Cheap Flights to Cairo Jazeera Airways Tickets from USD 219*

Discover Cairo

As Africa's second largest city, and home to over 16 million people, Cairo is a feast for the senses and will keep you engaged for weeks. Bustling markets, countless museums, noisy traffic and the warmest of welcomes all make Cairo a truly remarkable experience.

It is home to a thriving business and commercial district, but the ancient history that the country is so famous for can be seen just on the horizon, as the setting sun catches the tops of the pyramids at nearby Giza.

Cairo's central streets are packed with street vendors and diners, businessmen and artists, antiques and artefacts shops and salesmen offering you bargains and mint tea. There's never a dull moment. But when you want to take a break and get away from the bustle you can gaze in awe at the Pyramids of Giza or glide down the Nile in a felucca boat. As the cradle of Islamic civilisation, Cairo is steeped in history, and it's no surprise that the old quarter has been recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage site.

Egyptian Museum

You can discover more about ancient Egypt at the Museum of Cairo. Home to one of the world's most important collections, you can marvel at the glittering treasures of Tutankhamun or wander around exhibits charting the history of the region. The Museum prides itself in being one of the world's best collections of ancient artefacts.

Museum Of Islamic Art

This museum hosts one of the world's most precious collections of Islamic art and is the Middle East's most successfully curated museum. The items on display are sensational. Although damaged in January 2014 the museum was consequently renovated and reopened in 2017.

Pharaonic Village

Definitely worth a trip. It begins with a boat ride showing the ancient Gods and rulers followed by live enactments of how Egyptians lived and worked in the old days. There are also several museums exhibiting the pyramids, mummies, and past and recent rulers.

Pyramids Of Giza

The Pyramids are perhaps the most iconic of all Egypt's ancient treasures, and they're much bigger than you'd expect. Watched over by the enigmatic Sphinx, they're the last resting places of some of Egypt's greatest rulers.

Shopping

When it comes to shopping in Cairo, the secret is knowing where to start looking because there's heaps of souvenir shops and lots of vendors. In the Khan el-Khalili area, you'll find streets dedicated to specific trades such as brass trays, leather goods, spices, and jewellery. The outer edges of the souq is where you'll find practical household items, like towels.

Go Downtown and you'll find an array of cheap fashion shops but don't miss the well-managed Oum El Dounia Egyptian craft shop. If you're looking for carpets, then The Carpet Bazaar (near the Mosque-Madrassa of Al Ghouri) is the place to look. It has some excellent flat-weave Bedouin rugs.

Citystars is Egypt's largest shopping mall. It not only offers most international brands but has some well-known international food chains like McDonald's, TGI Fridays, Fuddruckers, Ruby Tuesday, and more.

Food And Drink

As you'd expect from a major city, you'll find cafés, restaurants and coffee shops catering to every taste and budget in Cairo. The luxury hotels are the places to go for high-end fare, while you'll find great value local food in the markets and street stalls.

Here you can sample traditional Egyptian dishes like fuul (bean paste), taa'miya (falafel) and kushari (rice, macaroni, lentils, chick peas, tomato sauce with red pepper oil) - with a dash of garlic/vinegar. You can also ask for a beef hot dog, corned beef, eggs, fried potatoes and salads. Lebanese favourites like fetyeer (pancakes with different fillings) and shawarma (pieces of roasted meat usually wrapped in bread) are also on the menu.

At the other end of the scale, you'll find posh restaurants in hotels and some on the boats that cruise the Nile. If you want to spend a bit more go to Zamalek, Mohandiseen, or any of the other more wealthier parts of town. However, your best bet is to go downtown for good, budget eating.