Founded in the 7th Century AD, Giza lies between the ancient cities of Heliopolis and Memphis and contains some of the world’s most significant ancient civilisations on the Giza plateau including the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx. Don’t miss a sound and light show when the great monuments are brought to life by a dazzling multimedia display. Beyond the pyramids, make time to visit the Valley of the Whales, an open-air museum of impressive fossils and the tranquil gardens and tapestries of the Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Centre.
Nasr City, Cairo’s largest neighbourhood, is handy for the airport – you’ll often hear planes flying overhead. The multicultural 10th District is home to many immigrant populations covering Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, China, Malaysia and even the United States. Look out for the colourful street art around the road from Masjid al Salaam in the 8th subdistrict and the Unknown Soldier Memorial, which honours servicemen who lost their lives in the 1973 October War and is where the assassinated President Sadat is buried.
Twenty miles west of downtown Cairo lies 6th of October City, a sprawling green suburb alive with cultural and culinary possibilities. Don’t miss the city’s many dining plazas for gourmet food and coffee. Swing by 30 North for a Nutella Cappuccino and frequent the hipsterfied food trucks on Capital Promenade, while the upmarket Arkan Plaza offers up Olivo Pizzeria and Ovio, which is probably the city’s most popular brunch destination.
The chaotic heart of the city is its downtown area, modelled on the boulevards of Paris, where many of Cairo’s best hotels can be found. The main thoroughfare through Downtown is Talaat Harb Street, winding north east from Midan Tahrir (Tahrir Square). The streets leading off from here are a jumble of travel agents, banks, shoe and clothing stores, malls, fast food stalls, juice bars and cafes. The main landmark is the Egyptian Museum, soon to be surpassed by its billion-dollar counterpart in Giza, but there are several cool contemporary art galleries including the Townhouse Gallery and the Mashrabia Gallery.