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El Ku5 Restaurant in Downtown Cairo (info below) Downtown Cairo (known by locals as wust el balad ), might be full of history, hostels, stores, congestion, interesting stories and iconic baladi dive bars, but one thing it’s not particularly known for is its restaurants. Sure, it has all the standard fast food chains, but most people don’t head into Downtown in search of a good restaurant – other neighborhoods such as Zamalek , Maadi , Heliopolis , Sheikh Zayed and New Cairo are much more established when it comes to dining destinations. That doesn’t mean however that Downtown Cairo is a lost culinary cause! Au contraire. There are tons of little hole-in-the-walls and food carts serving all kinds of good and authentic street food. But this article is focusing more on the best sit-down-and-eat spots in Downtown Cairo, and these restaurants are as eclectic as the neighborhood itself. So let's get started with some of the best restaurants in Downtown Cairo: Felfela One of the most iconic Egyptian cuisine restaurants in Downtown Cairo since 1959, Felfela was known for years as a place to get fuul, taameya and other Egyptian classics while having a beer. It became a regular lunch spot with families on weekends and opened several other branches throughout the city. It’s now a popular spot for tourists and nostalgic locals, and this dimly-lit and eclectically-decorated restaurant provides a window into the past through stories enthusiastically told by the waiters. Koshary Abou Tarek Every Egyptian local has their favorite local koshary joint, but Abou Tarek is widely agreed on being one of the best - if not THE best. Watching the lightning-fast assembly line of layering your plastic carton with koshary is an experience in and of itself! It’s obviously not an ambient or romantic restaurant choice (all the fluorescent lighting will do that to you), but if cheap, filling and fast is what you’re after, then Abou Tarek is your guy. Read more: 7 Best Places To Try Egyptian Street Food in Cairo Eish & Malh Although the name is Arabic (translating to bread & salt), Eish & Malh is an Italian restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner – everything from baked eggs & waffles to homemade pasta and thin-crust pizza. Nab a table next to their French windows that open up onto an eclectic Downtown street and people-watch the day away. Oldish Looking to sit somewhere outdoors but still protected from Downtown’s chaotic streets? Oldish is a very cute restaurant with a beautiful brick courtyard (as well as indoor seating), and is especially nice in the morning when it’s sunny – and they’re open early from 8 am. They’re known for their Egyptian cuisine but also have international classics on their menu such as your standard pizza and pasta options. Read more: 30 Best Breakfast Spots in Cairo Fasahet Somaya This place has been a local hidden gem for over ten years now. It’s a little restaurant run by an Egyptian woman named Somaya, who serves up some of the best homemade Egyptian food you can have in Cairo (unless you’re eating at someone’s grandmother’s house). The twist about Fasahet Somaya though is that it’s only open from 5 pm - 7 pm, it’s first come first serve and there’s no menu. Every day Somaya decides what dishes she’ll make, and that’s what will be served (she posts the daily menu on her FB page in Arabic). Closed on Saturdays. CaiRoma This is the place to head to in Downtown if you’re looking for ambience and Insta vibes. As the name suggests, CaiRoma attempts to recreate the little outdoor restaurants of Rome in an alley of Downtown Cairo, and they succeed aesthetically. Their menu is made up of a wide selection of pastas, pizza, risotto and gnocchi, and while in our humble opinion the food is not totally comparable to Rome’s, the overall experience makes up for it. They’re open daily from 3 pm to midnight. El Ku5 (pronounced El Kukh) If CaiRoma is all about Italian aesthetics, then El Ku5 is a million percent about the vintage, nostalgic, kitschy Egyptian aesthetic. Every spot in this beautifully decorated restaurant is a mini homage to Egyptian folklore and tradition across the country, as well as Egyptian pop culture of yesteryear. They have various seating areas, and even a gorgeous balcony overlooking Downtown Cairo's la belle epoque architecture. Every detail is given an immense amount of thought and meaning, including the music. Their menu is immense, with all the Egyptian favorites you would expect as well as a good amount of international dishes. They also serve breakfast, and morning is the best time to visit El Ku5, with the sun streaming in from the balcony and open windows (they open at 10:30 am). A word to the wise though: this place is almost always full! Om Dahab (or Mama Dahab) If you love little hole-in-the-wall spots that only locals know about, then make sure to try Om Dahab (also known as Mama Dahab), a little food cart with a