Cairo’s Top Ten Attractions

Have you ever wondered what there is to do in Cairo? This post is designed to help you plan your trip while visiting the great city of Cairo.

Cairo is a very big city of almost 26 million inhabitants. There are of course a lot of things to do there, as several historic eras have been based in the region, from the Pharaonic to the Roman to the Islamic and lastly this modern period.

Here is a list of the top ten attractions to visit while in Cairo. This would take from three days to one week if you want to see everything, as two/three sites per day is quite enough, considering Cairo’s traffic and the distance between the attractions.

You may want to consider buying Lonely Planet Egypt (Country Guide)

1. The Pyramids

Of course you don’t want to miss the pyramids in Egypt! The pyramids are located in Giza, which is a half hour’s drive from downtown (one hour during rush hour—which is almost all day long!). The best time to visit is in the early morning.



Pyramids of Giza by Lindsay_NYC on Flickr

2. Pharaonic Village

This is also located in Giza You can spend half a day there learning how ancient Egyptians used to live. You can also take a photo wearing an ancient Pharaonic custom.

3. The Egyptian Museum

The museum hasn’t been relocated next to the pyramids yet, so it is still in the (now famous) Tahrir Square.

4. Tahrir Square

You can visit the Square of the revolution while visiting the museum, and possibly attend one of the numerous demonstrations that are still running every day. Before attending, make sure you are allowed to attend.

5. The Nile River

While you’re at the Tahrir Square, you can go for a felouka ride on the Nile. This is not far from the square. The Nile river is just behind the Nile Hilton hotel.



The Nile River by rodc 2001 on Flickr

6. Old Cairo

Old Cairo is the place you will find the Coptic monuments and churches, and it is located in the Mar Guirguis neighborhood. You may take a private taxi (recommended) or the subway.

7. Islamic Cairo

Islamic Cairo is in the El Hussein neighborhood. There you will find two very famous mosques—El Hussein and El Azhar—surrounded by the Khan el Kaleelee market, where you can buy souvenirs and have a drink at the oldest coffee shop in Cairo, “The Fishawy.” You can also have some milk-based desserts in a specialized restaurant (both just next to the El Hussein mosque).

8. Ibn Tulun Mosque

The oldest and largest mosque in Cairo, south of El Hussein, this is a very beautiful place to visit.



Ibn Tulun by HOOK on Flickr

9. The Citadel

Half an hour east walking from Ibn Tulun you have a very nice view of Cairo. You can also visit the Muhammed Ali Mosque.



The Mosque of Muhammad Ali by rodrigolab on Flickr

10. Cairo Tower

Another different view of the city is from the tower, which is just by the Nile in the Zamalek neighborhood.

And that’s all! Well, that’s almost all, as there are a lot of other museums and places to see in this great city (such as the Om Kalthoom museum, the Azhar park, the Opera, the Islamic museum, the shopping malls, etc.). The attractions covered in this article are the most famous.