Cairo Things to Do Tips by illumina

Egyptian Museum - Just getting IN is hard enough! Egyptian Museum Review

This was the first thing we did in Cairo - it's a good introduction to your stay in Egypt, on all levels!

No matter what the guidebooks say though, getting here early isn't going to help you. Coach-loads of tourists arrive before the doors open, and they just keep coming!

If your camera is large and obvious (like ours) you won't be allowed through the doors with it... however, by this point, you've already gone through the ticket barrier and metal detectors! You need to leave your cameras in a little booth to the left of the main gate. That said, I know people who've got them through into the building, so maybe if they're inconspicious you'll be OK.

You buy your ticket in another booth to the right of the main gate (50LE as of March 2008), and then head up to the doors of the building through the metal detectors (if like us you've had to reemerge to get rid of cameras, show your ticket again, say 'cameras' and barge through - they just shrugged at us!).

Address: Midan El Tahrir, Cairo 11557

Directions: not far from Nile Hilton Hotel

Phone: (202)5782448

Egyptian Museum - How long have you got?! Egyptian Museum Review

The Egyptian Museum is daunting. I believe it's been calculated that if you wanted to look at every single item on display you'd need a minimum of three months! We spent almost 3 hours here, and that was whizzing round looking only at the most interesting stuff.

The Tutankhamun Galleries and Royal Mummies Rooms are obviously major draws, so try to get there before large tour groups (it'll be a struggle). The Mummies are an extra 10LE to get in, pay at the desk outside the rooms.

My personal favourites were the Amarna Gallery, where statues of the 'heretic' pharoah Akhenaten are displayed, and the 'pun' statue of Ramses II on the ground floor.

Address: Midan El Tahrir, Cairo 11557

Directions: not far from Nile Hilton Hotel

Phone: (202)5782448

Al Muski Khan el Khalili Review

This long street to the south of the main souk is still quite a touristy area, but the further west you walk along it, the more 'local' it becomes. It also becomes increasingly narrow and congested, but the sights and smells more than make up for it: traditional clothes cheek-by-jowl with leopard-print; beaten copper next to plastic. Spice stalls give out their warm, sweet aromas, with chilli peppers adding their distinctive scent.

It's a wonderful place, and you'll find yourself returning over and over again - in 5 days we went there on three seperate occasions! I bought a light cotton scarf with some open-thread work at one of the stalls, and haggled him down to 15LE. It can be difficult to ignore the blatant guilt-tripping they use, since you know you come from a much wealthier country!

Address: From Al Azher st.,Cairo

Khan-el Khalili Khan el Khalili Review

The Khan itself is a covered souk, built in 1382, and sits in the corner between Midan al-Husayn and al-Muski street (itself a market area).

Here you'll find anything you could possibly wish to buy, from clothes, jewellery and perfume to spices, musical instruments and backgammon boards. Not to mention the tacky souvenirs! Be prepared to haggle shamelessly!

It's quite easy to lose your way in the narrow alleyways - finding a decent plan of the souk isn't easy, but getting lost is half the fun really!

There are plenty of cafes and restaurants around should you get hungry (see my restaurant tips for el Fishawi's etc).

Address: From Al Azher st.,Cairo

Bab Zuwayla Bab Zawayla Review

At the end of the street you arrive at a magnificent gate. The Bab Zuwayla was built in 1092, and is where the Mamluk Sultans saw off the annual departure of the pilgrim caravan to Mecca.

The minarets on the top of the gate belong to the 15th century Mosque al Mu'ayyad next door, and offer a spectacular view of the city.

The entrance fee for tourists is 10LE (about 1GBP; for locals it's 1LE, about 10p!). You might want to have a torch handy - the steps in the minaret are very narrow and dark.

Street of the Tentmakers

Beyond the Bab Zuwayla, outside the old Fatimid walls, is the Khayamiya, the only covered bazaar left in Cairo. In the 11th century, it provided tents and saddles to the army; today you can still buy tents, wall-hangings and clothes.

We bought 3 cotton shirts here for 100LE (about 10GBP).

Cotton Bazaar

Beyond the Ghuriya is a street full of small shops and stalls, mostly selling cotton and clothes.

There's a fascinating mix of traditional galabiyah and abbaya with bright, modern, skimpy clothing.

Islamic Cairo Islamic Cairo Review

East of the Nile and Downtown, is the area of Cairo described by guidebooks as Islamic or Fatimid Cairo, a maze of warren-like streets, bustling bazaars, and medieval mosques and madrasas. Further south is the 800 year old Citadel on its hilltop, dominating the skyline.

You can use taxis and the metro to get around, but with a little stamina we found it perfectly possible to walk from Downtown to Khan el-Khalili to the Citadel and back again.

Dress modestly here, and if you're planning to visit mosques, wear shoes you can slip on and off easily.

Al Ghuri Madrasa

From Downtown, we walked along Shari' al-Azhar, looking for Khan el-Khalili, and got sidetracked by a street along the way, at the entrance of which was the Ghuriya or Al Ghuri Madrasa and Mausoleum. It's an impressive building, constructed in the early years of the 16th century, and makes a spectacular gateway to the bazaar beyond. It's also a popular place for locals to sit and drink tea.

Downtown Cairo Downtown Review

The main attraction of Downtown Cairo is obviously the Egyptian Museum, but take some time to explore other parts of the area as well. You can promenade along the Nile just across the (busy) road from the Museum, walk up to Midan Tala'at Harb, and from there walk north towards Midan Ramses and the train station. There are some interesting side streets full of food markets and little cafes.