makeshift kitchen in an almost hidden passageway. The spot itself is shabby and consists of a few plastic tables and chairs in the alleyway, but what makes this place so popular is Dahab, the heart, brain (and cook!) of the whole operation. Dahab herself cooks each sandwich and plate, from 2 pm to 10:30 pm every day except for Friday. Her dishes are all simple, tasty, cheap, and prepared with love. She makes kofta, fried chicken and liver sandwiches, as well as larger plates: molokheya, stuffed vegetables, macaroni with liver, and grilled chicken. Pomodoro This unassuming, no-frills restaurant specializes in a dish that is quite random for Downtown Cairo, or almost anywhere really, and that’s… seafood pasta. Yup, if you’re a fan of tomato sauce pasta topped with your choice of seafood, then this is the place for you. If you’re NOT a fan, then this is… not the place for you, because there’s not much else on the menu lol. How it works is first you choose between three variations: 1) seafood pasta (crab, shrimp, clams, calamari), 2) shrimp pasta, or 3) lobster pasta. They all are served with the same base of tomato sauce linguini. You then choose the size of your plate (regular, medium, large, extra large) and any extra seafood additions you’d like to add. Et voila, that’s it! Local tip: this place gets super crowded; there’s usually a line and even if you have a reservation you’re not guaranteed to be seated on time. But that’s all a testament to how good their seafood pasta is! You might also like: Best Bars & Nightlife in Downtown Cairo

While Egypt is well-known for being the land of the pharaohs and pyramids , not many people (including locals) realize just how old some of Egypt’s fully-modern cities are. So the next time you’re in one of these places listed below, try to ignore the cars zipping past and the blaring TVs for a moment, and soak in the fact that you’re standing in the same Ancient Egyptian city that stood on that very same spot more than 5,000 years ago. 1. Fayoum (7,000+ years old) Ancient Egyptian name: Shedet Greek name: Crocodilopolis While the ancient Egyptian city of Shedet (modern-day Fayoum) is around 6,000 years old, archaeologists have found evidence of hunter and gatherer societies based in Fayoum from the Epipalaeolithic age. Shedet was called Crocodilopolis by the Greeks due to it being the main cult center of the crocodile god Sobek. Modern-day Fayoum is also home to a few lesser-known pyramids than those found at the Giza plateau . 2. El Qoseir (~5,000 years old) Greek name: Leucus Limen The small modern Red Sea city of El Qoseir has been populated for about 5,000 years, and the ancient Greeks called it “Leucus Limen”, which translates to ‘white port’ or ‘white harbor’. El Qoseir was used as a starting point for many ancient expeditions into foreign lands, the most famous one being Hatshepsut’s expedition to Punt (believed to be modern-day Ethiopia) in 1493 AD to buy ebony, ivory, exotic animals and frankincense and myrrh. This expedition was recorded in her mortuary temple at Deir el Bahari , that still stands in modern-day Luxor. 3. Rashid/Rosetta (~5,000 years old) Ancient Egyptian name: Khito Greek name: Bolbitine This modern-day Mediterranean port city is known for being where the world-famous Rosetta Stone was discovered in 1799, allowing Egyptologists to decipher the then-impenetrable hieroglyphics for the first time. Rashid/Rosetta was inhabited throughout all of Ancient Egyptian history, and named ‘Khito’, which meant ‘populace’, during Menas’ (Mena in Arabic) rule. During Ptolemaic times, Khito was renamed to Bolbitine, which was one of the seven mouths of the Nile according to Herodotus. 4. Ain Shams (~5,000 - 6,000 years old) Ancient Egyptian name: Iunu Greek name: Heliopolis While technically Ain Shams is now part of modern-day Cairo, the original city Iunu is one of Ancient Egypt’s oldest cities, occupied since the Predynastic times (Menas or Mena is considered the first pharaoh and marks the beginning of the Early Dynastic Period around 5,000 years ago). Iunu/Heliopolis was known to be a cult center for the sun god Atum, who was then identified as Ra and then Horus. It also became famous for being a learning center during the Greek times, before it was eclipsed by Alexandria around 2,000 years ago. The name Heliopolis lives on as Cairo’s eastern suburb , near the original city of Ain Shams/Iunu. 5. Elephantine in Aswan (more than 5,000 years old) Ancient Egyptian name: Abu Greek name: Elephantine This island in modern-day Aswan used to be the Ancient Egyptian city of Abu, which translated to ‘elephant’. The first temple built on the island was around 3,200 BC (around 5,200 years ago), and it was a temple for Satet, a goddess personified as the Nile inundation. Elephantine was also known in the Ancient Egyptian religion as being the home of Khnum, the ram god who watched over and controlled the Nile waters. Around 3,500 years ago Elephantine became a fort that