The important information to visiting Cairo

Fueled by sugar and caffeine, Cairo is a late-night metropolis, and the power in each its historical coronary heart and rich ‘New’ Cairo is boundless. A metropolis with layers of historical past; the highest drawcards are its most historical: the Nile River and the Pyramids of Giza, which have towered over this frenetic megalopolis for millennia. And documented tales of Egypt’s empires and eras are on show in a set of museums spearheaded by the brand new Grand Egyptian Museum. Our important information will aid you plan your journey to Cairo to see the extremely anticipated museum.

Best occasions to go to Cairo

Spring: Day temperatures are 80°F, and nights are for eating beneath the celebrities. Set in a Fifteenth-century palace, the open-air Mamai restaurant serves basic Arabian grilled meats, together with kebab and kofta, with Egyptian music and whirling dervish performances. 

Summer: The metropolis empties as Cairenes head to the north coast of Egypt for the lengthy, sizzling summer season. It’s additionally off-season for vacationers, as temperatures attain 110°F; take refuge within the National Museum of Egyptian Civilizations, house of the Golden Mummies. 

Autumn: “From October, the weather is mild, the Nile is at its most serene and every ancient site reveals its timeless beauty in perfect light,” says Egyptologist and Cairene Ahmad Aziz, co-founder of tour firm High End Journeys. Pack a picnic and take a felucca (conventional wood sailboat) down the Nile at sundown to view the town’s islands and some remaining farmlands from the deck. 

Winter: This is peak vacationer season, and excellent climate for exploring the pre-Giza pyramids at Saqqara and Dashur, simply exterior Cairo. “Beyond the iconic Giza Plateau, I always recommend a visit to Dahshur,” says Ahmad Aziz. “It’s one of the few places where you can still feel the raw genius of ancient Egyptian engineering without the crowds. Walking inside the Red Pyramid’s narrow passageway is unforgettable; it’s Egypt in its purest, most authentic form.” 

Key areas to discover

Pyramids of Giza & Grand Egyptian Museum: The Pyramids have been pulling in vacationers because the Greek historian Herodotus gushed over them within the Fifth century B.C. New experiences embody a few trendy eating places and a hop-on, hop-off e-bus loop. The Grand Egyptian Museum is essential to this ‘Pyramids precinct’. Connected to the Giza necropolis by an elevated walkway, the museum is a well-curated assortment of priceless artifacts.  

Sharia al-Muizz & Khan al-Khalili: Al-Muizz Street is the foremost thoroughfare of medieval Cairo. Built in 969 A.D., it’s lined with palaces, mosques, and colleges, and has trendy shisha-scented cafés and artisan workshops wedged in between. Visit the historic buildings in the course of the day. The road is then dramatically floodlit at sundown. Al-Muizz abuts Cairo’s most well-known souk (market), Khan al-Khalili, which has been buying and selling rugs, lamps, gold, and jewellery for 600 years, and is top-of-the-line methods to spend a day in Cairo.  

Old Cairo: Ancient Muslim, Christian, and Jewish locations of worship are intertwined on this district, also referred to as Coptic Cairo. Narrow alleyways result in the Fifth-century Hanging Church, the Ninth-century Ben Ezra synagogue, and the 4th-century Church of Saint Sergius and Bacchus, constructed over the cave the place Jesus, Mary, and Joseph are mentioned to have sheltered on their flight into Egypt—all put into historic context within the Coptic Museum. 

Where to remain

Marriott Mena House, Cairo: The gates to this former searching lodge are a 10-minute stroll to the doorway, and the home windows of the perfect rooms within the historic lodge body the view of the Pyramids completely. The register of former company consists of kings and film stars.

The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo: Set on the Nile, the lodge overlooks the unique Egyptian Museum, and the curious can discover the Nineteenth-century structure of Downtown Cairo on foot. Its rooftop bar, Nox, is likely one of the greatest locations for a Nile sundown. 

Taste of Cairo

Egyptian delicacies: “Egyptian food is often swamped under the big umbrella of Middle Eastern cuisine, but has many unique dishes born of its colonial past,” says Laila Hassaballa, co-founder of meals tour firm Bellies En-route. She suggests attempting ta’amiya (Egyptian falafel), the nationwide dish of koshary, and feteer, a flaky pastry that dates again to historical occasions between 1450-1500 B.C.

The prime restaurant on the town, Khufu’s, appears instantly on the pyramid of the identical identify. Currently No. 4 within the 50 Best Restaurants within the MENA area, make a reservation for a protracted breakfast. Otherwise, watch feteeremerge from the ovens at close by Nine Pyramids Lounge; each eating places are throughout the Pyramids’ ticketed zone. 

Ful & ta’amaya: In the early morning, road carts serve the basic Egyptian breakfast of ful (mashed fava beans with cumin and garlic) and crisp ta’maya (made with fava beans and coriander). Try it at Zooba’s informal eating places; there’s one on the Grand Egyptian Museum.

Koshary: Egypt’s most cost-effective and favourite dish is a carb-heavy bowl of rice, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), and lentils, that features a wealthy tomato sauce, chili, and onions—eaten any time of day. Koshary Abu Tarek, close to the Egyptian Museum, has been serving this vegetarian and vegan-friendly dish because the Fifties. 

Molokhiya: Long-standing Felfela’s menu options Egyptian dishes not often discovered exterior the house. Go for the molokhiya, a garlicky spinach soup ladled over rice, and pigeon full of mint-flecked rice. 

Getting round

By air: Cairo Airport (40 minutes to an hour to Downtown Cairo) is the nation’s main airport. Only a number of low-cost carriers presently service the brand new Sphinx International Airport.

By bus: Bus fares value round 50 cents, however buses are haphazard, crowded, and air-condition-free. Drivers normally don’t communicate English. 

By taxi or rideshare: Uber and Careem apps each work in Cairo, and their established fares make them far much less trouble than the ‘broken meter’ taxis; all are terribly low cost.  

By bike: Bike journey is uncommon in Cairo: the one bike riders you’ll repeatedly see are boys balancing nice trays of sizzling bread on their heads. 

By practice: Ramses Station in Downtown Cairo is the terminus for long-distance trains to Luxor, Aswan, and Alexandria.

Know earlier than you go

LGBTQ+: Same-sex marriage and relations are unlawful; nevertheless, folks of the identical intercourse sharing a room is frequent (in separate beds). Overt public shows of affection usually are not tolerated.  

Alcohol: Egypt brews its personal beer and produces wine. Alcohol is out there in bars, some eating places, and liquor shops. Avoid imitation model alcohol, which can be tainted and might trigger blindness and even loss of life. 

Dress code: Cairo is relaxed about costume codes for vacationers; nevertheless, modest apparel (beneath the knees) is appreciated. At non secular websites, ladies should cowl their hair. 

How to go to the town sustainably

Shopping: Carry your personal tote as an alternative of utilizing the hundreds of plastic luggage Cairenes love to make use of to bundle purchases. 

Drinking: Single-use plastic water bottles pollute Egypt’s panorama; take into account bringing your personal reusable water bottle and filling it in your lodge.  

Ethical and eco-conscious procuring: “Ethical shopping is about respect for the artisans, their time, and their craft,” says Khadiga Mofeed of Fairtrade Egypt, which works with largely ladies from marginalized communities. “It also respects customers by offering fair, fixed prices and a no-bargaining, hassle-free experience,” she provides. The group’s two outlets in Cairo promote house décor and presents whereas selling cultural crafts which might be in any other case susceptible to disappearing.