Top 10 Things to Do in Cairo

The dusty pink building on Tahrir Square houses the world's greatest collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts, including the golden treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb.

Cairo's great medieval market has been trading since the fourteenth century, its warren of covered alleys selling gold, spices, perfume, shisha pipes, and every kind of souvenir.

Gliding along the Nile at sunset in a traditional wooden felucca sailboat, watching the city's skyline pass in the golden light, is a magical Cairo experience.

The oldest quarter of the city contains a cluster of early Christian churches, including the Hanging Church suspended above an ancient Roman gateway, and Egypt's oldest synagogue.

The medieval fortress crowning the Muqattam hills has guarded Cairo since the twelfth century and houses the stunning Ottoman-era Muhammad Ali Mosque with its soaring alabaster interior.

The historic district around Al-Azhar Mosque and the Fatimid city walls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to a density of medieval Islamic architecture unmatched anywhere.

The world's largest archaeological museum, opened near Giza in 2023, reunites the complete treasures of Tutankhamun for the first time in a building as grand as its contents.

Reclaimed from a medieval rubbish heap, Al-Azhar Park is an unexpected green oasis in Islamic Cairo, offering stunning views of the Citadel and the medieval minarets below.

Egypt's national dish — a comforting mix of rice, lentils, pasta, and spiced tomato sauce — is best eaten at the legendary Abu Tarek restaurant in downtown Cairo.

The dusty pink building on Tahrir Square houses the world's greatest collection of ancient Egyptian artefacts, including the golden treasures of Tutankhamun's tomb.

Cairo's great medieval market has been trading since the fourteenth century, its warren of covered alleys selling gold, spices, perfume, shisha pipes, and every kind of souvenir.

Gliding along the Nile at sunset in a traditional wooden felucca sailboat, watching the city's skyline pass in the golden light, is a magical Cairo experience.

The oldest quarter of the city contains a cluster of early Christian churches, including the Hanging Church suspended above an ancient Roman gateway, and Egypt's oldest synagogue.

The medieval fortress crowning the Muqattam hills has guarded Cairo since the twelfth century and houses the stunning Ottoman-era Muhammad Ali Mosque with its soaring alabaster interior.

The historic district around Al-Azhar Mosque and the Fatimid city walls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and home to a density of medieval Islamic architecture unmatched anywhere.

The world's largest archaeological museum, opened near Giza in 2023, reunites the complete treasures of Tutankhamun for the first time in a building as grand as its contents.

Reclaimed from a medieval rubbish heap, Al-Azhar Park is an unexpected green oasis in Islamic Cairo, offering stunning views of the Citadel and the medieval minarets below.

Egypt's national dish — a comforting mix of rice, lentils, pasta, and spiced tomato sauce — is best eaten at the legendary Abu Tarek restaurant in downtown Cairo.