marked the southern border of Egypt. Read: 12 Most Interesting Things To See & Do in Aswan, Egypt 6. Luxor (~ 5,200 years old) Ancient Egyptian name: Waset Greek name: Thebes Probably the most famous ancient city in the world, Luxor’s Ancient Egyptian name, Waset, meant ‘city of the scepter of the pharaohs’. Waset was first inhabited around 3,200 BC and was a small trading post while the Ancient Egyptian capital and royal residence at the time was Memphis. Its proximity to Nubia and the Eastern desert made Waset/Thebes a growingly-important trading center, and became the official capital of Ancient Egypt during the Middle and New Kingdoms. Waset/Thebes was built on both banks of the Nile, and until this day is known for its necropolises . Read: 10 Best Things To Do in Luxor, Egypt - As Told By Locals 7. Assyut (more than ~5,100 years old) Ancient Egyptian name: Zawty Greek name: Lykopolis Ancient Assyut was the capital of the 13th Nome of Upper Egypt (a nome was a territorial division in Ancient Egypt) around 5,100 years ago. Its importance declined after a conflict with the more southern nomes, ending with Thebes as the victor. While there are no awe-inspiring ruins left in Assyut like there are in Luxor, there remains a necropolis with tombs and their accompanying treasures, and mummies of wolves were also found. You might also like: 12 Most Impressive Ancient Egyptian Temples Still Standing Today

When people think of restaurants in East Cairo , they mainly think of places like Garden 8 or 5A By The Waterway in New Cairo. But there’s a dining and entertainment center that’s slowly making a name for itself, and that’s none other than District 5 by Marakez.  Read more: 7 Best Restaurants & Cafes in 5A By The Waterway, New Cairo Read more: 7 Best Restaurants in Garden 8, New Cairo District 5 is on the Cairo-Ain El Sokhna Road, in an area of East Cairo called New Katameya. Besides their restaurants and cafes, they also have retail stores, a cinema and an arcade – so there’s more to do than just eat (although that will always remain our favorite thing to do). But like we always like to say, not all restaurants are created equal. We’ve listed below our local recommendations for the best restaurants in District 5, and below that is a list of the other restaurants and cafes there if you’re curious. Enjoy and happy eating! Best restaurants in District 5: 1. Kokomo This restaurant and bar is known for its smoking and grilling over a wood-fired flame; everything from slow-cooked cuts of meat and brisket to grilled seafood and artisanal pizza (some of the best pizza we’ve had recently, we might add).  They have a branch in Soma Bay  during spring and fall, and one in Sidi Heneish in the summer. Their District 5 venue is their first in Cairo, and it has beautiful interior design and a great spot for dinner.  They open at 1:30 pm and on weekends it’s best to reserve: 01200007333 For more info and pictures: Kokomo’s IG 2. Mo Bistro Mo Bistro has been beloved since back in the day in 2002 when it was known as Cafe Mo in Mohandiseen. Fast forward more than 20 years later and Mo Bistro is still going strong, with multiple branches in District 5, Garden 8 and Capital Promenade in Sheikh Zayed. Mo Bistro has an eclectic menu of dishes both classic and creative, and they never skimp on flavor or quality ingredients. They’re especially known for their flank steak and bone marrow. For more info, pictures and menu:   Mo Bistro’s IG 3. Willow’s First and foremost, Willow’s is known for being one of the best breakfast places in town (read more: 30 Best Breakfast Spots in Cairo ). Second of all, we dare you to enter their District 5 branch and not fall in love with the decor. Thirdly, their all-day menu is massive, so there’s something for everyone – a great family spot. For more info, pictures and menu: Willow’s IG 4. Mista Another great option if you’re a big group or a family with picky eaters, because Mista’s menu is huge with tons of options, and even shareable dishes for two like the lamb shank and beef chateaubriand. They also have an extensive bakery with freshly-baked breads, croissants and sweet and savory pastries. For more info, pictures and menu: Mista’s IG 5. BRISK Haute Cookout Their tagline is that they serve "American delicacies with a French twist." We're still not sure what that French twist is, but in any case they have great smashburgers as well as brisket in all sorts of ways -- smoked brisket platter, brisket taco, brisket sandwich and brisket toast. They also have a breakfast menu, with items like a smoked roast beef bagel or an egg & brisket English muffin. For more info, pictures and menu: BRISK's IG So while the above were our current top favorite restaurants in District 5 (and who knows, they might change in the future), they’re by no means the only restaurants and cafes there.  Other restaurants in District 5: Carlo’s Pattini Lokali The Wheelhouse Don Eatery Butcher’s Burger Chicken & Ribs Jimmy's Pizzeria Between The Buns Tabali Cafes: 30 North 1980 Coffee CAF Cafe Dipndip Dancing Goat Goffee Breadfast Coffee Antakha Le Flandrin Ni Caffe Nude Bakery Beano’s Valu Cafe You may also like: 12 Chill Places to Have Dinner & Drinks in Maadi

