You don’t need me to tell you to visit Cairo. If you are coming to Egypt, you are going to inevitably see Cairo and its sites, but what you might need from me, however, are some tips on how to travel through as well as the top things to do in Cairo.
Cairo is beautiful to see but hectic and tiring to experience. Everything from managing Cairo’s never-ending traffic to haggling over the prices of everything that is offered to you can be an electrifying but trying affair.
Top Things to Do in Cairo
Traveling to Cairo is a rewarding experience. You can find the world’s leading museum in Ancient Egypt, an Ottoman-era mosque, and Cairo’s central market all 15 minutes by car from each other.
El-Azhar Mosque
One of Cairo’s largest and oldest mosques, this stunning Fatimid-era building is also one of the world’s oldest universities.
It is located in the heart of Islamic Cairo and is a must-see when visiting the top sites of Cairo. Wonder at the intricate architecture and decorations and walk through its enormous prayer hall.
The mosque is open to visitors every day except for Fridays and during the five daily prayers.
Coptic Cairo
Among the top things to see in Cairo is its Coptic quarter. Egypt was a Christian part of the Roman Empire and has a significant population of Copt Christians to this day. Characterized by winding streets, Roman towers, and of course Coptic churches. Certainly worth a visit to contrast with Islamic Cairo.
The most famous of these is the Hanging Church. It’s not hanging, it was just built on the gates of an old Roman fort. However, it has a beautiful mix of Muslim-inspired decorations with Coptic church stylings. When we visited our guide showed us the trap doors and passages that the Christians would use to avoid persecution from the Romans.
Muhammad Ali’s Mosque / Saladin’s Citadel
To get the best view of Cairo you need to go up to Saladin’s citadel and the mosque. Sultan Muhammad Ali’s mosque now sits atop what once was a medieval citadel. The mosque is reminiscent of Istanbul’s famous Blue Mosque and is a beautiful example of Ottoman-era mosques.
Once you finish wandering through the beautiful arches and courtyards of the mosque head out to its garden. The back of the mosque faces out over Cairo from above so it’s the best place to see the city.
Open 09:00 – 16:00 Ticket: 100 EGP / 5.50 euros
Egyptian Museum
Visit the Egyptian Museum to combine the pyramids and temples you will see with the world’s greatest collection of Ancient Egypt. A dense museum filled with jaw-dropping artifacts such as Tutankhamon’s golden tomb.
It’s an amazing experience that should not be missed as it adds lots of contexts when you visit sites such as the pyramids.
Note: The Grand Egyptian Museum has had its opening delayed. Once the GEM will open it will replace the Egyptian Museum as the go-to museum in Cairo.
Open 9:00 – 17:00 Ticket: 75 EGP / 4 euros
Khan El-Khalili Market
Scavenge for deals in the small alleys of Cairo’s largest market. Also known as Khan El-Khalili Souk it is one of the oldest in Cairo and you can even find a 250-year-old coffeehouse, El Fishawi.
Divided into several parts you will find your usual tourist souvenir stores in the most frequented areas. For those who dare venture further, the Egyptian market has a lot more to offer. Here you will find antique stores, clothes shops, and spice stands. However, beware of pickpockets as it gets very crowded.
Top Things to do Outside Cairo
Great Pyramids of Giza
Let’s get it out of the way. The Pharaoh Khufu built this Wonder of the Ancient world 4600 years ago. They are big, they are massive, and they are truly awesome to see.
Behind the pyramids is where you will find the best pictures. A fun way to get here is to go by camel. Do some research online as to what prices are fair as there are unfortunately people looking to scam tourists out of their money and will charge exorbitant amounts.
If you’re going in summer take sunscreen and a hat as there is no shade whatsoever.
Entering the Pyramid of Giza is not really worth it as the insides are very bare, much better to enter the Red Pyramid in Dahshur.
The Great Sphinx
The Great Sphinx is an impressive sight to see. This iconic landmark sits next to the Great Pyramid near one of the two entrances to the Giza Complex.
The Sphinx used to be much smaller than it is today, its full body wasn’t uncovered until 1817 when it was unearthed by an Italian archeologist. You can see the difference in color from where it lay buried for thousands of years to the part exposed to the air.
As for the nose of the Sphinx, it was destroyed by an enraged citizen of Cairo in the 1300s. After seeing fellow Egyptians giving offerings to the Sphinx, the Sufi Muslim destroyed the nose in revenge. He was executed for vandalism.
Sakkara’s Step Pyramid
After looking at the latest and greatest pyramids it’s time to look at the first and oldest. The Step Pyramid of Djoser was built 100 years before the Great Pyramid of Giza and it shows in the cruder methods of this pyramid’s construction.
Dahshur’s Red and Bent Pyramids
The halfway step between Sakkara and Giza. These pyramids already show off the flat faces of the later Giza pyramids however you can still see the Ancient Egyptians experimenting with Pyramid construction. The angle of the Bent Pyramid was too steep making it sag and so the Pharaoh, unhappy with his Bent Pyramid, started a new one, the Red Pyramid.
The Red Pyramid is the most interesting Pyramid to enter. You will go deep down underground and the interior chambers are well-decorated even to this day.
Check out other Destinations in Africa
Memphis
The first capital of a united Ancient Egypt. Memphis today has many interesting archeological leftovers from the Old Kingdom. While Memphis is interesting, you will see all of these kinds of statues in greater quantity and quality at the Egyptian Museum. So if there is one thing that you might think of skipping on this list, it can be Memphis.
How to Get Around Cairo
Driving
Renting a car in Cairo is not too expensive and you can easily do it at the airport through the better-known companies. A much cheaper alternative is to use a local rental company. Make sure to get all kinds of insurance as the likelihood of small scratches is very high in the heated Cairo traffic.
