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Cairo

Cairo is a vast, loud, ancient city on the Nile, where the pyramids stand at the edge of the traffic.

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Cairo

Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world, a metropolis of more than twenty million people spread along both banks of the Nile. Its name, al-Qahira, means the Victorious, and the city it describes was founded by the Fatimid dynasty in 969, but people have lived here for far longer: the pyramids of Giza stand on the western edge of the city, and the remains of ancient Memphis lie a short drive to the south. Historic Cairo, with its hundreds of mosques, madrasas, gates and caravanserais, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. For a visitor Cairo is intense — the traffic, the noise, the dust and the crowds take a day or two to get used to — but it is also warm, funny and endlessly sociable. Cafés stay full until long after midnight, people talk easily with strangers, and the city rewards curiosity. It is a conservative society, and a little preparation about dress and behaviour makes the experience much smoother, especially for women travelling alone.

Places to visit

The pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx

The Great Pyramid of Khufu, built around four and a half thousand years ago, is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing, and it shares the Giza plateau with the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure and the Great Sphinx. Arrive at opening time, before the heat and the tour buses. Expect persistent offers of camel and horse rides, photos and guiding: agree any price clearly in advance or simply decline politely and keep walking. The panoramic viewpoint on the desert side gives the classic view of all the pyramids together.

The Grand Egyptian Museum

Built beside the Giza plateau, this enormous modern museum now holds the treasures of Tutankhamun, displayed together for the first time, along with a colossal statue of Ramesses II in its atrium and a grand staircase lined with ancient sculpture. Plan at least half a day and combine it with the pyramids. The older Egyptian Museum on Tahrir Square, opened in 1902, is still open and still worth a visit for its crowded, old-fashioned galleries.

Al-Muizz Street and Khan el-Khalili

The main street of medieval Cairo runs north from the gate of Bab Zuweila past Mamluk mosques, madrasas, fountains and merchant houses, and it is at its best in the late afternoon and evening, when the monuments are lit and families come out to walk. Beside it, the Khan el-Khalili bazaar has been a market since the fourteenth century: lanterns, spices, copper, perfume and plenty of souvenirs. Bargaining is expected and can be good-humoured, and nobody minds if you just look.

The Citadel and Sultan Hassan

Saladin's hilltop citadel, begun in the twelfth century, is crowned by the nineteenth-century Mosque of Muhammad Ali with its domes and pencil-thin minarets, and its terraces give a wide view over the city. Below it stands the Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan, a fourteenth-century masterpiece whose vast stone courtyard and soaring entrance are among the finest Islamic architecture anywhere, facing the later Al-Rifai Mosque across the square. Dress modestly; women should bring a scarf to cover their hair inside mosques.

Coptic Cairo

In the old quarter known as Old Cairo, within the walls of the Roman fortress of Babylon, stand some of the oldest churches in Egypt, including the Hanging Church built above a gatehouse, together with the Ben Ezra Synagogue and the Coptic Museum. It is quiet and shaded compared with the rest of the city, and a good place to understand how long Christians and Jews have been part of Cairo's story. The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, where the royal mummies are displayed, is a short ride away in Fustat.

Al-Azhar Park

Created on what was once a centuries-old rubbish mound and opened in 2005, this hilltop park is one of the few large green spaces in central Cairo. Lawns, fountains and Islamic-style gardens look out over the domes and minarets of the historic city on one side and the Citadel on the other, and a restored section of the Ayyubid city wall runs along its edge. It charges a small entrance fee, which keeps it calm, and it is where Cairenes come to breathe.

Where to go out

Zamalek

The leafy island neighbourhood in the middle of the Nile is the centre of Cairo's international and creative life. Its tree-lined streets hold galleries, bookshops, cafés, restaurants and most of the city's bars, and it is the part of Cairo where alcohol, mixed groups of friends and foreign visitors feel most ordinary. Evenings start late and stretch well past midnight. It is also a good area to stay if you want to step out in the evening without long taxi rides.

A felucca on the Nile

The traditional wooden sailing boats wait at the docks along the Corniche and in Garden City, and an hour on the river at sunset is the simplest way to escape the noise of the city. You hire the whole boat with its boatman, so agree the price and the length of the trip before you board. Bring your own drinks and music, and watch the lights come on along both banks.

Tanoura and Sufi music in the old city

In the restored al-Ghuri complex near Al-Azhar, a Mamluk-era group of buildings, a heritage troupe performs tanoura, a whirling dance derived from Sufi tradition, with dancers in heavy coloured skirts spinning for long minutes to live music. It is affordable, popular with locals and visitors alike, and usually held a few evenings a week; arrive early for a seat. Check the current schedule before you go.

Cairo Opera House and the cultural scene

The opera house complex on Gezira island hosts the Cairo Symphony Orchestra, ballet, Arabic music and a busy programme of concerts, and in November the Cairo International Film Festival, one of the oldest in the region, screens films in venues there. Downtown, independent galleries and cultural spaces hold talks, exhibitions and small concerts. Dress codes at the main opera hall are more formal than in most cities.

The ahwa, Cairo's street café

The everyday social life of the city happens in the ahwa, the traditional coffee house with plastic chairs on the pavement, glasses of sweet tea, Turkish coffee, shisha and games of backgammon and dominoes. Many are still mostly male spaces, but in Downtown, Zamalek and around the old city plenty are mixed and relaxed. El Fishawy in Khan el-Khalili, open around the clock and decorated with old mirrors, is the most famous of them all.