Aswan in southern Egypt is a unique mix of Ancient Egypt, rural village, urban city, Nubian heritage, river, desert and modern history. If it sounds like a strange mix, it is -- but it works. It’s kind of hard to explain unless you’ve been there (hopefully soon), but we’ll try our best. But first, a quick history Aswan used to be known as Swenett and later Syene in ancient Egypt, and because the ancient Egyptians oriented themselves around the Nile, which flows from the south to the north, the southern city of Swenett was considered where Egypt ‘began’ geographically. The reason the Egyptians chose Aswan’s spot in particular as a border for Egypt is because it’s just above the first Nile cataract -- a natural obstruction of sorts in the river due to shallow depths. Once past the first cataract where Aswan is, it’s smooth sailing straight down to the Mediterranean Sea. Swenett was used as a military outpost to protect Egypt from the south, as well as a commercial trade center. The ancient land of Nubia was directly to the south of Aswan, extending from modern-day southern Egypt into northern Sudan. Nubia became part of Egypt during the New Kingdom, and Nubian heritage and culture is extremely important in Aswan until today. Aswan now Modern-day Aswan is a quirky mix of developed town (nowhere near as developed as Cairo though) and village life. The Nile looks just as clear, blue and wild as it probably did 3,000 years ago; Aswan is hands down where the Nile is at its most stunning in Egypt. Because Aswan isn’t super developed, don’t expect a vast array of accommodation, restaurants and nightlife. A local tip: credit cards aren’t widely used -- cash is the name of the game here. Transportation is a hodge-podge of negotiating with cab drivers and boatmen, but more about that below. Also, if you’ve spent any time elsewhere in Egypt, you might be acquainted with ‘Egyptian time’, where things go a tad slower than normal. ‘Nubian time’ in Aswan is even more laid-back -- people take their sweet time and are very go-with-the-flow, so take that as you will lol. Accept it and adjust your expectations accordingly, and your trip (and blood pressure) will be much smoother. Quick facts about Aswan Aswan’s main industry is tourism, with thousands of both Egyptian and foreign tourists visiting per year to see the ancient Egyptian monuments, Nubian architecture and Nile at its most beautiful. Aswan is one of the sunniest, driest cities in the world -- which leads to soaring temperatures, but the climate is also known for being a natural remedy for a variety of different lung diseases as well as rheumatism. Egypt’s famous Nile cruises run between Aswan and the city of Luxor to its north. You can start the cruise from either of the two cities, so most people visit both Luxor and Aswan in the same trip. Aswan is home to two dams, the Low Dam which was built in 1902, and the High Dam which was finished in 1970. These dams were built with the purpose of controlling seasonal Nile flooding, and the reservoir Lake Nasser was created behind the High Dam. Best Time To Go Like we said, Aswan is one of the sunniest, driest cities on earth, and it’s normal for several years to pass by without seeing any rainfall. It has the hottest summers in the country alongside Luxor (we’re talking an average of 40+ celsius/105+ fahrenheit), so while summer might be the cheapest season to go, it’s definitely not the most comfortable. Winter is Aswan’s high season, with temperatures a warm 20 something celsius/70 something fahrenheit during the day, and a bit cooler at night. Late fall and early spring are also good times if you don’t mind a lot of sun. You can read more reasons why Egypt is great in winter here . How To Get There Here are your options: Flying. There are daily flights from Cairo to Aswan, around an hour and 20 minutes. You can arrange with your accommodation in Aswan to send you a car to pick you up from the airport, or you can take an overpriced taxi. Flying is by far the quickest way of getting to Aswan. Train. You need to *really* have patience for this one. You can take a train from Cairo to Aswan, which is about a short (lol) 12 hour ride. There are sleeper compartments though for an added price, and we guess it’s an adventure of sorts? You can read the Business Insider’s detailed account of the Cairo-Aswan sleeper train ride here , which we personally enjoyed. Cruise from Luxor. At the moment there are no cruises from Cairo down to Aswan, so if you want to sweep up to the city in style on the Nile, then your only option is to do it from Luxor. By car. Unless you’re driving in from Luxor (3-4 hours) or Marsa Alam on the Red Sea (5 hours), don’t bother trying to make the drive unless you have a