By air
Cairo International (CAI), ~20 km; Sphinx International (SPX) near Giza
Africa · Egypt
Cairo, Egypt
Pyramids, bazaars and the Nile
Getting there
Best time to visit
October to April — warm, not scorching
Don't miss
The Pyramids of Giza
The Grand Egyptian Museum
Islamic Cairo
The Citadel
Things to do
The Pyramids and the Sphinx
The Grand Egyptian Museum
Khan el-Khalili
A felucca on the Nile
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: KennyOMG · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Modest clothing, sun protection, a scarf for the mosques
A quieter corner
Al-Azhar Park at sunset
Questions travellers ask
When should I visit Cairo?
October to April, when it's warm but not scorching. Pack modest clothing, sun protection and a scarf for the mosques.
What are Cairo's must-see sights?
The Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, the Grand Egyptian Museum, Islamic Cairo and the Citadel. Add Khan el-Khalili, a felucca on the Nile and Al-Azhar Park at sunset.
What local dishes should I try in Cairo?
Koshari, ful medames and ta'ameya, the local falafel.
Which airports serve Cairo?
Cairo International (CAI), about 20 km away, and Sphinx International (SPX), near Giza.
About Cairo
- Riverside
- Desert
Where it is
Cairo is the capital and largest city of Egypt, on the banks and islands of the Nile just south of where the river fans out into its delta, with the pyramids of Giza on the desert edge to the west.
History
The Fatimids founded Cairo in 969 beside the older town of Fustat, not far from the ancient capital of Memphis, and under the Mamluks it became one of the greatest cities of the Islamic world. It was ruled by the Ottomans from 1517, and in the 19th century Khedive Ismail laid out a new European-style downtown. Today it is the largest city in the Arab world and one of the largest in Africa.
People
Cairenes speak Egyptian Arabic, understood across most of the Arab world thanks to Cairo's film and music industries, and the city is home to Muslim and Coptic Christian communities. Street foods such as koshari, ful medames and taameya, Egypt's fava-bean falafel, are eaten all day.
Known for
- The Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx
- The Grand Egyptian Museum
- Islamic Cairo and the Khan el-Khalili bazaar
- The Citadel of Saladin
- Felucca sails on the Nile
Did you know?
Al-Azhar in Cairo, founded by the Fatimids in the 10th century, is one of the oldest continuously operating universities in the world.
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