Things To Do
A selected list of Cairo highlights:
- Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx. The only remaining monuments of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it is the country's most famous tourist attraction.
- Egyptian Museum, on Midan Tahrir. The world's premier collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts.
- Citadel, in Islamic Cairo. A grand castle built by Salah Al-Din. Also parts of the water pipes (Majra Al-Oyouon) are still there, these pipes used to carry the water from the Nile River to the citadel.
- Al-Azhar Mosque. One of the pillars of Islamic thought and home to the world's oldest university.
- Ibn Tulun, close to Sayida Zeinab. The oldest, and maybe most beautiful mosque in Cairo.
- The Coptic Museum, in Coptic Cairo.
- The "Hanging Church" (Church of the Virgin Mary), in Zabaleen Area (District of Manshiet Nasser) below Mokkatam Hills, not far away from the Citadel
- Cairo Tower (185 m./610 ft.) on Gezira Island offers a 360-view of Cairo, along with the Giza Pyramids off in the distance to the west.
- Al-Azhar Park. A recently opened landscaped gardens overlooking the Citadel edit
- Khan El Khalily. Cairo's souk area where visitors will find many merchants selling perfume, spices, Gold, Egyptian hand craft. edit
- Abdeen Palace. Located about one Kilometer away from the Midan El-Tahrir a five minutes walk, home of the last king of Egypt the exiled king Farouk. edit
- Pharaonic Village. It is about twenty minutes driving from Downtown. edit
Coffee & Sheesha
Have a coffee, mint tea or Cola at El Fishawy's coffee shop in Khan El-Khalili. Smoke a sheesha water pipe (try the "double apple" flavor) and watch the world go by. Great cheap entertainment.
Felucca
Ride a felucca along the Nile River. A great way to relax and enjoy a night under the stars in Cairo. Feluccas are available across from the Four Seasons Hotel in Garden City. To charter your own, negotiate a fair price of no more than 20 to 30 LE for about a half hour for the boat, or 50 LE for an hour, no matter how many people are on it. Pay after your ride, or you may get much less than you bargained for! Public boats with loud Arabic music and a giggling crowd are also available for LE 2 for 1/2 hour.
Parks /h3>
Cairo has a shortage of parks, but you can take a stroll along the Corniche el-Nil, and there is a river promenade on Gezira Island. Al-Azhar Park near Heliopolis is a good place to escape, with a good vantage point of Islamic Cairo and the city skyline. Wadi Digla Protected Area is a 60 square kilometer park near Ma'adi, that offers opportunity for taking a trek, jogging, rock climbing, and cycling. Wadi Degla is also a good spot for bird watching, and viewing the various reptile species, plants, and deer that reside there. You can take a cab from Ma'adi to the entrance at Wadi Delga. Cab drivers in Ma'adi should know where to go.
Recreation/h3>
Other options for relaxation include visiting the Giza Zoo and the Cairo Botanical Gardens, or watching horse racing at the Gezira Club in Zamalek . Or when you need a break from city life, try a round of golf on the famous Mena House Golf Course overlooking the Pyramids, or The Hilton Pyramids Hotel tournament Golf Course and nearby Sixth Of October City , Ten minutes drive from Giza Pyramids.
Or if the family, and especially children are fed up looking at monuments and museums, a ten minute trip from the Giza Pyramids by micro-bus, taxi, or car, will take you to two of the biggest and best theme parks in Cairo, Dream-park, and Magic land, both in nearby Sixth Of October City.
Magic land is also part of The Media Production City complex, including The Mövenpick Hotel, where visitors can take a tour of the Egyptian TV and drama sets, and studios which house many of the Egyptian and other Arabic TV stations.
Shopping
Citystars is Egypts premier shopping mall and is quite comparable to a foreign mall. It offers most international brands and most international food chains.It offers a cinema and amusment park. Mcdonalds, TGI Fridays, Fudrucckers, Ruby Tuesdays and more are all here.
Horseback Riding
Go horseback riding in the desert from one of the Nazlet El-Samaan stables like FB Stables (contact Karim +20 (0)16 507 0288 or visit their website: www.fbstables.com ) in Giza. Ride in the shadow of the Great Pyramids or further afield to Saqqara or Abu Sir or camp out over night with a barbecue and fire. Popular with expats who keep their horses at livery, FB Stables is also great for a 'tourist' type ride to view the Pyramids from the desert. Longer rides to Saqqara and Abu Seer can be arranged in advance, as can sunrise, sunset and full moon rides. Other than the horses and good company, one of the best things about FB is their amazing rooftop terrace (with bbq) with unrivaled views over the Pyramids - a great place to relax with a drink whilst watching the Sound and Light show.