looooooot of time on your hands. Important note: for security reasons, non-Egyptians might not be allowed access to certain roads via car unless granted pre-approved security access (tour buses, etc.) Where To Stay As we said above, Aswan isn’t as developed accommodation-wise as Cairo or the Red Sea resort towns , but never fear, there are still options for all budgets: A luxury hotel. There are only a couple of them in Aswan, and by far, the most iconic and well-known one is the Old Cataract Hotel (now the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract). This 5 star hotel has been an international hotspot since it opened over 120 years ago; you can read more about it and other historic hotels in Egypt here . We warn you though, it isn’t cheap! A Nubian guesthouse is a really popular form of accommodation in Aswan. Usually found in the Gharb Soheil area of Aswan where the Nubian Village is, these basic but comfortable guesthouses on the Nile have simple and beautiful Nubian architecture and serve traditional Nubian and Egyptian food. They’re not luxurious in the slightest and are situated a bit of a distance from central Aswan which can be a tad annoying, but they’re definitely an experience you shouldn’t miss out on, even if for just a night. A budget hotel. Aswan has a handful, and they’re kind of meh. If we were you, stick to either a luxury hotel like the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract or the Movenpick Aswan, or one of the Nubian guesthouses. We compiled our seven favorite places here: 7 Best Places To Stay in Aswan, Egypt Getting Around Not going to lie, getting around Aswan can be a pain. There’s no easily accessible and reliable form of public transportation, taxis don’t have meters, and while there is Careem (the Egyptian version of Uber), you're not always guaranteed to find a ride. Plus, a lot of Aswan’s sites are dotted around different spots on the Nile, which needs a boat. So what to do, what to do? Here are your options: Don’t bother your head about it and just let your hotel take care of it . No matter where you’re staying in Aswan or how much of a budget place it is, someone there (whether it be the reception desk, reservations manager, or just a random person who seems to be in charge) will be able to easily arrange cars, drivers and boats for you in a matter of minutes for a fixed rate. It’s common practice in Aswan and the hotels/guesthouses get a piece of the pie, so feel free to use the service without worrying that you’re being annoying. Just tell your hotel where you’d like to go (or your itinerary for the day) and they’ll arrange all transportation needed and will tell you how much it’ll cost prior to going so you don’t need to worry about haggling with anyone. Warning though: the Sofitel Old Cataract’s transportation prices are notoriously expensive, so just a heads up if you’re staying there. Strike a deal with a local driver to be your main transportation for the duration of the trip. If you like doing things without a hotel as your middleman, you can arrange for your own transportation with any of the locals. Instead of figuring out how you’re going to get from Point A to Point B every time you want to go somewhere, you can arrange an on-call car and driver for the whole trip. This is as easy as flagging down a cab and asking for their day rates, or going to a restaurant, shop or cafe and asking any of the people working there if they can recommend a car and driver for you. Trust us, they’ll know a million. Compare whatever prices the locals give you with what the hotel gave you (they should be cheaper), and feel free to bargain, bargain, bargain. Also make sure to agree on a detailed daily itinerary and price, and pay at the end of the day (a tip at the end is always appreciated). Taxis. The cabs in Aswan aren’t metered, so make sure you tell the driver where you’re going and agree on the fare before you hop in -- and again, bargaining is the name of the game. As for boats, the Temple of Philae has regular boat service from the Philae Marina, and there’s a regular ferry to Elephantine Island. More recreational boating -- a felucca for example, or taking a motorboat instead of a taxi -- is another negotiable affair between you and the boatmen whom you’ll find Nile-side throughout the city. Things to Do in Aswan There’s all different kinds of activities and sights in Aswan, and we broke them down here: 12 Most Interesting Things To See and Do in Aswan . To summarize though: Ancient Egyptian monuments: Philae Temple Complex, Abu Simbel, Temple of Kalabsha, Unfinished Obelisk Nubian heritage & culture: Nubian Village and Nubian Museum Nile islands: Elephantine Island, Kitchener’s Island Day trip to Kom Ombo and Edfu Nile activities: sailing, kayaking Nile cruise to Luxor or Lake Nasser Natural therapy/climate therapy like sand baths or Nile mud masks Getting to Abu Simbel While everyone considers Abu Simbel to be in Aswan (and technically it is