Cairo Egypt

Cairo Egypt:

 

 Cairo Egypt One of the largest metropolises on earth is Cairo. Cairo tends to be a city that tourists love and hate in equal measure because it is both stunning and rich in historic splendor as well as confusing and an assault on your senses for first-time visitors.

 

The capital of Egypt has a lot to offer those who can look past its issues, despite the fact that it can be challenging to traverse due to its sheer volume of noise, pollution, and traffic on your first visit.

Cairo Egypt is an energetic city where you can truly experience Egyptian street life. Travel to Egypt is not complete without spending time in the city known to Arabs as Umm al-Dunya (The Mother of the World).

Cairo Egypt

 

What are Cairo  Egypt Top Attractions & Things to Do in Cairo?

 

Cairo Egypt You can only take in a small portion of Cairo’s attractions during a single visit because there are so many of them.

Make use of our list of the best Cairo sights and activities to help you focus your trip and schedule your time.

• Giza’s Magnificent Pyramids

 

The Giza Pyramids, which are right outside the city, are the main tourist attraction that everyone has come for.

 

The Pyramids of Giza are the most popular half-day excursion in Cairo and a must-see sight for everyone.

These fourth dynasty burial temples are located on the Giza Plateau, right on the outskirts of the city, and have been a major draw for tourists for generations.

The Cheops Pyramid (also called the Great Pyramid or Pyramid of Khufu).

The smaller Pyramid of Mycerinus and the Pyramid of Chephren, also known as the Pyramid of Khefre and located on the plateau further to the south, both include an accessible internal tunnel section (Pyramid of Menkaure).

 

One of the most recognizable structures from antiquity, the lion-bodied and pharaoh-faced Sphinx, guards these funeral temples.

Cairo Egypt

When the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is done, the Giza Plateau will have a new attraction.

When it opens, it will be the largest museum in the world devoted to showing the treasures of just one culture, showcasing a vast collection of objects from Ancient Egypt, many of which have never been viewed by the general public before.

The museum’s inauguration date has been planned for late 2019 after a stop-start construction project plagued by financial challenges.

You can visit the Giza pyramids by yourself to hire a taxi or take a bus or metro to a close point from the Giza pyramids or best optional to join our trip which includes pick up and drop off back to your hotel with Ac Van and Egyptologist tour  Guide.

Cairo Egypt

 

• The Egyptian Museum in Cairo Egypt 

Is it one of the greatest museums in the world because of the extremely astounding collection of artifacts on show there? A lifetime is required to view everything on display in its entirety.

 

Auguste Mariette, a French Egyptologist, created the museum in 1857. In 1897, the museum relocated to its present location, a striking powder-pink palace in Downtown Cairo.

Make a beeline for the Tutankhamun Galleries if you’re short on time.

Cairo Egypt

The artifacts on show here were all discovered in the tomb of Tutankhamun, Amenophis IV’s (later Akhenaten’s) son-in-law and successor, who passed away at the age of 18.

 

The tomb was unearthed by Howard Carter in the Valley of the Kings in 1922, and it held the most extensive and valuable collection of burial artifacts ever recovered in an intact state.

 

Highlights include the pharaoh’s lion throne (Room 35), his amazing garment collection, and his death mask and sarcophagi (Room 3). (Room 9).

 

The Egyptian jewelry collection (Room 4) includes more bling than you’ll ever see in a lifetime, so don’t miss a stroll through it afterward.

 

Even after the GEM opens, this famous structure.

Cairo Egypt

 

• Marvel at the Al-Azhar Mosque

Completed in AD 972, the Al-Azhar Mosque is one of Cairo’s earliest and finest surviving structures from the Fatimid period.

One of the oldest universities in the world, Al-Azhar University is still the principal theological hub of the Islamic world. Caliph El-Aziz granted it the title of a university in AD 988 (the other university competing for the “oldest” distinction is in Fes).

The Gate of the Barbers, next to the neo-Arab facade constructed by Abbas II, is the building’s principal entrance.

You should enter the center courtyard after removing your shoes at the entryway. The El-Taibarsiya Medrese, which is to your right, has a mihrab (prayer niche) that dates to 1309.

Cairo Egypt

• Examine Old Cairo’s Coptic history (Coptic Cairo).

Within the walls of Old Babylon, where the Roman Emperor Trajan first constructed a fortification along the Nile, is this little church-filled cluster of winding lanes.

The main street is still guarded by some of the Roman towers.

The Coptic Museum in this city houses one of Egypt’s best collections of Coptic art and is a source of knowledge on early Christian Egypt.

