Cairo

Cairo is the capital of Egypt and is one of the largest cities in both Africa and the Middle East. It is also the 13th largest city in the world. Situated on the River Nile, Cairo is famous for its own history, preserved in the fabulous medieval Islamic city and in Old Cairo, and for the ancient, Pharaonic history of the country it represents. No trip to Cairo would be complete, for example, without a visit to the Giza Pyramids, to nearby Saqqara, or to the Egyptian Museum in the centre of town. Though firmly attached to the past, Cairo is also home to a vibrant modern society.

The Main Districts of Cairo

Midan Tahrir

Midan Tahrir, also commonly known as Tahrir Square is the name given to the large public square at the epicentre of modern Cairo and, as a city district, to the streets and institutions located nearby. The Egyptian Museum, the American University in Cairo, the Arab League and the Hilton and Intercontinental Hotels are all located within this district, as are several important government offices (including those for the renewal of visas, etc.) The Cairo Metro also has its main nexus under Midan Tahrir, and a great many buses and taxes make Tahrir Square a key part of their services.

Downtown Cairo

Downtown Cairo is the commercial heart of the modern city of Cairo, located to the east and north-east of Midan Tahrir (Tahrir Square). As such, although lacking in obvious tourist "attractions", Downtown is nonetheless the convenient location of many smaller hotels, retail outlets, travel agencies and restaurants that would be of interest to the traveller. The district's central location makes it, together with Midan Tahrir, a natural "jumping off point" for exploration of the city.

Midan Ramses

Midan Ramses is the name of the large square fronting Cairo's main railway station (Ramses Station - Mahattat Ramses) and the district of streets and neighbourhoods surrounding it, located immediately north of the very centre of the modern city at Midan Tahrir. Not the most attractive part of modern Cairo, Midan Ramses is notorious for swirling, raucous traffic, massive overpasses and crowds at peak hour. Despite all this, the district does have some saving graces to offer the traveller.

Islamic Cairo

Islamic Cairo is the name commonly given to the core of medieval Cairo, a part of the city remarkably different from the modern Downtown district and the suburbs to the west.

Old Cairo

Old Cairo is the name given to the extensive district of southern Cairo from the southern boundary of Garden City down to the precinct commonly known as Coptic Cairo.

Gezira

Gezira is a district of modern Cairo that occupies the southern portion of the main island in the Nile within Cairo itself. Gezira shares the island with the relatively affluent district of Zamalek to the north.

Zamalek

Zamalek is a relatively affluent and pseudo-European residential district of the Egyptian capital Cairo that occupies the northern half of the island of Gezira, the large Nile river island located in the heart of the Cairo metropolis. (The district of Gezira occupies the southern half the island). While not noted for obvious tourist attractions, Zamalek does represent a good place to stay and a good place to eat while in Cairo.

Giza

Giza is an important western district of the Egyptian capital Cairo, a city in its own right, but for a long time now absorbed as part of the heavily-populated and sprawling Cairo metropolis. Giza is best known as that part of Cairo closest to the world-famous Pyramids of Giza, situated high on the desert plateau immediately to the west of the urban district, itself located in the valley and centred around the Pyramids Road, linking central Cairo with the ancient wonders. One of the premier attractions of Egypt, the Pyramids of Giza represent the archetypal pyramid structures of ancient Egyptian civilisation and, together with the Sphinx at the base of the Giza plateau, the iconic image of Egypt Gizeh in the minds of people worldwide.

What to See and do When in Cairo

Central courtyard of Sultan Hassan mosque

Pyramids of Giza. The only remaining monuments of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, it is the country's most famous touristic attraction and the icon that is most associated with Egypt.

Egyptian Museum. The world's premier collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts.

Saqqara.

Memphis.

Citadel. A grand castle built by Mohamed Ali.

Al-Azhar Mosque. One of the pillars of Islamic thought and home to the world's oldest university.

The Coptic Museum.

the "Hanging Church" (Church of the Virgin Mary).

the Al Rifai & Sultan Hassan mosques (19th C & highly decorated: 14th C & beautifully austere)