in the Aswan governorate), it’s a good 3-4 hours by car/bus from Aswan the city. Abu Simbel is on the shore of Lake Nasser, past the Aswan High Dam, and you have three options of how to get there: Part of a tour, so via tour bus By private car and driver, which you can arrange through your hotel As part of an Aswan-Lake Nasser cruise, usually 3 days long The road to Abu Simbel is only open from 5 am to 5 pm for security reasons, so most buses and cars set out from Aswan around 4 am to be on the Aswan-Abu Simbel road by 5 am. To try to avoid the crowds, you can leave a little later from Aswan (8 am for example) but it might cut into the amount of time you spend at the temple because again, all cars and buses have to be back in Aswan by 5 pm before the road closes. Read more: 12 Most Impressive Ancient Egyptian Temples Still Standing Today Where To Eat Aswan definitely isn’t the culinary capital of Egypt, because most of Aswan’s visitors come as part of an all-inclusive cruise -- they eat all their meals on the cruise ship. The ones who aren’t part of a cruise usually stick to their hotel’s fare, and to be fair, it’s not a bad idea, because most restaurants in Aswan are ‘touristic’, ie. subpar food and jacked up prices. That being said, there are a few places to get a good meal in Aswan, and honestly sometimes the view takes the whole experience up an extra notch automatically. Some of our favorite restaurants: King Jamaica Restaurant & Cafes Solaih at Eco Nubia on Bigeh Island 1902 in the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract (you have to be dressed up though, they’re very strict about that and make sure you reserve in advance) The restaurant at Kato Dool, the Nubian guesthouse in Gharb Soheil Bars/Nightlife We’re being pretty fast and loose with the word ‘nightlife’ in Aswan, mainly because… well, there really isn’t any. Once the day’s activities are over, most people are either back on their cruise ships or decompressing and/or socializing at their hotel/guesthouse. If it’s alcohol you’re looking for, most hotels will serve at their bars/restaurants. Outside of hotels, you’ll find a couple establishments on the Aswan Corniche, mainly Emy Cafeteria & Restaurant and the rooftop of Bob Marley Guesthouse. They’re both on the Nile and a nice place to have a drink but nothing fancy in the slightest. Leaving Leaving Aswan is just as straightforward as arriving -- either have your hotel arrange a ride to the airport/train station or arrange a pick-up from a local taxi driver. We hope you enjoy everything that Aswan has to offer! More local city guides you might like: Hurghada City Guide El Gouna City Guide Sharm El Sheikh City Guide Soma Bay Guide North Coast Guide

Most people who visit Aswan in Upper Egypt do it as part of an all-inclusive Luxor & Aswan Nile cruise, with a guide hustling you along from point A to point B: see this, look at that, take a picture, tip the guard, on to the next. And while it’s admittedly relaxing to let someone else do all the planning and organizing and transporting you from here to there, seeing the town on your own allows you to spend more time doing what really interests you, and skipping what doesn’t particularly float your boat ( felucca in this case. Sorry, Egyptian dad joke). Read more: Aswan, Egypt - A Local's City Guide So if you’re interested in exploring Aswan on your own time, here are the best things to see and do: 1. Philae Philae is a temple complex on the Nile island of Agilkia, built during Ptolemaic times and finished during the Roman conquest. It’s known for being the last place where hieroglyphs were written, and the last place where the Ancient Egyptian religion was practiced. Christianity became present in Philae starting the 4th century, where it first was practiced alongside the Ancient Egyptian religion and then solely. Today you can see both the original Ancient Egyptian temples and the temples that were converted into churches. Another interesting fact about Philae is that it wasn’t always chilling on Agilkia Island -- it was actually dismantled, moved and reassembled by UNESCO to save it from the flooding of the Nile from 1960 to 1980 due to the Aswan High Dam. It’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, alongside Abu Simbel, below. For more UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Egypt, head here . 