The Top-Notch 10 Best Places to Visit in Cairo, Egypt!

One of the largest metropolises on earth is Cairo. Cairo is one of the best cities in the world for historical sightseeing, but there is much more to do in Cairo than just visiting mosques and museums.

Cairo tends to be a city that tourists love and loathe in equal measure since it is both stunning and rich in historic splendor as well as confusing and an assault on your senses for first-time visitors.

The capital of Egypt has a lot to offer those who can look past its issues, despite the fact that it can be challenging to traverse due to its sheer volume of noise, pollution, and traffic on your first visit.

Best Places to Visit in Cairo

Make use of our list of the best Cairo attractions to help you focus your trip and schedule your time.

1. Admire the Giza Pyramids

The most popular half-day excursion in Cairo and the top item on everyone’s schedule are the Pyramids of Giza.

These burial temples from the fourth dynasty are one of Egypt’s top attractions and are located on the Giza Plateau, right on the edge of the city.

2. Visit the Egyptian Museum, Cairo

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo is one of the greatest museums in the world because of the extremely astounding collection of artifacts on show there. A lifetime is required to view everything on display in its entirety.

The museum was founded in 1857 by French Egyptologist August Mariette and moved to its current home – in the distinctive powder-pink mansion in Downtown Cairo – in 1897.

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Due to space restrictions, the collection is unsatisfactorily labeled and inadequately organized (just a small portion of its entire holdings are actually on exhibit).

3. Marvel at the Al-Azhar Mosque

Al-Azhar Mosque is the finest building of Cairo’s Fatimid era and one of the city’s earliest surviving mosques, completed in 972 CE.

It’s also one of the world’s oldest universities – Caliph El-Aziz bestowed it with the status of university in 988 CE (the other university vying for “oldest” status is in Fes) and today, Al-Azhar University is still the leading theological center of the Islamic world.

The Gate of the Barbers, next to the neo-Arab facade constructed by Abbas II, is the building’s principal entrance.

This small church-filled cluster of twisty laneways lies within the walls of Old Babylon, where the Roman Emperor Trajan first built a fortress along the Nile.

4. Learn about Coptic history at Coptic Cairo

The Coptic Museum in this city houses one of Egypt’s best collections of Coptic art and is a source of knowledge on early Christian Egypt.

Next door, the 9th-century Hanging Church contains some beautiful examples of Coptic architecture. Founded in the 4th century, the church was originally built over the Roman gate towers (hence the name) and was substantially rebuilt during the 9th century.

5. Take some time to explore Saqqara and Dahshur

The vast necropolis of Saqqara and the nearby site of Dahshur are home to the “other pyramids,” and a day trip out here is just as rewarding as a trip to Giza’s pyramids. The sites are roughly 30 kilometers south of Cairo.

The Step Pyramid is Saqqara’s most popular tourist attraction, but the entire area is littered with gorgeously painted tombs, which are well worth spending a few hours exploring.

Of particular note, don’t miss the Serapeum, where the mummies of the sacred Apis bulls were interred, and the Mastaba of Ti, with its colorful and highly detailed painted walls. Saqqara is so large, and its history as a burial site so vast, that excavations here continue to unearth finds that make headline-grabbing news worldwide.

6. Visit NMEC to see the Royal Mummies

The National Museum of Egyptian Civilizations (NMEC) is devoted to conveying the complete story of Egypt’s human history under one roof, in contrast to many of Cairo’s other prominent museums, which all focus their displays on one particular era.

In 2017, the museum opened in part, and since then, its collection has been gradually expanded. In April 2020, the Royal Mummies Collection moved into this location and became the center of attention.

The most famous Pharaonic mummies from Egypt are currently on display here, however, the museum’s entire collection is still far from complete.

7. Shop around Khan el-Khalili Maze

One of the best places in the world to shop is Khan el-Khalili. This souq (bazaar), a maze-like network of narrow alleyways built as a commercial area in 1400 CE, is still alive with the clanging of silversmiths and metalworkers.

Divert off the main thoroughfare into the surrounding alleyways, and the small shops and cluttered workshops are some of the best places to visit if you’re looking to buy traditional products from Egypt. The main streets have long since completely given themselves over to the tourist trade (with plenty of cheap papyrus pictures and plastic pyramids on display).

8. Visit the Citadel for city views

Saladin constructed Cairo’s citadel in 1176, giving it a commanding position at the base of the Mokattam Hills.

With the exception of the eastern exterior walls, the original edifice he designed has long since vanished, although subsequent monarchs have added their own features.

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The most well-known structure and primary draw is the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. One of Cairo’s most famous buildings is the “Alabaster Mosque,” so named for its white stone and towering, abnormally slender minarets.

9. Tour the Sultan Hassan Mosque to see the Mamluk architecture

Sultan Hassan Mosque, one of the best Mamluk architectural examples in the world, is a masterpiece of Islamic workmanship with a wealth of stalactite detailing and exquisite arabesque motifs.

It was constructed for Sultan Hassan el-Nasir between 1356 and 1363. The south corner’s minaret is Cairo’s tallest at 81.5 meters, and the large main gateway at the north corner is over 26 meters high.

The main entrance opens into a domed vestibule, which is followed by a tiny antechamber and a corridor that leads to the elaborate open court that is built around a toilet fountain.

10. Go to the Islamic Art Museum

One of the most significant collections of Middle Eastern art in the world is housed in Cairo’s Museum of Islamic Art. This museum had to close its doors to the public for years due to the severe damage caused by a car bomb attack in 2014, but it has since reopened.

The exhibit includes, among other things, Ayyubid ceramics, paintings, finely patterned wood inlay, coins, sculpted marble tombstones, and jewel-toned carpets. Spend some time looking at the lit Qurans and the displays of ornately decorative pottery, glass, and metal objects.

Conclusion

Cairo is the finest city to visit in Egypt to see contemporary Egyptian street life since it is vibrant and alive. Without a stopover in the Arab metropolis known as Umm al-Dunya (The Mother of the World), no vacation to Egypt is complete.

The Giza Pyramids, which are right outside the city, are the main draw for visitors, but the city itself is teeming with significant structures that date back hundreds of years.

Official Portal

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