Cairo is the capitol of Egypt and the largest city in the Middle East. Its tumultuous, buzzing, dusty and caked in exhaust yet somehow also full of spirit and charm. It boasts a population of over 20 million in the metro area and was founded around 969 AD, although civilizations have been in the area for thousands of years.
There are a lot of things to do and see in Egypt but Cairo is the best place to start your journey. You can stay at one of the many hotels around Tahir Square for a very affordable rate and be right in the center of everything.
If you love history and/or museums than the Egyptian Museum is something not to miss. It’s right there in Tahir Square on the bank of the Nile River.
This museum has more artifacts of Ancient Egypt than anywhere in the world. It has over 120,000 items, most of which are on display. Most notably the treasures of King Tut’s tomb, as well as mummies, jewelry and other grave goods.
The ground floor is organized chronologically and has a lot of the larger items like tombs, chariots and statues.
Next make sure to go to Mohammed Ali Mosque. Its huge, beautiful and sits on the summit of the citadel. The views of Cairo from this mosque are worth the trip alone.
The mosque was built between 1830-1848 in the Ottoman style and can be seen from almost anywhere in Cairo. It was the biggest mosque built in the 19th century.
There are many other notable mosques to visit in Cairo but if you only have time for one make sure to visit Al-Hakim Mosque. It is interesting both in the architecture and the history of Sultan Al-Hakim who ruled over it. It has a history of violence and strange behavior with the Sultan thought to be insane.
The most notable part of the mosque architecturally speaking are the minarets which are the earliest surviving minarets of Cairo. Built in 928 AD.
Lastly but certainly not least, no trip to Cairo is complete without a visit to the Pyramids of Giza.
You can take a taxi from Cairo over to Giza and visit the pyramids. Essentially its like traveling back in time. It’s by far the largest and one of best ruins of a former civilization you will be able to find. It’s the last wonder of the ancient world and has been standing for nearly 4000 years. They were originally intended as tombs for the pharaohs but now stand as the definitive symbol of Ancient Egypt. Truly magnificent to behold.
You can enter the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the largest of the pyramids, and climb up to the top where the kings sarcophagus lies. This is a very steep climb up a very narrow path. It is much cooler inside the pyramid than it is in the hot desert, but if you have issues with claustrophobia I wouldn’t recommend the trek.
After Cairo there are many other destinations to consider, such as Luxor, Aswan or somewhere on the Red Sea like Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh or Nuweiba. Egypt has plenty of possibilities.
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