Cairo

Cairo isn't a gentle city, home to more than 16 million Egyptians, Arabs, Africans and sundry others, the 'Mother of the World' is an all-out assault on the senses. Totally unpredictable and seething with people, the sheer intensity of the city will definitely seduce any visitor.

Cairo has plenty of fine 19th-century buildings, modern art and sculpture, precious green spaces and ancient districts (Islamic Cairo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site). In addition, there are the Pharaonic sites that stretch south of the city, not to mention those amazing and mysterious Pyramids and the River Nile.

Main Attractions In The Capital

Khan al-Khalili

Buzzing with the activities of buying and selling, Khan al-Khalili is one of the largest markets in the world. It is situated within Islamic Cairo, a world heritage site that attracts travelers and locals alike. This is the best place to soak up the color of Cairo and to people-watch. Traders have been bargaining in these alleys since the 14th century and it is possible to buy almost anything, from exotic perfume bottles to everyday Arabic clothing. On the northern corner of the bazaar is the Mosque of Sayyidna al-Hussein, one of the holiest Islamic sites in Egypt.

The Egyptian Museum Of Antiquities

With over 100,000 artifacts in 107 halls, the Egyptian Museum provides days of exploration. Inside are treasures from ancient Egypt, including priceless finery taken from ancient royal tombs, and one of the museum’s masterpieces, the statue of Khafre (Chephren).

The most popular attraction is the Tutankhamun Gallery, where exquisite treasures from the tomb of the Boy King are displayed, including the famous solid gold death mask. Another top attraction is the Royal Mummy Room containing mummies of some of the most powerful Pharaohs in Egypt dating from the 18th to the 20th Dynasties.

The Pyramids Of Giza

The pyramids are the earth’s oldest tourist attraction and the Great Pyramid of Khufu (Cheops) is the only remainder of the seven ancient wonders of the world. Throughout their history, they have fired human imagination, with much speculation as to their origin and purpose, but most evidence supports the theory that they were built by the ancient civilization as tombs or great monuments in which to bury their kings and nobles, a place to start their mystic journey to the afterlife.

The oldest and largest pyramid, the Great Pyramid, is thought to have taken 20 years to be built and is made of about two million blocks of limestone. No one knows how the two-ton blocks were moved into place, but it was known to be the tallest man-made structure in the world for over 40 centuries. The Sphinx, known as the Abu al-Hol (Father of Terror), stands in front of the Great Pyramid and is thought to be older than the pyramids themselves.

The Step Pyramid at Saqqara

Saqqara was one of the main burial fields of the ancient city of Memphis, capital of Ancient Egypt during the Old Kingdom. It is located some 40 kilometers from Egypt’s modern day capital, Cairo. On a clear day, its most prominent monument, the Step Pyramid of Djoser, can be seen from Giza, which lies some 17 kilometers to the North, and from Dashur, which lies 10 kilometers to the South.

The first tombs of the pharaohs were large, unimpressive, bunker affairs called mastabas. They were made from sun dried mud brick and most have long since crumbled to dust. This all changed around 2630 BC with the erection of the step pyramid. It was made for the pharaoh, Djoser and began as a normal mastaba, but was subsequently enlarged by adding one mastaba on top of another until it consisted of six terraces some 200ft (60 meters) high. The surface was originally encased in smooth white limestone which must have caught the sun light and reflected its rays.

Old Cairo

The small and enclosed area, also known as Coptic Cairo, is the oldest part of the city and was once known as the Roman stronghold of Babylon; some of the old walls still exist. It is the ancient heart of the Coptic Christian community and although only five of the original 20 churches remain, they are interesting to visit, along with the first mosque built in Egypt and the oldest synagogue, a representation of three of the major religions of the modern world. It is a peaceful place to wander around and a respite from the busy city centre.

Churches of interest are the Al-Muallaqa ( Hanging Church), the oldest Christian place of worship in the city, and St. Sergius, where the Holy Family reputedly sheltered during their flight to Egypt.

The Western Desert Oases

From Cairo, it is possible to experience Egypt’s finest journey on offer, the Great Desert Circuit. It runs for over 621 miles (1,000km) through spectacular desert landscape and is punctuated by four oases situated in a depression: Bahariya, Farafra, Dakhla and Kharga. The first two have hot springs and palm groves, Farafra being the more traditional and rural of the two. To experience the remoteness of the desert, travelers can spend an unforgettable night in the White Desert between oases. Dakhla and Kharga are surrounded by old ruins and villages from the times of the ancient caravan routes to Sudan.

Alexandria

The mighty Macedonian, Alexander the Great came to Egypt in 331 BC, after conquering Greece and selected a small fishing village on the Mediterranean coast to establish his new capital, Alexandria. The city is oriented around Midan Ramla and Midan Saad Zaghoul, the large square that runs down to the waterfront. Alexandria once had a great library that contained more than 500,000 volumes, and at its peak, the city was a great repository of science, philosophy and intellectual thought and learning.

The Graeco-Roman Museum contains relics that date back to the 3rd century BC. There's a magnificent black granite sculpture of Apis, the sacred bull worshipped by Egyptians, as well as an assortment of mummies, sarcophagi, pottery, jewelry and ancient tapestries. Another highlight is one of the few historical depictions of the Pharos of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The only Roman Amphitheatre in Egypt was rediscovered in 1964. Its 13 white marble terraces are in excellent condition and excavation work is still under way, although the dig has shifted a little to the north of the theatre.

Pompey's Pillar is a massive 25m (82ft) pink granite monument measuring 9m (30ft) around its girth. The pillar should rightfully called Diocletian's Pillar, as it was built for the emperor in AD 297, and was the only monument left standing following the violent arrival of the Crusaders around 1000 years later. The Catacombs of Kom Ash-Shuqqafa are the largest known Roman burial site in Egypt, and consist of three tiers of burial tombs, chambers and hallways. The catacombs were begun in the 2nd century AD and were later expanded to hold more than 300 corpses. There's a banquet hall, where the grieving would pay their respects with a funeral feast. Experts are hoping to discover Cleopatra's Palace under the sea bed off Alexandria; platforms, pavements and columns have been found, and in 1998 a black granite statue of a priest of Isis and a diorite sphinx were raised from the sea. Cleopatra's Library was destroyed by the Crusaders.

Aswan

Aswan , Egypt's southernmost city has long been the country's gateway to Africa. The prosperous market city straddles the crossroads of the ancient caravan routes, at the 'other' end of the Nile, not far above the Tropic of Cancer. In ancient times, it was a garrison town known as Swenet (meaning trade), and it was also important to the early Coptic Christians. The main town and temple area of Swenet were located on Elephantine Island in the middle of Nile (the island was known then as Abu, and later renamed by the Greeks). The temples and ruins here are not nearly as well preserved and impressive as those elsewhere in the country, but there are other good reasons to visit. If you're not 'tombed out', a visit to the Tombs of the Nobles is worthwhile, and a highlight is the Nubian Museum, showcasing history, art and Nubian culture from the prehistoric to the present. The Nile is glorious here as it makes its way down from the massive High Dam and Lake Nasser - watching the feluccas (small boats) glide by, as the sun sets over the Nile is an experience you're unlikely to forget.

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