7 Things to Do to Thrive in Cairo

1-Visit the Egyptian Museum

Learn about Egypt’s history, see some mummies, and old Egyptian artifacts. Beware that foreigners and Egyptians have very different prices for tourist attractions. If you’re an Arab and have a proper ID, you can pay Egyptian prices thankfully, just remember to ask and have a proper ID to bring with you. I also recommend getting a guide on Airbnb to guide you throughout it.

2- Visit Old Coptic Cairo

You can enter the Coptic museum which looks very small as you first enter, but is quite big to navigate. Nearby there is the Hanging Church and overall these two places provide a nice bit of a religious background as Christianity was the main and most dominant religion in Egypt previously, though little know this.

3- Visit the Baron Palace

This is a nice morning trip you can do with a friend or alone. There you can see nice views on the terrace above, it is worth the extra cost for the terrace ticket as well. This is a charming Hindu-style monument in the unlikeliest of places.

4- Pyramids of Giza

This is a must day trip you can do. Go by car if you can as the place is really big, and parking and moving around is done easily. Only follow directions from police officers, as chances are everybody else will try to scam you and take you places you don’t want to go. Beware of camel/donkey/horsey scamming prices especially if you’re a foreigner. Unfortunately, you might get taken advantage of in this place, so make sure you confirm upfront about all prices before mounting any wild yet beautiful creature to help you navigate this ancient architectural miracle.

5- Shop Until You Eat

If you’d like to shop or sit in cafes and take a break from all the hustle and bustle of Cairo, you can make a small shopping trip to City Stars Mall. You can also go souvenir shopping in the old and local market of Khan-El-Khalili. But beware of intense crowds, pushy shopkeepers, and being moved with the passenger flow there.

6- Go to Zamalek 

There you can walk along the Nile and visit hipster cafes and stores. From Cairo, you can cross to it using the Qasr-El-Nil bridge, which is beautiful by day and slightly more crowded by night. In Zamalek, you can also try the fancy fusion restaurant, the Mood that overlooks the Nile. Also, if you’d like a special romantic or lovely evening accompanied by amazing views of the city, try taking a Nile boat tour. I highly recommend this company as they took good care of us and it was the highlight of my trip.

7- Day Trip to Alexandria. 

This city located on the mediterranean coast is old, and has an exquisite charm. Cairo citizens love to flock there to get great ocean views and indulge in fresh seafood among other local favourites. You can sit in old-world cafes by the ocean and see Greco-Roman landmarks. My favourite part personally is sitting on the nearby rocks and letting the waves of the ocean lull me to tranquility after a scrumptious cheesy brunch from a local favourite, Albaan Swesra.

**

Lastly, remember to download Uber or Careem after you get a Sim card, as it’s the best way to get around Cairo safely. Finally, remember to never ever drink water from the tap, unless you’d like to stay in the bathroom your whole trip. 

If you have any other questions or local-approved food recommendations, just let me know!

Happy exploring 🙂