 

Beautiful examples of Coptic architecture can be found next door at the Hanging Church from the ninth century. The church was initially constructed over the Roman gate towers, hence its name, and underwent a significant rebuilding project in the ninth century.

 

However, for many Christian visitors, the main thrill of a trip to this region.

Cairo Egypt

You can’t help but be awed by the overwhelming magnificence of the exhibits, even though it now has some vacant cases from treasures that have been moved to the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), which has not yet been inaugurated.

Cairo Egypt

• Take some time to explore Saqqara and Dahshur

The “other pyramids” are located in the enormous Saqqara necropolis and the nearby site of Dahshur, and visiting them both in a single day is equally as enjoyable as visiting the pyramids of Giza. The locations are around 30 km south of Cairo.

Saqqara’s most well-known tourist destination is the Step Pyramid, but the entire region is dotted with exquisitely decorated tombs that are well worth spending a few hours visiting.

Due to Saqqara’s size and extensive history as a burial place, excavations there continue to turn up discoveries that garner international headlines.

Dahshur’s Red Pyramid and Bent Pyramid are nearby and shouldn’t be missed. Even the quickest route here will take time.

Cairo Egypt

• Visit NMEC to see the Royal Mummies

The National Museum of Egyptian Civilizations (NMEC) is devoted to conveying the complete story of Egypt’s human history under one roof, in contrast to many of Cairo’s other prominent museums, which all focus their displays on one particular era.

In 2017, the museum opened in part, and since then, its collection has been gradually expanded. In April 2020, the Royal Mummies Collection moved into this location and became the center of attention.

The most famous Pharaonic mummies from Egypt are currently on display here, however, the museum’s entire collection is still far from complete.

Some of the incredibly well-known names of the 22 mummies on show in the museum include Ramses II and III, Hatshepsut, Amenhotep I, and Seti I and II.

Cairo Egypt

• Shop around Khan el-Maze. Khalili’s

One of the best places in the world to shop from Khan el-Khalili.

This souq (bazaar), a maze-like network of narrow alleyways built as a commercial area in AD 1400, is still alive with the clanging of silversmiths and metalworkers.

Divert off the main thoroughfare into the surrounding alleyways, and the small shops and cluttered workshops are some of the best places to visit if you’re looking to buy traditional products from Egypt. The main streets have long since completely given themselves over to the tourist trade (with plenty of cheap papyrus pictures and plastic pyramids on display).

Cairo Egypt

Everything from antiques and exquisite metal lampshades to locally woven textiles may be found here.

While you’re here, pay a visit to Fishawis, Cairo’s most well-known coffee shop, where foreigners and local businessmen alike are served syrupy Arabic coffee and sweet tea at breakneck speed.

 

Al-Muski Street is the primary souq road for consumers (called Gawhar al-Qaid Street at its eastern end).

 

Near the intersection of this street and Al-Muizz Li-Din Allah Street, which is where most of the gold and silver workshops are located, is where the spice market area is located.

 

The Sayyidna el-Husein Mosque, constructed in 1792 to honor the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson, encircles the market on its eastern side.

 

The Al-Azhar Mosque is directly across the street from the Khan el-Khalili neighborhood entrance.

Cairo Egypt

• Visit the Citadel for city views.

Saladin constructed Cairo’s citadel in 1176, giving it a commanding position at the base of the Mokattam Hills.

 

With the exception of the eastern exterior walls, the original edifice he designed has long since vanished, although subsequent monarchs have added their own features.

 

The most well-known structure and the primary draw is the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. One of Cairo’s most famous buildings is the “Alabaster Mosque,” so named for its white stone and towering, abnormally slender minarets.

Cairo Egypt

The city views are another important reason to travel up here; for the best vista in town, head to the Gawhara Terrace.

 

The El-Nasir mosque is just next to the Muhammad Ali Mosque.

Cairo Egypt

 

• Tour the Sultan Hassan Mosque to see the Mamluk architecture.

 

Sultan Hassan Mosque, one of the best Mamluk architectural examples in the world, is a masterpiece of Islamic workmanship with a wealth of stalactite detailing and exquisite arabesque motifs.

 

It was constructed for Sultan Hassan el-Nasir between 1356 and 1363.

The south corner’s minaret is Cairo’s tallest at 81.5 meters, and the large main gateway at the north corner is over 26 meters high.

 

A tiny antechamber and a hallway leading into the elaborate open Court, which is centered around an ablution fountain, are found beyond the main doorway’s entrance in the domed vestibule.

 

The stalactitic pendentives of the original dome can still be seen inside the sultan’s mausoleum, which is entered by an iron door from here.

