Looking east at the Cairo skyline in 2018; credit Tamer Soliman
Cairo
The residue of a great civilization, Middle Eastern wars, and British colonization, Cairo is a great city on the east bank of the Nile River and the modern capital of a great metropolis. Today’s visitors will notice a nearly-unmatched collection of mosques and churches set against dusty brown housing. That Earth color is no surprise when you sit next to the Sahara Desert.
Modern Egypt is dominated by Cairo, a city of global importance. It has the largest cinema and music industry in the Arab World. Many international media, businesses, and non-profit organizations have headquarters in Cairo. Its shopping bazaars are as frenetic as they are memorable.
It is not a city for the faint of heart. The Egyptian Revolution in October 6, 2011 has left many remnants. Smile and be careful not to discuss the revolution unless your Egyptian guide brings up the subject. Follow his/her guidance on the subject.
Your visit will be dominated by its unmatched World Heritage Sites. Unfortunately, there are too many Egyptians trying to sell you something at every turn. So practice the word for No, “La’a”, with a stern face. You’ll need it to navigate your visit.
You’ll find many of the trappings of a modern 20-million-person metropolis. The city’s staggering population and desert proximity are punished by devilish roadway congestion and air pollution. Though Cairo Metro is one of the world’s busiest metro rail systems, it needs faster expansion to relieve traffic the way European capitals do.
New Cairo City is a completely modern suburb grafted onto the metropolis. It may eventually host 5 million residents to alleviate the population strain on Cairo,
The bustling, crowded and yet essential actvity of El Moez Street bazaar; credit Omar Attallah
Unless you are an adventurous person who likes driving on the edge, we recommend that you Uber or Taxi to these attractions:
• Colossal Ramesses II Statue alongside a highway
• Old Egyptian Museum
• Mohammed Ali Mosque (offers cityscape views too)
• Al-Azhar Mosque
• Sheikh al-Mu’ayyad Mosque
• Ibn Tulun Mosque
• Stroll down Al-Muizz li-Din Allah Street
• Museum of Islamic Art
• The Hanging Church
• Explore Old Coptic Cairo
• Salah El-Deen Mosque
• El Moez Street bazaar
• Sultan Hassan Mosque
• Khan el-Khalili bazaar
• Manyal Palace
• Zamelek Nile Island District of restaurants & boutiques
• National Museum of Egyptian Civilizations in Fustat
• Day trip to Saqqara Pyramid & Dahshur antiquities site
• Cairo Tower
The sights of Upper Egypt (here) and Lower Egypt (Luxor & Nubia) along the Nile should make everyone’s bucket list. That is why you should consider a Nile River Cruise from Zamelek district Cairo.
