Cairo: The City of a Thousand Minarets

Cairo, the present day capital of the nation state of Egypt, is one of the oldest cities in the world. Situated along the banks of the River Nile, Cairo is also the most populous metropolitan area in Africa. Cairo is home to the oldest and the largest film and music industry in the Arab World, and is also referred to as the region’s Hollywood. Steeped in history, Cairo is also home to some of the most ancient structures in the written history of mankind, the city is popularly known as the "City of a Thousand Minarets". Needless to say, the most famous of all Cairo tourist attractions are but of course the magnificent Pyramids of Giza, which are the also primary reason why Cairo is known as the Land of the Pharaohs.

Places to Visit in Cairo

Cairo offers perhaps one of the highest concentrations of historically significant buildings and attractions in the world. Some of Egypt’s best tourist attractions, both natural and man-made, both ancient and modern, are located in or around Cairo. Other than the absolutely magnificent Pyramids of Giza some of the more prominent Cairo tourist sights include:

• The Sphinx and Heliopolis
• Hanging Church
• Virgin Mary’s Tree
• Saladin’s Citadel
• Mosque of Amr ibn al-A’as
• Saqqara
• Al-Azhar
• Cairo Tower
• Old City

Cairo- Travel tips, languages spoken, cuisine

Cairo is very safe for tourists, nevertheless, it is advisable that certain rather necessary precautions be taken including avoiding certain areas after dark, keeping valuables out of sight, etc. Off late, however, Cairo has witnessed multiple terrorist attacks on tourists. Cairo is beautiful and the city is full of hidden alleys and walkways that can rightfully be confused with time warps. The city’s eclectic mix of history and architecture is simply seen to be believed. Besides having some of the best avenues and buildings in the world, Cairo also boasts a very vibrant and active street scene. The city is home to a multitude of restaurants, cafes, etc. People in Cairo are a little conservative, and one is advised to dress accordingly.

English is widely spoken in Cairo along with Egyptian Arabian, Sa’idi Arabic, Bedouin Arabic and Sudanese Arabic. The local currency is Egyptian pound (EGP). The local cuisine is rich and has its own unique and distinct flavour. What’s more, it freely is available at very affordable prices. Cairo has a large number of eateries catering to all types of cuisines and suited to all types of budgets; it is also home to some of the country’s best and most prolific restaurants.

Best time to visit

The best time to visit Cairo is from mid-October to May.

Best way to reach Cairo

• By Air: Cairo is one of the region’s most important travel hubs, and is connected to most major destinations in the world via regular flights.
• By Rail: Cairo is one of the major railway stations on the Egyptian rail network, and forms the terminating or originating point for many express and inter-city trains in the country. Cairo also has a well-developed rail-based mass rapid transit system.
• By Road: Cairo is well connected to all national and regional destinations and popular attractions. Further, Cairo is also one of the centres of Egypt’s road transport system and as such offers comfortable transport options for almost all of the nearby Egypt attractions. The road network within the city is rather excellent; nevertheless, the traffic is quite chaotic.

Accommodation

The Cairo accommodation scene is very active and wide enough to cater to all budgets and needs. Cairo is home of some of the finest hotels in the continent. Further, many local and international tour operators offer Cairo vacation package tours. These tours cover most of the Cairo tourist destinations, but do not carry the element of risk and adventure that going solo does. One might even miss out on the many hidden attractions and surprises Cairo may hold.