2. Abu Simbel Speak of the devil. Abu Simbel, like Philae, was relocated and saved from the Nile. And when you see the ginormity of the monument, the fact they were able to do that is almost as awe-inspiring as the monuments themselves. Abu Simbel is actually two massive temples -- the one you see in all the pictures is the Great Temple dedicated to the gods and Ramses II, and the Small Temple is dedicated to the goddess Hathor and Nefertari, the Great Wife of Ramses II. The Abu Simbel temples are known to be some of the most beautiful temples in Egypt. Before you get too excited though, there’s some bad news. Abu Simbel is actually quite a ways from central Aswan, about a 3 hour car ride, and you can’t attempt it by yourself because security forces don’t want tourists driving lost in the remote southern desert. Have either your hotel or a tour agency arrange a car and driver for you. Read more: 12 Most Impressive Ancient Egyptian Temples Still Standing Today 3. Nubian Village What makes Aswan different from the rest of Egypt is its strong Nubian culture, which is apparent in the architecture, art and even the language of Aswan natives (they speak a mix of Arabic and Nubian that even other Egyptians can’t understand). The Nubian Village in Aswan is a beautiful place to walk around and see the symbolically painted houses and murals -- and it’s also a market of sorts, with handcraft shops and vendors galore. You can find everything from handwoven scarves to local spices to handmade jewelry. Local note: please don’t give money to anyone who wants to show you live crocodiles or let you hold baby ones, because they’re kept in really horrible conditions. Please support the Nubian Village in other ways, like by buying their handicrafts. 4. Nubian Museum So you got the look and feel of the Nubian Village (and probably a lot of souvenirs), but how about actually learning about the history and culture? Nubians hail from southern Egypt and northern Sudan, and their history is as old as Ancient Egypt’s. The preservation of Nubian culture is extremely important, because the heartland of Nubia was destroyed due to the flooding of the Nile. The museum tells the story of Nubia from its start as a prehistoric Nile Valley civilization, through the pharaonic era and introduction of Christianity and Islam to Egypt, up to the building of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s. For more important museums in Egypt, head here . 5. Day Trip to Lake Nasser South of the Aswan High Dam is Lake Nasser, one of the largest manmade lakes in the world, created after the dam was built. This massive reservoir is home to more wildlife than villages, so it’s easy to forget that anyone else exists when you’re in the middle of the enormity of the lake. There are cruises that take you around the lake, or you can arrange a day trip through your hotel or tour agency. If you’re the DIY type, you can also arrange with a local boatman in Aswan to take you down for a day in a motorboat. Lake Nasser is dotted with ancient monuments around its shoreline, and fishing is allowed in parts of the lake (you can fish from both the shore and your boat). Nile Perch is a type of prized fish found in Lake Nasser, and the lake is also one of the last safe havens for the Nile crocodile. 6. Temple of Kalabsha Speaking of Lake Nasser, one of its most famous monuments is the Temple of Kalabsha. It was originally built during Roman times, around 30 BC, over an earlier sanctuary built by Amonhotep II. Kalabsha was built as a shrine to Mandulis (Merul), an ancient Nubian sun god. When Christianity made its way to Aswan, the temple was converted to a church. Kalabsha is the second biggest monument after Abu Simbel to be moved from its original location to save it from the Nile flooding after the dam’s construction. 7. The Old Cataract Hotel (now Sofitel Legend Old Cataract) This world-famous hotel was built in 1899 by Thomas Cook and Sons, after the Cairo-Aswan railway was built in 1898 and there was a sudden influx of visitors and and not enough hotels. They bought nine feddans from the government and hired architect Henri Favarger, the same architect who designed the famous Mena House in Cairo. It was an instant hit and quickly garnered a lot of famous guests over the years, including Tsar Nicholas II, Winston Churchill and Princess Diana. It became literally the stuff of ‘legends’ as its current name suggests, when Agatha Christie used it as the backdrop for her famous novel, Death on the Nile . The 1978 movie they made out of the book was shot there too (so was the famous Egyptian TV series ‘Grand Hotel’). It’s now known as the Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Hotel, and you can reserve a spot in their Nile-side restaurants to have a drink or meal. For more historical hotels in Egypt you can stay at until today, head here . 8. Unfinished Obelisk The Unfinished Obelisk is the largest obelisk built in Ancient Egypt, and if it had been completed it would’ve reached 42 meters (around 137 feet), which is one third larger than any other existing obelisk. Commissioned by the female pharaoh Hatshepsut, it was carved out of bedrock in a stone quarry, but cracks appeared in the granite during its construction, leading to its abandonment. You can still see it in its original quarry, giving interesting insight into the stone-working techniques of the Ancient Egyptians. 