The biggest issue with this option is managing the traffic and learning to drive like an Egyptian. If you have not driven in a similar environment before I don’t recommend driving in Cairo. Cars move in a free-flow manner over the road as traffic rules are completely disregarded. Every driver in Cairo drives like they are in a competition and everyone is losing.
Rideshare and Taxis
Taxi services are probably your most convenient option and you will find decent coverage throughout the city with Uber and Careem. To avoid potential taxi fare scams you should use the apps.
However, nowadays most marked taxis in Cairo have a meter, so you have a better chance of paying a fair price when using them.
Public transport
Pubic transportation is quite widespread throughout Cairo and extremely cheap and if you can figure out how to use it, it will be your most economical and convenient option. There’s the metro, the buses, and the microbuses.
Metro
The metro is the easiest to use and the fastest to get to places but has the least coverage. Just buy a ticket at any of the metro stops and hop on.
Bus
The buses require you to be able to read the numbers 1 – 9 in Arabic. You can pay your fare once on board and usually, if you ask the driver whether he will pass by a certain destination he will shake or nod his head.
Microbus
The microbuses are a mix of hitchhiking, a bus, and a taxi service.
When you see a microbus driving through the streets you will give one of three signals. Draw a square in the air to ask if the bus is going to the next square, make a cutting motion with your hand to ask if the bus will continue straight down the same street, or make an upside-down V to ask if it is driving to the pyramids. If the microbus is going in your direction the driver will tell you to get on and you’ll pay him the fee.
The magic of microbuses is that you can get onto one and get off wherever you want as long as it’s along the driver’s route.
What to Eat and Where to Eat It in Cairo
In Egypt, you can find the full range of popular North African, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean dishes and Egypt throws in a few unique delicacies too. While, eggplants, rice-stuffed vegetables, hummus, falafel, shawarma, kebab, kofta, and baba ghanoush make recurring appearances. Koshary, ful, mulukhiyah, stuffed pigeon, and camel were new to me.
The Egyptians have a notorious sweet tooth so dessert is an integral part of their culture. The greatest among these are basbosa, Om Ali, and kunafa in my opinion.
Falafel and Ful Sandwiches
Your morning will often start with a filling meal comprised of falafel (fried ball of ground chickpeas) and ful (stew of cooked beans and spices) sandwiches. These protein-rich and vegetarian sandwiches are incredibly delicious, energy-rich, and filling meals.
The best places to eat this breakfast are any of the small shops or stands along the street that sells them with freshly made bread. It’s a great meal to take on the go with you.
Main Meals
Lunch is the other heavy meal in Egypt. Never believe a local when they tell you it’s going to be a “light lunch”, it never is. Lunch brings with it a large variety of choices.
Shoarma (thinly sliced meat), kebabs (meat skewers), kofta (minced meatballs) and mixed grilled meats tend to make up the heart of most meals. This is then accompanied by a large portion of rice and cooked vegetables but that’s not all. My favorite part of Egyptian meals is the delicious mezzes (selections of small appetizers) such as baba ganoush (mashed eggplant with condiments) and tahini (sauce made of grounded sesame) that pair perfectly with the token aish bread.
Koshary deserves a mention on its own. Koshary is a mix of lentils, rice, macaroni, fried onions, and tomato sauce therefore it is a calorie-heavy meal. The best place to try koshary in Cairo is hands down at Abu Tarek. This family restaurant serves only koshary and it is the most famous koshary spot in Egypt. Cheap, filling, and delicious don’t miss out on Koshary.
Needless to say, you will end up feeling very full after one of these “light lunches”.
Sweets and Desserts
Sugar is an essential part of the Egyptian diet. Everything from their tea and coffee to the snacks they enjoy is incredibly sweet. Don’t miss the following desserts:
Found in most restaurants in Egypt, Kunafa is made with spun pastry and soaked in sugar. A modern spin on the recipe is to serve it with mozzarella.
Meshabek is an incredibly sweet swirly pastry made of flour, cornstarch, oil, and loads of sugar. When I say incredibly sweet, I mean even by Egyptian standards.
What do you get when you combine semolina batter, honey, and sugar syrup? A Basbosa. Most commonly eaten at Ramadan you can find this top-rated Egyptian delicacy year-round.
The last of the top things to eat in Egypt I’ll be talking about is Om Ali or Ali’s Mother.
Allegedly named after the first wife of a Sultan who murdered the Sultan’s second wife and called for the creation of a new dessert as a celebration of her successful murder. This tasty treat is made of soaked bread, cream, honey, nuts, milk, coconut, and more.
Where to Stay in Cairo
Zamalek
The Zamalek district sits between Cairo and Giza on Gezira island and it has always been packed with restaurants, cafes, and five-star hotels. Therefore it is full of expats and rich Caireens and this trendy neighborhood is a great place to stay to experience wealthy Cairo life.
There are budget locations to stay at within this neighborhood as well.
Downtown
If you are looking for great budget accommodations and you want to be close to Cairo’s main attractions then you should stay Downtown. You will be close to sites like the Egyptian Museum and the Khan El Khalili market and can therefore save time traveling and save money on the lodgings.
We stayed in the Holy Sheet hostel. They have an elevator and hot showers and it is clean and organized. They also serve breakfast until almost noon.
Pyramids (Haram)
The Pyramids area has undoubtedly the best views in the city, so if you are going to visit Egypt I recommend you stay at least one night in this district.
We booked an apartment through Airbnb hosted by Xuru Stays with a hot tub that overlooks the pyramids. Finding a place with views of the pyramids is not hard and there are options of varying prices that have full unobstructed views of the monuments. The Pyramids area is also a great location to visit the other archeological sites just outside of Cairo since you don’t have to drive through Cairo’s center to get to them.
Did You Know
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