Cairo, Egypt, the Triumphant City, known officially as al-Qāhirah  is one of the world’s largest urban areas and offers many sites to see. It is the administrative capital of Egypt and, close by, is almost every Egypt Pyramid, such as the Great Pyramids of Giza on the very edge of the city. But there are also ancient temples, tombs, Christian churches, magnificent Muslim monuments, and of course, the Egyptian Antiquities Museum all either within or nearby the city.

Cairo is located on the banks and islands of the Nile River in the north of Egypt, immediately south of the point where the river leaves its desert-bound valley and breaks into two branches into the low-lying Nile Delta region.

Cairo, Egypt is an amazing city full of life and movement, and it is that way almost 24 hours every day, with the noisy honking of horns, children playing in the streets and merchants selling their wears and services. And here, the Egyptians are most at home in this powerful, modern and ancient city

A visit to the pyramids and the Sphinx is a must, since these icons are landmarks of the country’s fascinating history. Various travel agents in Cairo organize jeep safaris into the desert, where you can escape the immense noise pollution of Cairo and at the same time enjoy the silence and mystical beauty of the desert. A nice excursion would be to take horses from one of the stables (mentioned on this page as well) and have a barbecue in the desert or maybe even spend the night there. The people at the stables can give you all the details about it. Spending a night out in the desert is an experience you shall never forget: the stars, the vast areas of sand, the silence, and to top it all off, the chilly air of the desert by night covered up under the spell of a mysterious moon.

If you are hungry, make sure to try the most popular Egyptian dish, Koshray. Koshray is a traditional Egyptian meal that consists of a delectable combination of macaroni, spaghetti, rice, black lentils, chick peas, garlic sauce and a spicy tomato chili sauce, all topped with fried onions.

Cairo has an enormous amount of restaurants, catering to most needs. Cheap food can be found everywhere in street restaurants and snack stalls. The top notch restaurants are often, but not always, found in hotels and Nile boats. The borders between restaurants and cafes are not crystal-clear in the Egyptian capital. In many places it is perfectly acceptable to just have a drink or sheesha. Medium and high-range outlets might have a minimum charge. Cheaper restaurants will normally not serve alcohol as well as some more expensive outlets.

Have a coffee, mint tea or Cola at El Fishawy’s coffee shop in Khan el Khalili. Smoke a Shisha pipe (you simply hire them: try apple tobacco) and watch the world go by. Great cheap entertainment.

When you need a break from city life, try a round of golf on the famous Mena House Golf Course overlooking the Pyramids, watch the horse racing at the Gezira Club or visit the Zoo and the Cairo Botanical Gardens.

Apart from the taxis, buses and metros which are known in all kinds of cities, Cairo has its river bus. Like a bus, it follows specific routes, but on the Nile, not on the road. They are mostly used by the Cairenes and very convenient. Although they don’t go very fast, they don’t suffer from traffic jams. One of the stops is next to the Ramses Hilton. If one of your destinations is along side the Nile, just ask at your hotel whether a river bus goes there.

Sheraton Cairo Hotel, Towers and Casino:
Sheraton Cairo Hotel is located on the west bank of the River Nile, within walking distance of the Opera House, the world famous Egyptian Museum, the city’s shopping district, business centers and major government ministries. The hotel offers breathtaking views of the Nile, the Pyramids of Giza and the Cairo Citadel. Address: 11 El Galaa Sq. Giza Egypt

The Egyptian Museum:
Main entrance of the Egyptian MuseumThe Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, known commonly as the Egyptian Museum, is home to the most extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities in the world. It has 136,000 items on display, with many more hundreds of thousands in its basement storerooms.

Khan El-Khalili:
Khan el-Khalili is for many the most entertaining part of Cairo. It is an ancient shopping area, nothing less, but some of the shops have also their own little factories or workshops. The suq (which is the Arabic name for bazaar, or market) dates back to 1382, when Emir Djaharks el-Khalili built a big caravanserai (or khan) right here. A caravanserai was a sort of hotel for traders, and usually the focal point for economic activity for any surrounding area. This caravanserai is still there, you just ask for the narrow street of Sikka Khan el-Khalili and Badestan.

Old Cairo:
The part of Cairo that contains Coptic Cairo and Fostat, which contains the Coptic Museum, Babylon Fortress ,Hanging Church, the Greek Church of St. George, many other Coptic churches, a Jewish Synogogue and Amr ibn al-’As Mosque.

Cairo Tower:
The Cairo Tower is free-standing concrete TV tower in Cairo. It stands in the Zamalek district on Gezira Island in the River Nile, in the city centre. At 187 metres, it is 43 metres higher than the Great Pyramid of Giza, which stands some 15 km to the southwest.

Felluca: Ride a boat along the Nile river. A great way to relax and enjoy a night under the stars in Cairo. Public boats with loud arabic music and a giggling crowd are also available for 2 EP for 1/2 hour.

Language:
Arabic with an Egyptian dialect, though a significant percentage of the educated population are capable in English, French and/or Italian.

Currency:
Egyptian Pound, as in the rest of Egypt, though US Dollars and Euros are freely exchanged.

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