Cairo and Giza: a first-timer's guide to Egypt's capital

Why visit Cairo

No other city holds so much history in one place. The Pyramids of Giza are the last survivor of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Grand Egyptian Museum now shows the complete Tutankhamun collection, and the medieval streets of Islamic Cairo are a UNESCO World Heritage Site packed with mosques, madrasas and caravanserais. Between the sights is a city of tea houses, felafel stands and late night walks by the Nile.

Neighbourhoods to know

• **Downtown:** the belle époque centre around Tahrir Square, with the old Egyptian Museum, cheap hotels and lively cafés.
• **Zamalek:** a leafy island in the Nile with embassies, galleries, good restaurants and calm streets. A gentle base for first-timers.
• **Garden City:** quiet streets and big riverside hotels just south of Downtown.
• **Islamic Cairo:** Al Muizz Street, Khan el Khalili and Al Azhar, best explored on foot by day and again at dusk.
• **Coptic Cairo:** the old Christian quarter with the Hanging Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue and the Coptic Museum.
• **Giza:** the Pyramids plateau and the Grand Egyptian Museum, with hotels looking straight at the Pyramids.
• **Maadi and New Cairo:** green, residential suburbs popular with expatriates and returning families.

Things to do

Spend a morning on the Giza plateau, arriving at opening time to beat heat and crowds, and walk down to the Sphinx. Give the Grand Egyptian Museum most of a day. Ride south to Saqqara for the Step Pyramid of Djoser and on to Dahshur for the Bent and Red Pyramids, where you may have a pyramid almost to yourself. In the city, walk Al Muizz Street, climb the minaret of Al Azhar or Bab Zuweila, visit the Citadel and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, and lose an evening in Khan el Khalili with mint tea at El Fishawy. The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization holds the Royal Mummies. At sunset, take a felucca on the Nile or watch the city glow from Al Azhar Park.

Food and drink

Cairo eats koshari, a filling bowl of rice, lentils, pasta and spicy tomato sauce, at every hour. Try ful and taameya, the Egyptian felafel made with fava beans, for breakfast, feteer pastry, grilled kofta and hawawshi stuffed bread. Zamalek and Downtown have stylish restaurants, and Nile boats offer dinner on the water. Alcohol is served in hotels and some bars, but many local places are dry.

Getting around

Traffic is heavy, so plan by area and time of day. Uber and Careem are widely used and remove the need to haggle. The metro is cheap, fast and has women only carriages. For Giza, Saqqara and Dahshur, most visitors book a driver through their hotel or a licensed tour. Cairo International Airport serves most flights; Sphinx International, near Giza, handles some low cost routes.

Safety and comfort

Cairo is generally safe for visitors, but persistent touts work around the Pyramids, especially camel and horse handlers. Agree any ride clearly first, or decline politely and keep walking. Dress modestly, carry small notes, and cross roads with locals. Check your government's travel advice before you go.

When to go

October to April brings warm days and cool evenings, ideal for walking the old city and the Pyramids. Summer is very hot and dusty, so start early and rest at midday.