Most travelers to Egypt begin their journey in Cairo, which is a huge, historic, and ancient metropolis. Cairo is where you will receive the most authentic experience of Egyptian street life due to its lively atmosphere. You can easily reach Sharjah to Cairo by booking the flight.
So, this list of Cairo’s greatest attractions will help you plan your trip.
1. The Pyramids of Giza
The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt is the only ancient wonder of its kind that still stands today. The Giza Plateau is home to some of the world’s most famous landmarks, including this pyramid.
At least two hours is required for a visit here. The Great Pyramid, the Great Sphinx, the panoramic perspectives of the pyramids, the Solar Boat, and if you’d like, a camel ride are just few of the things you may do while in Egypt.
2. Gold Museum
Among the world’s biggest collections of Egyptian antiquities is the Egyptian Museum. The gold mask and sarcophagi of Tutankhamun, the chamber of the Royal Mummies, and the astounding array of sculptures, jewels, and artifacts are just a few of the highlights of a trip to the tomb.
The average length of time spent here is two hours. In Cairo’s Tahrir Square, you’ll find the Egyptian Museum. For transportation, we suggest hiring a driver and guide, but other options include Uber, taxis, and the bus. The distance between the Giza Plateau and the Egyptian Museum is around 30 minutes.
3. Islamic Cairo
Islamabad is the core of Cairo’s history. The Islamic world’s biggest collection of historic architecture may be found in this location. Many mosques, madrassas, fortresses, and tombs date back to the Islamic period of Egypt (639 to the early 16th century), making Cairo one of the world’s oldest Islamic towns.
1979 saw the designation of the city of Islamic Cairo as a World Cultural Heritage Site by the United Nations.
There is a plethora of things to do and see in Islamic Cairo. Located in the city center, it’s a sizable area. Just viewing the attractions is enough for most tourists to Islamic Cairo, which has a labyrinthine network of streets.
4. Mosque of Muhammad al-Ali
Ali, widely considered as the father of modern Egypt, is entombed in the mosque’s courtyard in a white marble tomb.
The Citadel of Saladin, Cairo’s greatest mosque of the 19th century, was built between 1830 and 1848 and is the city’s most prominent mosque.
The 51-meter-high central dome of the expansive Ottoman-style edifice is 21 meters in circumference and is made of limestone and alabaster.
Several tiny stained-glass windows and gold-plated globe lights embellish the interior, which is flanked by four semi-circular domes and four smaller corners.
5. The Pyramids of Saqqara
This seven-by-1.5-kilometer tract, approximately 30 kilometres south of Cairo, served as the ancient Egyptian capital’s burial ground.
In addition to the well-known Step Pyramid of Djoser, there are countless more pyramids and smaller burial sites to be found here.
There are six flights of stairs leading up to a 62-meter summit of an ancient pyramid from the 27th century BC. For the next 40 years, it was the world’s tallest building.
Archaeological evidence suggests that this is the first known example of large-scale cut stone building. An nearly 6-kilometer-long network of tunnels and chambers is located under the Pyramid, all spiraling around a single shaft.
6. Khan El-Khalili Market
When Emir Djaharks El-Khalili established a huge wayside inn on the location in 1382, it served as a resting place for tired travelers. To the west of Midan El Hussien plaza, the El-Khalili district is now the beating centre of Islamic Cairo.
Vending stalls selling spices, food, lamps, jewellery made of gold, silver, and copper, as well as souvenirs, may be expected. If you want to get a good deal, you’ll have to haggle. As a general guideline, don’t spend more than half of the original asking price.
Many of the El-tea Khalili’s and coffee establishments provide fruit-flavoured shisha as an additional appeal. Most notable is the café Fishawi, which is near Gamal El Sawy and claims to have been operational for the past 200 years!
7. Al-Azhar Park
The quiet Al-Azhar Park, which was built on the site of a garbage dump and inaugurated in 2005, offers a respite from Cairo’s pollution and noise.
An orchard, a children’s playground, and a sunken feature are all part of the 1 kilometre-long garden that follows traditional Islamic geometric design principles. There are a total of 325 distinct plant species, all well identified.
On a clear day, the Citadel and the Mohamed Ali Mosque may be seen well from the Park’s highest point (especially at night, when many monuments are illuminated).
8. Coptic Museum
Coptic art from Egypt’s earliest Christian era to the early Islamic period is on display in this 1908-founded museum. It’s a stunning location, both for the intricate woodcarvings throughout and for the priceless artifacts that may be found there. These include Ptolemaic-style sculpture, elaborate fabrics, and whole monastery walls covered in murals.
The Nag Hammadi manuscripts, the key source for Gnosticism, and the oldest book of psalms in the world, the Psalms of David, with two original wooden covers, may be found upstairs in two spacious chambers.
9. Manial Palace
While it was closed to the public for many years for repair, Prince Mohammed Ali’s early 20th century palace complex has reopened as an unique museum once the renovation was completed. There is an interesting mix of Ottoman and Moorish styles with Persian and European rocco architecture in the interiors and grounds. The Prince’s collection of rare tropical plants is still kept private from the public.
There are great rooms for welcoming visitors in the Reception Palace, which is where you enter the grounds. The Reception Palace is richly furnished with tiles, chandeliers, and intricately carved ceilings. If you’re at the Residential Palace, stop into the Blue Salon, where worn leather couches front a wall covered in blue faience tiles and Orientalist oil paintings.
