Experience Cairo

Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world. Greater Cairo is home to more than 20 million people, which makes it the biggest city in Africa and the Middle East and one of the largest cities in the world. Sitting astride the mighty Nile, it is an intoxicating mix of the remnants of ancient Egypt and the modern world, with all the conveniences anyone could wish for.

Cairo has long been the centre of the region's political and cultural life, and it is called "the city of a thousand minarets" for good reason.

The city and the country are not just to be visited but to be experienced. The sights, noises, smells and food let visitors immerse themselves in an experience that is both unique and memorable.

There is a myriad of things to see and do in Cairo, and some of the key places to visit are:

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo in an early twentieth-century stereograph

The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities on Tahrir Square, which traces some 5,000 years of Egyptian history.

The pyramids of Giza seen across the desert

The Giza Necropolis, with the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure, their pyramid complexes and the Great Sphinx.

Lanterns for sale in Khan el-Khalili, Cairo's historic bazaar

Khan el-Khalili, the famous bazaar in the historic centre of Cairo, popular with visitors and Egyptians alike and home to many artisans making traditional crafts and souvenirs.

The Citadel of Cairo and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali above the city

The Citadel of Cairo, or Citadel of Saladin, a medieval Islamic-era fortress built by Salah ad-Din and developed by later Egyptian rulers.

Other interesting sights and places to visit

  • Cave Church (Monastery of Saint Simon)
  • The Red Pyramid at Dahshur, the first successful smooth-sided pyramid
  • Sharia al-Muizz li-Din Allah
  • Camel rides at Giza
  • The Hanging Church
  • Street of the Tentmakers (Sharia Khayamiya)
  • Al-Azhar Park
  • Al-Azhar Mosque
  • Al-Rifai Mosque
  • Baron Empain Palace
  • Coptic Cairo (Old Cairo)
  • Sultan Hassan Mosque
  • Bab Zuweila

The full version, with tips on when to go, is in our Cairo visitor guide.

Experience Egypt

Whilst Cairo is the hub of the country, Egypt offers many other great cities and places to visit. This is just a small taste of what this remarkable country has to offer.

Read more in Luxor, Aswan, Sinai and the Red Sea.

  • Amun temple enclosure at Karnak (Luxor)
  • St Catherine's Monastery (foot of Mount Sinai)
  • Temple of Horus (Edfu)
  • Temple of Seti I (Abydos)
  • Great Temple of Ramesses II (Abu Simbel)
  • Temple of Isis (Philae)
  • Valley of the Kings (Luxor)
  • Ras Mohammed National Park (Sharm el-Sheikh)
  • Diving the wreck of the Thistlegorm (Sharm el-Sheikh)
  • Desert jeep expeditions and quad biking (Hurghada)

Useful Phrases

A few useful phrases to use in Egypt include the following.

Hello

salam / marhaban / ahlan

Yes

aywa (also na'am)

Peace be with you

as-salamu alaykum, the everyday greeting; the reply is wa alaykum as-salam

No

la'

Thank you

shukran

I don't understand

ana mish fahem (said by a man), ana mish fahma (said by a woman)

Please

min fadlak (to a man), min fadlik (to a woman)

How much is this?

bi-kam da?

You're welcome

afwan

It costs too much

da ghali awi

OK

mashi

I want

ana ayez (said by a man), ana ayza (said by a woman); add "mish" for the negative: ana mish ayez (I don't want)

More words and the etiquette that goes with them: useful Egyptian Arabic phrases.

Helpful and General Information

  • The currency of Egypt is the Egyptian pound (EGP)
  • Traffic can be heavy in Cairo, so use taxis, hotel transfers or ride-hailing apps such as Uber and Careem
  • Make sure to try the bread, aish baladi
  • Late summer is hot, with daytime highs often above 30 °C, so pack accordingly
  • Shorts and bare shoulders are fine in tourist areas, but dress respectfully in churches and mosques
  • Bring the right power adaptor: Egypt uses the European two-pin plugs (types C and F)
  • Bring sunscreen, as the sun is harsh, and don't forget a hat
  • Tipping is expected in Egypt (baksheesh means tip)
  • Haggling and bargaining is a must in the markets
  • The casinos in Cairo's big hotels admit foreign passport holders only, so carry your passport for a night at the tables

Photos on this page: Cairo skyline, Nile River, Egypt by Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0; Egyptian views; Cairo (Masr). Museum of Cairo, exterior LOC matpc.01484 by Matson Collection, Library of Congress, Public domain; All Gizah Pyramids by Ricardo Liberato, CC BY-SA 2.0; Khan el-Khalili 2019 by Mohammed Moussa, CC BY-SA 4.0; Cairo, Cairo Citadel, Muhammad Ali Mosque, Egypt by Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.