Capital of Egypt
On the Nile river, Cairo is the historical capital of Egypt, the pride of the world that houses the Pyramids of Giza. Cairo is without a doubt a city that takes pride in its own history and is firmly attached to the past, however, it also has a very modern and vibrant society that is every bit as attractive as its history. Cairo’s origins dated back to AD 969, it was founded by the Islamic Fatimid dynasty over the ruins of previous Islamic and Roman settlements. Despite the long history of Cairo, it is actually considered a modern capital in terms of Egypt standards, much of the infrastructure from ancient Cairo is well preserved today: the gates of Bab Al- Futuh, Bab an-Nasr still standing proudly and the great university and mosque of Al-Azhar are still acting as important Islamic resource centers.
Modern Cairo is a city with well over 17 million inhabitants, skyscrapers and restaurants can be found along with world heritage monuments. On the eastern bank, the modern Downtown of Cairo is built under the influence of French architecture, you may find lots of historical Islamic sights as well as business buildings and shops. On the other hand, the western bank of Cairo is the home of lots of modern concrete and business, but it also houses the great Giza pyramids, Saqqara and Memphis if you travel further to the south. Traveling around Cairo may not be easy, but you would definitely discover more pleasures as you dig deeper and find out the hidden gems of the city.
You can get around Cairo through various modes of transportation, including the metro, taxi, and bus. The metro system in Cairo is fully functioning and cover most areas that tourist wish to visit, the flat rate fare costs 1 LE per trip, making it a good bargain. Besides the metro, you can also find taxis and uses them quite easily on the streets of Cairo, therefore, traveling around Cairo shouldn’t be a huge problem. However, it is probably better if you could book taxis via your hotel for major trips (such as paying the visit to the great pyramids), although this could cost you more, taxis that are affiliated with the hotel are generally more professional and have better drivers.
Cairo is chaotic, charming, and alive in every sense of the word. With over 20 million residents and tens of thousands of travelers present at any one time, this thriving metropolis has much to offer people of any taste, interest, and desire. The Egyptian capital is bursting with culture and all of Egyptís history is there for viewing for travelers. From the famous Sphinx and Pyramids of Giza to the Pharaonic Village and of course, the grand Egyptian Museum that allows you to view famous historical artifacts. That’s just the tip of the iceberg though when it comes to experiencing the history and culture of Egypt.
Other things to do include riding a felucca on the River Nile, visiting the Cairo Botanical Gardens, and going to the theme parks of Dream Park and Magic Land. These activities are fun for children too. Those who enjoy shopping can experience the Citystars mall which is quite westernized, or for a local taste, frequent the Souks which are outdoor markets where you can haggle for the best prices.
A few editor’s choices and absolutely must see
Egyptian Museum
Egyptian Museum is also a place that tourists shouldn’t miss, located in the Midan Tahrir area, it is the home of the world’s premier and the most extensive collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts. It owns over 120,000 artifacts and many of them are on display, the most attractive displays in the museum are arguably the mummies, the Royal Mummy Room displays about 9 mummies and one of the nine is the newly discovered- mummy of Queen Hatshepsut. Aside from the mummies, the museum also displays a great variety of important artifacts of ancient Egyptian history and many treasures of King Tutankhamun.
Not all items are on display, with much of it stored away safely out of view of the public. But there is more than enough on display to satisfy even the keenest Egypt history buff.
Also of great interest are the items from the tombs of some of the Pharaohs including Thutmosis III and Thutmosis IV and Hatshepsut. These are located on the first floor of the museum.
Of course, the famous Gold Mask of Tutankhamun is a stand-out display and one of the most recognizable history pieces on the planet.
Giza Pyramids
Visit the pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx is definitely a must! A journey to Egypt without visiting the Pyramids of Giza is never complete, the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx are the only Seven Monuments of the Ancient World that remains today and it represents the quintessential of ancient Egyptian civilization.
The Pyramids of Giza are the most iconic image of Egypt and one of the premier attractions of the world, making it a spot that you wouldn’t want to miss. You may travel around the pyramids by foot or by riding on horses or camels, however, you would have to be cautious as the whole area is amazingly up and down.
The Giza Pyramids in Egypt are easy to get to from Cairo and are certainly Egypt’s most famous attraction. One of the oldest preserved monuments on the planet. the ancient pyramids of Giza evoke curiosity and awe on first sighting. The entry tickets for the pyramids are expensive, but I would say that there are definitely worth it, the opportunity to witness the interior of the pyramids is definitely priceless and gives an even deeper appreciation of the genius and tremendous achievement of the builders of these pyramids. Along with the famous Sphinx, the Giza Pyramids are the vision that virtually everyone has of ancient Egypt.
It is possible to take a self-guided tour of the pyramids or to travel with a tour guide who can provide in-depth information as you proceed through the site.
The Giza Pyramids are made up of a number of pyramids including the Pyramid of Khafre, which is almost as large as the Great Pyramid of Khufu which is just under 140 meters in height. It is possible to venture inside some of the pyramids too. but not all will have internal access available due to safety reasons.
Worth visiting in the area is also the excellent Solar Boat Museum located south of the Great Pyramid.
Khan el-Khalili bazaar
Khan el-Khalili is another major attraction in Cairo, the chaos and the crowd of the bazaar are simply fascinating and you will find many merchants selling spices, gold, perfume, and Egyptian handcraft. There are so many perfume merchants that you will find that the smell of different kinds of perfumes is kind of overwhelming, vendors around the bazaar will try their very best to pursue you to go into their shops and lure you into buying something, keep it in mind that you would have to bargain a lot as Egyptian merchants have a notorious reputation of charging tourist at high or even unreasonable prices, try to compare prices across shops before purchasing something to ensure you are buying something at a fair price.
Karnak Temple
A few hour’s drive from Cairo you find Egypt’s largest temple, the Karnak Temple. It took an astounding 1300 years to build the temple. In the past, this was an important place of worship, and it is actually several temples as well as several obelisks and kiosks which make up this large temple complex.
The three main temples in the complex are Mut, Montu, and Amun. Brick walls that are 20 meters high surround them and inside this enclosure is the Temple of Ptah. Additionally, there are some small temples such as the Temple of Opet.
Also worth seeing in the complex is the Open Air Museum which is just across from the Sacred Lake.
Outside the walls is the Temple of Muth which is well worth a visit if time permits. Visitors can also enjoy an amazing Sound and Light show at the Temple of Karnak. On most nights there are three shows throughout the night, starting at 8 pm.
