievable feeling (at least it was for me) that I totally recommend (even for just half an hour).
Necropolis of Saqqara
Apart from the main and most well-known Pyramids of Giza, Saqqara has also a unique and different Pyramids complex with the oldest Pyramid; you may also enter the tombs and the Pyramids with no extra ticket.
Memphis Open Museum
The Colossal statue of Ramesses II is the one that dominates the open-air museum of Memphis as it is the most impressive one that definitely worths a visit.
Egyptian Museum of Cairo
Whether you are interested in the ancient Egyptology or not, the Egyptian Museum will complete your tour to the ancient Egypt with its around 180.000 artefacts including mummies and the impressive golden mask of Tutankhamun that you cannot miss.
Khan El Khalili Bazaar
Stroll around the narrow little roads of the enormous Khan El Khalili Bazaar and make endless bargains to buy any kind of souvenir. Don’t forget the beetle’s souvenirs from your collection as they are considered to bring luck. Nice little cafes are also located in the same bazaar in case you need a stop from your shopping madness.
Al Moez street
My personal favorite road in Old Cairo, very close to Khan El Khalili Bazaar full of jewelry shops and little souvenir shops without the hustle and bustle of the Kha El Khalili Bazaar and filled with nice mosques to walk around that make the whole walking experience remarkable.
Cairo Citadel
The palace of Sultan Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi dominates the center of the city. Its marvelous mosque (one of the most impressive that I have ever seen, both in its interior and exterior) is another must see of the city. As it is built on a cliff, the view from its terrace is amazing (the Pyramids are also visible from its top). During nighttime with its illumination, it looks like a fairytale palace from which you expect Aladin with its magic carpet to appear.
Coptic Cairo
This is another fascinating part of the city to walk around, composed of the impressive Hanging Church (which took its name because it was built on a roman fortress), the Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church (one of the oldest churches where is located the cavern where the holy family was hidden for three months), the marvelous Ben Ezra Synagogue, the Roman Tower and the Fortress of Babylon along with the Coptic Museum. To reach the part where the Synagogue is located you need to pass through a narrow street full of little book shops and photography’s of old Cairo hanged on the walls that is so unique to view.
Nile River/Tahrir Square
The best spot to glaze at the Nile River is by crossing the Qasr El Nil Bridge from the Tahrir Square, located in the heart of the city close to the Egyptian Museum. You may also choose to ride a felucca or to take a cruise at the Nile River to enjoy its view.
Cairo Tower
The city’s tower of communications with a unique design of a lotus flower offers stunning views from its last floor of the whole city (the pyramids are also visible from the tower), while you may also enjoy a coffee or lunch at its café/restaurant with also amazing view.
Useful tips and strange things in Cairo
- For the Pyramids,Saqqara,Memphis, the museum and for a day trip to Alexandria it is better to have a private tour as it is more convenient and comfortable. I used Emo Tours which I totally recommend https://www.emotoursegypt.com/en. For the city exploration you may use uber that is safe and works perfectly fine or another tour.
- It is better to stay in the city and not in the Giza area as there are not many activities to do apart from the Pyramids and you will always need transportation to the city center, which is about 20 minutes’ distance by car.
- Cairo is a very vibrant city, and its traffic can be extremely heavy, especially during the rush hours. Therefore, be prepared!
- To cross the road, especially in big avenues, is also a huge challenge as the traffic lights do not always work and the cars are coming on to you without stopping. Try to stay nearby a local and cross the road with him.
- The public transportation is composed of metro within the center and cute little, old, white buses that are all over the city. Especially the buses create a unique image of the city.
- Generally, cards are accepted at almost all places, but you will still need some cash, especially for tips.
- Tips are very common in Egypt and people ask about it discretely or even directly (like the cleaning ladies at the restrooms). For this reason, you need to keep some cash on you.
- Many people might follow you to ask for money or if you need a taxi. They might be persistent. Avoid eye contact, pretend that you don’t understand, and they will leave you alone.
- Drink only bottled water. Brush your teeth with bottled water too and try to avoid any drop that might get into your mouth during your shower time to avoid gastrointestinal problems. Also avoid vegetables that you are not aware of what type of water were washed.
- Use mosquito repellent to avoid mosquito bites especially near the Nile’s River area.
Overall Cairo is not a dangerous place to be. With little precautions and common sense your visit to Cairo will be unforgettable.
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