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Cairo Destination Guide
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Introduction |
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Egyptians refer to Cairo as ´The Mother of all Cities´ and when you arrive, you get an instant impression of a city that exudes energy and dynamism. This heaving metropolis, perfectly positioned on the banks of the River Nile, is full of minarets and graceful domes, oriental bazaars and medieval buildings to enthrall its visitors.
With a population of 18 million highly excitable, noisy, and ´baksheesh´ demanding people, Cairo is an exciting, fantastically interesting city and one that should be included in any visit to Egypt.
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Top Picks |
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The infamous Pyramids are located in Giza, 18km (11 miles) from the city centre. It goes without saying that this is a must-see in Cairo. After all, it is the only one of the seven wonders of the world left standing!
Other areas worth exploring include the two Nile islands. Roda includes the residential Manial
district on its northern end, while Gezira, the largest island, is split into two distinct districts: Gezira proper with its Opera House and art museums, and Zamalek, home to diplomats, wealthy foreigners, luxurious villas and trendy bars and restaurants.
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Climate |
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| Summer months see temperatures in Cairo soar to 38 degrees Celsius, though the low humidity provides a welcome respite. In terms of climate, between October and April is the more pleasant time to vist Cairo. You may see some rare downpours in January and February, while during March and April a strong, hot, dry wind comes in from the desert, adding some spice to the spring weather! |
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Transportation |
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Cairo´s Metro system is renowned for being an effective, low-cost and uncrowded method of transport in the heaving city, and the stations are also very clean.
Buses can be crowded and whilst cheap, we would recommend getting a taxi, as they are very affordable and readily available for short distances. In short, transport around the city is surprisingly easy for such a large city with a chaotic reputation! A great way to end a busy day´s sightseeing, of course, is to hire a felucca on the Corniche, for a romantic drift along the Nile as the sun goes down. |
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Attractions |
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With its layers of history and density of streets, one could spend months in Cairo and still not manage to see - or even find - all of its mosques and minarets, Coptic churches, souks, small museums and other places of interest. Just to visit the top attractions will require a stay of several days.
Some sections of the city are attractions in themselves: the narrow streets of Old Cairo and Islamic Cairo are lined with ancient homes and buildings that can provide hours of fascinating wandering. The Khan al-Khalili, the city´s main market, with its silk and spice merchants, haggling and steady stream of Cairenes from all walks of life, is one of the best places to soak up the local colour of Cairo. |
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Entertainment |
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| Evening entertainment is plentiful and could see you enjoying the finger-snapping sounds of the Cairo Jazz Club to the more traditional belly dancing soirees at the Palmyra. one thing is for sure, you will not be stuck inside thumb-twiddling here! |
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Restaurants |
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The culinary scene in Cairo has diversified enormously since the 1970s, making it possible to eat anything from sukiyaki to fast food. However, don&Acute;t fall into the trap of eating only in &Acute;tourist&Acute; restaurants or thinking that Egyptian food doesn&Acute;t rise kebabs. You can satisfy most tastes if you know where to look. The options range from Arab cafés offering a few simple dishes
to extravagant ´food weeks´ at deluxe hotels. Though few natives would agree with them, foreign visitors are generally pleasantly surprised by the cost of eating out in Cairo.
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Shopping |
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Cairo offers a vast range of shopping opportunities, from modern shopping centres to the famous souks. The old bazaar, Khan El Khalili, is arguably one of the most interesting places to shop and haggle over spices, perfume, gold and silver jewellery, leatherwork and brass and copperware. Bargaining or haggling is a part of life in the Cairo markets and bazaars, and virtually everything is open to negotiation. |
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Activities |
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Other than the ancient monuments and historical venues on offer, horse and camel riding, boat tours along the Nile and traditional dancing lessons are just some of the activities to enjoy in Cairo. |
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