Top Things to Do in the Cairo | Must-See Attractions & Experiences

Plan Your Travel To Cairo

Places To Visit In Cairo

Al-Muizz

Al-Muizz is one of the oldest streets in Cairo, connecting the southern gate of Bab-Zuweil with the northern gate of Bab-en-Nasr and Bab-al-Futuh. The street is 30 minutes from Downtown Cairo and is considered a centre of Islamic architectural treasures from medieval times. Traversing the street, numerous mosques can be seen along with the goldsmiths bazaar, the markets for bowls, pots and ornaments, and the coppersmiths' bazaar. The coppersmith bazaar, popularly known as Al-Nahaseen, is a part of the street that served as a large parade ground between caliphal palaces. The first novel in the Cairo Trilogy by Naguib Mahfouz was named after this street and translates as "Palace Walk". Read More

Located in Heliopolis (a suburb northeast of Cairo city centre), Baron Empain Palace was founded by a Belgian businessman, and its construction is inspired from the hindu temple of Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The palace is the most unique monument in entire Cairo and attracts major crowds. The palace consists of a basement along with two floors. The basement consists of servant rooms; the ground floor has a reception, a dining room, a billiards room; and the first floor consists of four rooms with attached balconies and bathrooms. The palace’s best feature is the tower, and it stands in the middle of a lush green beautiful garden. Read More

The Cairo Opera House is located in southern Gezira Island in the Zamalek district of Downtown Cairo. It was a gift from Japan to Egypt and was inaugurated in 1988. It serves as a medium for music groups, museums, dance academies, galleries and other artists to present their art. Tourists interested in traditional Arabic dances and music can visit the opera house. It has four theatres and two exhibition halls for art and music respectively. Scheduled tours for public viewing of the Cairo Opera House are also available. On the first floor of the building is the Opera Museum, dedicated to the history of the Opera house, while the new opera house is on the second floor. Read More

Mokattam Mountain, located in the southeast of Cairo, is home to Cave Church. The church, also known as St Simon's Monastery, is located in an area known as Garbage City and is a masterpiece with stories and paintings on the walls of the church and on the rocks of the mountain along with sculptures of the Virgin Mary and Mary Magdalene. The cave consists of 3 churches, which include a hidden chapel.

A commercial, transportational and cultural hub of the modern city of Cairo, Downtown Cairo is in a central location with plenty of hotels, retail stores, restaurants and emporiums. Some of the major attractions and stops in the area include Museum of Islamis Arts, Tahrir Square, Egyptian Museum, Midan Falaky, Borsa, and Townhouse Gallery and Theatre. The Downtown is popular among Egyptians as Wust Al-Balad, meaning “the heart of the country”. Downtown was built in the 1880s with a vision to modernize Cairo and make a section of the city look exactly like European cities. Read More

Ibn Tulun Mosque is both the largest and the oldest mosque in Egypt that was built in the 9th century. The mosque is made up of red bricks, and the stunning architecture and sky high minarets of this ancient worship center attract millions of tourists. One can take long walks admiring the beautiful architecture through three Ziyadahs or courtyards surrounding the mosque.

Islamic Cairo, also known as Medieval Cairo, is a large area that houses most of the Islamic monuments. Some of the most important sites in this historic area are Midan Hussein and Sayyidna al-Hussein Mosque (not accessible to non-Muslims), Cairo Citadel, Sultan Hassan Mosque, Gary Anderson Museum, Al-Azhar Park and Bayt al Suhaymi. In addition to shopping and enjoying Islamic architecture, strolling down the ecstatic streets of medieval Cairo is one of the best things to do in this part of the city, Many poor residents of Islamic Cairo occupy some of the old buildings right next to some of the popular and important historical mosques and monuments. The area is a unique blend of poverty and antiquity that gives it a charm all its own. Read More

A Nile cruise is one of the most popular ways to explore all the major historical sites in Egypt. The cruise is a boat or cruise tour where one spends several days cruising the river and visiting various historical sites, ruins and temples. Many cruises also include some of the beautiful cities along the Nile such as Luxor, Qena and Aswan, which can be visited on a standard Nile cruise, a special Nile cruise or a private cruise depending on affordability and time availability. It is recommended to get comprehensive information about the cruises from the agency of your choice and then book the cruise. Read More

Saqqara, located south of Cairo, is a home to Egypt's oldest pyramid and is the largest archaeological site in Egypt. The necropolis of Saqqara houses eleven step pyramids which are burial grounds of old pharaohs. Major attractions onsite include Step pyramid of Djoser, Mastaba of Ti, Serapeum, Pyramid of Unas, and Mastaba of Mereruka.

Popularly known as Martyr Square, Tahrir square is a prime location in Downtown Cairo. The area around the square includes major attractions like the Egyptian Museum, the Mogamma government building, the Folklore Arts House, the Headquarters of the Arab League building, Kasr Al Dobara Evangelical church, the Nile Hotel, and the original Downtown campus-the American University of Cairo. The square has been a focus for political demonstrations since the 20th century and has witnessed the Egyptian revolution of 2011 that led to the killing of a number of activists and protesters. Read More