Cairo Egypt

 

• Go to the Islamic Art Museum

This museum had to close its doors to the public for years due to the severe damage caused by a car bomb attack in 2014, but it has since reopened.

 

One of the most significant collections of Middle Eastern art in the world is housed in Cairo’s Museum of Islamic Art.

 

The exhibit includes, among other things, Ayyubid ceramics, paintings, finely patterned wood inlay, coins, sculpted marble tombstones, and jewel-toned carpets.

Cairo Egypt

 

• Wander down Al-Muizz li-Din Allah Street.

Fine Mamluk structures that have been painstakingly restored to their former splendor line the northern portion of Al-Muizz li-Din Allah Street.

A prime example of the serene simplicity of Islamic architecture is the Madrassa of as-Salih Ayyub, which was constructed in 1247.

 

The stunning Madrassa of Qalaun, which is rightfully regarded as one of the greatest architectural achievements of the Mamluk period, is located directly across the street from the madrassa.

 

Its interior is filled to the brim with beautiful tile work, fine marble, mother-of-pearl mosaics, and stained-glass windows. Muhammad al-Nasir, Qalaun’s son, finished it in 1293. When Qalaun’s madrassa initially opened, it also served as a hospital.

 

The younger (constructed in 1309) Madrassa of An-Nasr is located a little further north.

Spend some time looking at the lit Qurans and the displays of ornately decorative pottery, glass, and metal objects.

 

Then proceed to the halls devoted to astronomy and other disciplines, where you’ll find incredibly intricate astrolabes and other equipment, to view the extraordinarily beautiful jewellery collection.

Cairo Egypt

 

• Ascend to Bab Zuweila’s Roof

Bab Zuweila is the most intriguing of all the gates leading into the Islamic section of Cairo.

You can ascend to the top of this 11th-century remnant from the middle ages for some breathtaking rooftop views of Islamic Cairo.

The gate itself features two minarets and is the final remaining southern entrance to the ancient town.

 

The Sheikh al-Mu’ayyad Mosque, with its red-and-white masonry, is immediately across the street, and a little distance away are the intriguing artisan stalls of the Street of the Tentmakers, where Egypt’s vibrant cloth, used for weddings and other special occasions, is sold in large quantities.

 

Address: Islamic Cairo District, Al-Muiz li-Din Allah Street

Cairo Egypt

 

• Examine Zamalek’s Nile Island District.

The majority of Cairo’s hipster eateries and the Zamalek neighborhood are located on the Nile island of Gezira.

 

 

With spacious boulevards bordered by trees and magnificently ornate Belle Époque homes, the region’s architecture, which dates to the middle of the 19th century, has a decidedly European vibe (many of which are now home to various embassies).

Cairo’s premier dining district is Zamalek, but there are also a number of art galleries to visit.

Mahmoud Said and Mahmoud Mukhtar’s pieces can be found in the Museum of Modern Egyptian Art, which is located on the Gezira Fair Grounds.

The recently constructed nearby, in opposition to Cairo Opera House,

Cairo Egypt

 

• Relaxe in Al-Azhar Park’s lush surroundings

Al-Azhar Park, which was constructed on what effectively was a medieval garbage dump, is the area’s only remaining green space.

It was established in 2005 and offers a much-needed break from Cairo’s bustling streets’ packed mayhem.

 

The exquisitely maintained gardens indoors make a delightful spot for an evening promenade, especially given the stunning views of the entire old city from here at dusk.

 

In addition, there are a few restaurants there, making it the ideal place to unwind after a long day of sightseeing.

Cairo Egypt

 

• Travel to Cairo’s Last Nilometer

Overly Monastirli Palace, which was previously an Ottoman pasha’s palace, is located on Roda Island, which is close to Gezira Island.

 

Cairo’s Nilometer, which was used to gauge the ebb and flow of the Nile and forecast the heights of the annual flood, is located inside the palace gardens, directly at the southernmost point of the island.

 

This Nilometer was built much later, in AD 861, than the Nilometers you’ll find in Upper Egypt (like the one that is still standing on Elephantine Island in Aswan).

 

The tiny Umm Khalthum Museum, which honors the life of Egypt’s celebrated diva, is also located on the palace grounds.

 

You may hear music from the legendary Arab singer Umm Khalthum (1898–1975) wherever you go in Egypt was broadcast onto the streets from ahwas (traditional coffee shops) and on the audio of almost every cab.

 

Still so many places in Cairo to talk about and sure will be amazing if you have time to take you around it ,check our Cairo tours Now

Trip Light Tours makes the dreams come true