There's a unique blend of Islamic, Coptic, and ancient Egyptian history in Cairo, leaving visitors with a plethora of options to explore every day. The Egyptian Museum is renowned for showcasing the best of Egypt's ancient artifacts.
In addition, Cairo is often considered the cultural capital of the Arab Middle East. With its massive bazaar, notable mosques, and historically important film industry, the city's vibrant culture is on full display.
This sprawling city is a paradise for history and culture lovers. Must-sees include the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, the Great Sphinx, and Pyramids of Giza. Plus, the Nile River.
One of the biggest things that attracts millions of tourists to Cairo are the pyramids. No trip to Cairo is complete without a stop at one of the many pyramids that are found scattered across the Egyptian desert.
Cairo Travel Guide: 18 BEST Things to do in Cairo, Egypt
Why is Cairo a tourist attraction?
One of the biggest things that attracts millions of tourists to Cairo are the pyramids. No trip to Cairo is complete without a stop at one of the many pyramids that are found scattered across the Egyptian desert.
Egypt is also home to the largest number of bn'aires on the continent, with seven of the continent's 21 included in the group's report. Most of these bn'aires (four) live in Cairo, which ranks as the third-richest city on the continent and holds some USD 128 bn (c. 42%) of the country's private wealth.
Egyptians often refer to Cairo as Maṣr ( IPA: [mɑsˤɾ]; مَصر), the Egyptian Arabic name for Egypt itself, emphasizing the city's importance for the country.
Cairo has long been a center of the region's political and cultural life, and is nicknamed "the city of a thousand minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture.
First it was named Al-Mansuriyyah then it was changed to be Al-Qahira "Cairo" after the conqueror Planet "Mars" as it is known among the historians. Cairo is known by many names such as "City of a thousand minarets" because of the abundance of the mosques in it and also "Qahirat El-Mo'ez".
1. Koshary. Koshary is a national dish and one of Cairo's most famous street foods. It has a base of rice and macaroni and is mixed with lentils or chickpeas.
Often referred to as the cradle of civilization, Cairo is as vibrant and beautiful as it is overwhelming. It's one of the most densely populated cities in Africa and is famous for some of the most treasured history and culture in the world.
The necropolis that makes up "the City of the Dead" has been developed over many centuries and contains both the graves of Cairo's common population as well as the elaborate mausoleums of many of its historical rulers and elites.
Cairo was so named because its site was thought to resemble that of the Egyptian city (see Cairo), and southern Illinois consequently became known as Little Egypt. Cairo and the Bank of Cairo were chartered in 1818, when there was no settlement and there were no depositors.
In the ancient Egyptian language, the name would have been Pr H'p[y] m 'lwnw (the House of Hapi in On). The name sounded like "Per-hapi-en-on," which could have easily been corrupted to "Babylon" by its Greek speaking Jewish and Christian residents later on.
To the ancient Egyptians themselves, their country was simply known as Kemet, which means 'Black Land', so named for the rich, dark soil along the Nile River where the first settlements began.
The capital of Egypt – and the country as a whole – is a great destination for travelers on a budget, with reasonable prices for accommodation (even high-end properties if you time it right), food and activities.
Egypt is nearly crime-free. Most crime is petty theft, with little violent crime. Still, you need to keep alert when walking through densely populated areas of Cairo or Alexandria, just as you would in other large urban areas around the world.
Adopting the conservative dress code will hopefully deflect unwanted attention from the Egyptian men, which for most women is desirable. Basic clothes could include loose linen/cotton trousers or a below knee skirt and sleeved blouse. (If you're planning to ride a camel, a skirt is not a good idea.)
Cairo has walkable areas, but is not typically a walkable city. Sidewalks are not consistent throughout the city and can often land you walking in the street, even in suburban areas such as New Cairo City.
Most Cairo slums resulted from explosive post-World War II population growth. But it wasn't until the mid 1960s that slums really started to appear, with little official resistance to informal and clearly illegal subdivision and construction on the agricultural lands at the urban fringes.
The rich spiritual and religious history of Cairo adds an extra dimension to a visit to Egypt, where ancient sites and thriving communities continue to draw modern-day visitors.
