Egypt awaits you with excursions in Cairo, where you can visit its magnificent archaeological treasures and stunning landmarks. This article will guide you through the top 10 trips in Cairo to make your vacation unique and enjoyable.
Cairo is one of the most beautiful Arab capitals. It is filled with attractions and excitement, bustling with life day and night; it’s a city that never sleeps.
Cairo as a World Tourist Destination
Cairo is a global tourist destination regardless of its infrastructure, which welcomes visitors and offers them the opportunity to have a comfortable and wonderful vacation. It is a worldwide tourist destination because it historically was a crossroads for tremendous and essential civilizations. For tourists who love antiquities, the Pharaonic civilization in Giza and other places has left behind gigantic pyramids with labyrinths of royal tombs and unimaginable treasures.
Despite their grandeur and importance, the Giza monuments only encapsulate some of Cairo’s incredible destinations; the great Islamic monuments await tourists.
In this article, we will mention 10 of Cairo’s most prominent tourist destinations while emphasizing that Cairo has dozens of other destinations that tourists should plan to visit if they want to see them all.
List of the Top 10 Tours in Cairo
– Saladin Citadel
The Saladin Citadel is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the heart of Cairo. Saladin built it in the 12th century AD to protect the city from the Crusaders.
The Saladin Citadel, located on top of Mokattam Hill, overlooks Cairo. It was the seat of power in Egypt until the reign of Khedive Ismail, who moved it to Abdeen Palace.
The citadel’s structures include several mosques: the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, the Mosque of Al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qalawun, and the Mosque of Suleiman Pasha Al-Khadem. It also houses several important museums.
– Giza Pyramids
The Giza Pyramids are located on the west bank of the Nile River and are considered part of the geography of the Egyptian capital, Cairo. These pyramids and the Sphinx are among the most important tourist attractions in Egypt and the world. The pyramids are even classified as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. To confirm this, all you have to do is visit them to see the giant stones used to build the pyramids, and their massive size and height will amaze you, leaving you wondering about the tools the ancient Egyptians used thousands of years ago to create these incredible structures.
The pyramids are considered tombs for the Pharaohs of Egypt. Priests buried many treasures along with the mummified bodies of the Pharaohs, as they believed these would be needed in the afterlife. These treasures and bodies were buried in hidden rooms deep within the pyramids, making them difficult to access and thus preserving them from thieves over the ages.
The largest of the Giza pyramids is the Pyramid of Khufu, which stood about 481 feet tall when completed. This pyramid was built between 2589 and 2566 BC. The Pyramid of Khafre stands about 471 feet tall, while the smallest of the three pyramids is the Pyramid of Menkaure, about 218 feet tall.
– Cairo Tower
The Cairo Tower was completed in 1961, and it carries historical symbolism dating back to the 1950s when the Egyptian nation was rising under the new political revolution that led the government from that time onwards. This tower symbolizes Egyptian society, its engineering capabilities, its resilience in facing challenges, and its stance against its enemies.
When it was built, the Cairo Tower was considered the tallest structure in Africa. To this day, it remains the tallest tower in North Africa, standing at 187 meters tall with 16 floors.
The Cairo Tower is significant because of its spectacular view of the Nile River, the Saladin Citadel, Abdeen Palace, and other essential landmarks in Cairo. The tower features a revolving restaurant and a cafeteria, allowing visitors to enjoy their meals with panoramic and dynamic city views. The tower has mosaic murals featuring landmarks from around the world.
– Khan El Khalili District
Khan El Khalili District is one of Cairo’s most prominent tourist attractions. It is known for its markets, traditional shops, and old restaurants, drawing hundreds of tourists daily.
Khan El Khalili is 600 years old and retains its architecture from the Mamluk era. It contains shops that have been operating for 200 years, including the famous El Fishawy Café. The renowned writer Naguib Mahfouz was one of the most famous visitors to this café in the past.
Tourists can engage in many Khan El Khalili District activities, such as unique shopping. The markets in this district include clothing stores, carpet shops, perfume shops, handmade crafts, jewelry, household items, spices, and sweets. Additionally, you can visit this area’s most important restaurants and cafés to enjoy local meals and Arabic cuisine. Several hotels are nearby, where tourists can stay and walk to the Khan El Khalili market.
– Abdeen Palace
Abdeen Palace is an architectural masterpiece and a landmark that bears witness to many events in Egypt’s history since the second half of the 19th century. This palace was built in 1863 and is located in the center of Cairo. Khedive Ismail established it. The palace contains 500 rooms and a library with 55,000 books. It also houses King Farouk’s office and many halls and wings. The palace is home to valuable artifacts, statues, and priceless items.
– The Egyptian Museum
The Egyptian Museum is located in Cairo and is considered the oldest museum in the Middle East. It has an enormous collection of artifacts totaling 170,000 pieces. The most significant of the museum’s holdings are relics from the Pharaonic civilization. It also contains artifacts from the Greek and Roman eras.
– The Cairo Opera House
The Cairo Opera House is an incredible tourist destination and one of the most essential institutions presenting arts and creative performances. It was inaugurated in 1988 as a replacement for the opera house built by Khedive Ismail, which burned down in 1971.
As a tourist, you can attend the performances held at the opera house and book tickets during your vacation in Egypt.
– Al-Azhar Park
Al-Azhar Park covers an area of 80 acres, making it one of the largest parks in Cairo. It is also one of the most beautiful green spaces in the capital and serves as an essential environmental and social retreat. This stunning park was opened to visitors in 2005. The park’s design combines the beauty of nature with the preservation of old architectural monuments that reflect the ancient Islamic periods that passed through Egypt. The park features shaded seating areas, water channels, fountains, several cafés at its entrance, playgrounds, walking paths, and leisure areas.
– Al-Muizz Street
Al-Muizz Street in Cairo is named after the Fatimid Caliph Al-Muizz li-Din Allah, who died in 975 AD. This street is considered the world’s most influential Islamic archaeological site and was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List 1979. In addition to the historical monuments, the street is lined with markets and shops that give the place an exceptional vibrancy.
– The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
This complex museum showcases the various civilizations that have passed through Egypt. The museum houses a diverse collection of artifacts representing prehistoric times and also includes relics from the Greek, Roman, Coptic, Islamic, and modern eras. The museum features a mummy hall and an Egyptian textile gallery.