Things to do

Day trip to Saqqara and Dahshur

South of the city lie the Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara, the oldest of the great stone monuments, and at Dahshur the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid, which you can often visit with very few other people around. Hire a car and driver for the day, add the open-air museum at Memphis on the way, and you will understand the pyramids far better than from Giza alone.

Eat koshari and Egyptian street food

Koshari, a filling bowl of rice, lentils, pasta and chickpeas topped with spiced tomato sauce and crisp fried onions, is the national comfort food and costs very little. Try ful medames and ta'ameya, the Egyptian falafel made with fava beans, for breakfast, and feteer, a flaky layered pastry, in the evening. Busy places with fast turnover are the safest bet.

Walk Downtown's belle époque streets

Wust al-Balad, the downtown area built in the late nineteenth century in a European style, is full of faded grand apartment blocks, old cinemas, cafés and bookshops around Talaat Harb Street. Much of it is being restored. Walk it on a Friday morning when the traffic is light, look up at the facades, and finish with coffee in one of the historic cafés.

See the city from above

The Cairo Tower on Gezira island, a 187-metre lattice tower opened in 1961, has an observation deck with a view across the whole city to the pyramids on a clear day. The terraces of the Citadel and the hill of Al-Azhar Park give a similar sweep over Islamic Cairo. Go in the late afternoon for softer light and the call to prayer rising from thousands of minarets.

Learn some Egyptian Arabic

Cairo is one of the most popular places in the world to study Arabic, and many language schools offer short courses in the Egyptian dialect, which is understood across the Arab world thanks to Egyptian films and music. Even a few phrases — salam alaykum, shukran, ma'lesh — change how people respond to you, and conversation classes are a natural way to meet other travellers.

Great first-date spots

Good to know

Best season

October to April is the best period, with warm, sunny days and cool evenings; December and January can feel chilly at night. From May to September temperatures regularly pass thirty-five degrees, and sightseeing is best done early in the morning. In spring the hot, dusty khamsin wind can blow in from the desert for a few days at a time. During Ramadan, whose dates move each year, daytime is quiet and many places keep shorter hours, but the evenings after the fast are festive and the city stays awake very late.

Getting around

Traffic is heavy at almost any hour, so allow plenty of time. The metro is cheap and fast and has three lines, with two carriages in the middle of each train reserved for women. Ride-hailing apps such as Uber are widely used and the easiest option for visitors, since fares are fixed in advance; with street taxis, agree the price first. Crossing large roads takes confidence — cross alongside local people. For Giza, Saqqara and Dahshur, hiring a car with a driver for the day is the most practical choice.

Language & meeting people

The language is Arabic, spoken in the Egyptian dialect, and Egyptians are known for their humour and hospitality. English is common in hotels, shops, Zamalek and among younger, educated Cairenes. Egypt is a conservative society: dress modestly in public, with shoulders and knees covered, avoid kissing or close physical affection in public, and expect curiosity about your nationality, your religion and whether you are married. Women travellers often face unwanted comments and attention in crowded places; dressing conservatively, being firm and moving in busy, well-lit areas help. The weekend falls on Friday and Saturday.

Where travelers & expats meet

Most foreign residents live in Zamalek, Maadi, Garden City or the newer districts of New Cairo and Sheikh Zayed. Zamalek is the easiest place for a visitor to meet people, with its galleries, cafés and bars. Arabic language schools, cultural centres, gallery openings and running and cycling groups are common ways to meet both expats and Egyptians, and many travellers continue south to Luxor and Aswan, so you often meet the same faces again along the Nile.

Frequently asked questions

Is Cairo a good city to visit alone?

Yes, with some preparation. Cairo has relatively little violent crime against visitors, and people are generally helpful and friendly. The main challenges are touts at the tourist sites, chaotic traffic and, for women, unwanted attention in crowded places. Staying in a central area such as Zamalek, Downtown or Garden City and using ride-hailing apps make solo travel much easier.

How many days do I need in Cairo?

Plan at least three days: one for Giza and the Grand Egyptian Museum, one for Islamic Cairo, the Citadel and Khan el-Khalili, and one for Coptic Cairo and a felucca at sunset. A fourth day lets you visit Saqqara and Dahshur, which many travellers say they enjoyed even more than Giza.

What should I wear in Cairo?

Light, loose clothes that cover shoulders and knees are both respectful and comfortable in the heat. Women should carry a scarf for visiting mosques. Zamalek, upscale hotels and some restaurants are more relaxed, but in the old city and in popular neighbourhoods modest dress makes a real difference to how you are treated.

How do I deal with touts at the pyramids?

Be friendly but firm. Decline offers you do not want with a simple la, shukran — no, thank you — and keep walking. If you want a camel or horse ride, agree the full price, the duration and what is included before you get on, and pay at the end.

Can I drink alcohol in Cairo?

Yes, in licensed bars, hotels and many restaurants, particularly in Zamalek and Downtown, and Egyptian beer and wine are easy to find there. Drinking in public is not acceptable, and during Ramadan alcohol is generally not sold to Egyptians, while some venues stop serving it altogether.

Is it safe to meet someone from an app in Cairo?

Meet in a busy public place such as a café in Zamalek or Al-Azhar Park, tell a friend where you are going and use your own transport. Remember that public affection is frowned upon, so keep the first meeting low-key. Same-sex relationships are not legally protected in Egypt and police have targeted people through dating apps, so LGBTQ travellers should be especially cautious and discreet.

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