Known for the famous Giza pyramid complex along with the ancient city of Memphis, Cairo is a city which is one of the largest in Africa and also the largest in the Middle East. The capital of Egypt has long been a center of the regions political and cultural life. It is also known as ‘the city with a thousand minarets’ because it is filled with Islamic architecture which just takes anyone’s breath away with the attention to detail paid. Home to the Al-Azhar University which is the world’s second-oldest institution of higher learning, this city also keeps its eye on the future by allowing major international businesses and media to call it their headquarters. Cairo is a city which can’t be read on, it can just be felt.
How to reach there? It must be on your mind, the answer is through the Cairo International Airport which serves as the primary hub of many airlines. It serves many domestic and international flights so booking tickets for Dubai to Cairo flights, Ghana to Cairo flights, Cape Town to Cairo flights shouldn’t be an issue at all.
But now that you are here, there are some must see and experience things in the city like:
- Get a bird’s eye view from the Citadel: Visiting the Citadel is a must because for once it is a vehicle (mostly cars) free town and it offers a great panoramic view over the city. If you are lucky and get up there on a clear day then you can get a view which will soar up to the pyramids.
- Pay a visit the twin minarets: Muhammad Ali Mosque and Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qala’un Mosque are the most striking features of the citadel. Its carpeted interior and elegant alabaster-covered courtyard look amazing when lit up with light bulbs suspended from the ceiling.
- Take a break at Al-Azhar Park: The landscaped gardens, flower beds and water features, all come together to create an atmosphere of ancient Islamic gardens, also known as paradises. So if you feeling sluggish from the traffic and crowds then this is the route to take for a break.
- Lose yourself in the chaos of Islamic Cairo: This UNESCO-listed district provides the picturesque Cairo one sees in Hollywood movies- narrow streets, mosques closely packed next to one another, madrasas and more institutions coexisting with open-air markets and storefronts. Don’t bother with maps because they are useless here. Our advice? Just follow whatever you want and you will find a treasure trove waiting to be discovered.
- Climb Bab Zuwayla Minaret: Situated right next to the Bab Zuwayla Minaret, here you will again get to experience a bird’s eye view of Islamic Cairo.
- Tour the kaleidoscopic Khan el Khalili: This large open-air market is where deals are made daily and of every kind. Here you will find antiques, lamps, vases, papyrus, perfumes, silverware, clothes, scarves and more. But be ready to bargain hard to pay an inflated price.
Cairo feels like it still breathes in a world gone by, its heady otherworldly aura is what pulls you in and never lets you go.