Cairo is chaos at its most magnificent, infuriating and beautiful. It is a place of physical contrast. Along the well-irrigated shoreline, lush vegetation shares the landscape with tall skyscrapers.
The Pyramids of Giza, near Memphis, stand at the southwestern edge of the metropolis, and an obelisk in the northeast marks the site of Heliopolis, where Plato once studied; modern landmarks of Western-style high-rise hotels and apartment buildings overlook the Nile River. Between these extremes are other architectural monuments, dating from Roman, Arab, and Turkish times. In addition to department stores, cinemas, hotels, and town houses, Cairo contains a large functioning bazaar and an extensive, semi-walled medieval city endowed with more than 400 registered historic monuments—including mosques, mausoleums, and massive stone gates.
Here are the top 8 places to visit in Cairo:
Pyramids of Giza
The last remaining wonder of the ancient world, the extraordinary shape, impeccable geometry and sheer bulk of the Giza Pyramids have invited the obvious questions: ‘How were we built, and why?’.
The Egyptian Museum
One of the world’s most important collections of ancient artefacts, the Egyptian Museum takes pride of place in Downtown Cairo, on the north side of Midan Tahrir.
Museum of Islamic Art
This museum, on the edge of Islamic Cairo, holds one of the world’s finest collections of Islamic art and is Egypt’s most beautifully curated museums.
Al Azhar Mosque
The centerpiece of the newly created Fatimid city, Al Azhar is one of Cairo’s earlier mosques, and its sheikh is considered the highest theological authority for Egyptian Muslims.
Sharia Al Muizz Li Din Allah
Sharia Al Muizz, as it’s usually called, was Cairo’s grand thoroughfare, once chock-a-block with storytellers, entertainers and food stalls. The part of Sharia Al Muizz just north of Khan Al Khalili’s gold district is a reminder of the great palace complexes that flanked the street. Today the great Mamluk complexes provide one of Cairo’s most impressive assemblies of minarets, domes and striped-stone facades.
Coptic Museum
It is a beautiful place, as much for the elaborate woodcarving in all the galleries as for the treasures they contain.
Khan Al Khalili
The skinny lanes of Khan Al Khalili are basically a medieval-style mall. Almost anything can be bought here and if one merchant doesn’t have what you’re looking for, he’ll happily find somebody who does.
Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan
Massive yet elegant, this grand structure is regarded as the finest piece of early Mamluk architecture in Cairo.
Best Period to Visit: The most popular time to visit Cairo, Egypt’s capital, is during winter. Specifically, December through February because the days are warm and sunny without being too hot to handle, while the evenings are cool, breezy, and highly enjoyable.
Climate: In Cairo, and along the Nile River Valley, the climate is a hot desert climate.
Meraki 