9. Qubbet el Hawa (Tombs of the Nobles) A necropolis of tombs spanning the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms, belonging to Ancient Egyptian officials and nobles. The tombs are on varying levels of a hilltop, with a domed tomb of an Islamic sheikh on the very top. It’s still an active excavation site, so who knows what else will be found there in the future. The tombs which are allowed public access rotate, but the most celebrated tombs there belong to Harkhuf, Sarenput II and Sabni. Reaching the top of the hill is a bit of a trek, but it’s also home to some of the very best views in Aswan. You might also like: 8 Best Ancient Egyptian Tomb Sites in Modern Egypt 10. Elephantine Island This Nile island used to be the Ancient Egyptian city of Abu, which translated to ‘elephant’. The first temple built on the island was around 3,200 BC (around 5,200 years ago), and it was a temple for Satet, a goddess personified as the Nile inundation. Elephantine was also known in the Ancient Egyptian religion as being the home of Khnum, the ram god who watched over and controlled the Nile waters. Around 3,500 years ago Elephantine became a fort that marked the southern border of Egypt. Today Elephantine Island is home to the Movenpick hotel and the Aswan Museum, but if you explore the island further you'll find some Ancient Egyptian ruins, including two temples. Besides that, most people enjoy seeing the Nubian homes there and Animalia, a Nubian home turned museum and B&B. 11. Botanical gardens on Kitchener’s Island British Lord Kitchener (1850-1916) was gifted this small Nile island as thanks for his military prowess in Sudan. He built a house and turned the whole island into a botanical garden, importing plants from as far as Malaysia and India. He was fluent in Arabic and is said to have preferred the company of the Egyptians over the British. The island is called Geziret el Nabatat in Arabic (‘island of the plants’). You can enjoy walking through the exotic trees and plants (closed on Fridays). 12. Day trip to Kom Ombo and Edfu It’s customary to see the temples of Kom Ombo and Edfu on Luxor-Aswan cruises (the temples are on the Nile between the two cities), but just because you skipped the cruise doesn’t mean you have to skip seeing two of Egypt’s most impressive temples. Granted, it’s a long drive (an hour to Kom Ombo and then another 2 hours to Edfu) but it’s definitely worth it. Kom Ombo is an unusual double temple built in the Ptolemaic times, and 300 crocodile mummies were found there (in the adjacent Crocodile Museum). The Temple of Horus at Edfu is also a Ptolemaic shrine, and one of the best-preserved temples in Egypt -- it’s nearly intact. You might also like: 10 Best Things to Do in Luxor, Egypt - As Told By Locals

New millennial and Gen Z dessert shops seem to be opening and competing with each other on a daily basis these days in Egypt. And while there’s something to be said for newfangled desserts like red velvet konafa and all the other 'out-of-the-box' desserts we see pop up regularly, that doesn’t mean we should let the old Egyptian patisseries of yonder years take the backseat. It turns out we have a bunch of old-school dessert shops that not only have stood the test of time in Egypt, but come with fascinating stories and history. While some might now be run down and a shadow of their former selves (while some others are booming), it’s important to support these sugar-laden relics of our history, food and culture. For 21 classic Cairo restaurants from the 90s that are still open until now, head here . 1. Groppi Founded: 1891 in Cairo The oldest and probably most famous on this list, Maison Groppi opened in 1891 in Downtown Cairo by Swiss native Giacomo Groppi. It quickly became the most celebrated tearoom in the Middle East, to the extent that they would give Groppi chocolate as gifts to foreign royalty and other VIPs. The modern Groppi (still on Talaat Harb Square) has been closed and undergoing renovation for the past few years now. 2. Simonds Founded: 1898 in Cairo This classic oriental-meets-western bakery and cafe has been open for more than 100 years, and is still active in several different branches in Zamalek, Downtown and Dokki. 3. Trianon Founded: 1905 in Alexandria Trianon was originally a Greek-owned patisserie and chocolatier next to Raml Station in Alexandria, known back in the day for its fantastic desserts and Italian-painted interiors. 4. Tseppas Founded: 1912 in Cairo Another beloved Downtown Cairo patisserie back at the turn of the 20th century, Tseppas now has over 10 branches. 5. El Malky Founded: 1917 in Cairo Known for its dairy desserts and especially rice pudding, the very first El Malky opened over 100 years ago in the El Hussein area in Old Cairo. 6. Délices Founded: 1922 in Alexandria This Alexandrian patisserie and bakery is still owned by the same original Greek family who opened it. Besides the desserts and baked goods, Délices is now also home to a bistro and adjacent restaurant. 7. Mandarine Koueider Founded: 1928 in Cairo The Koueider family moved to Egypt from Damascus, Syria in 1926, and two years later opened their very first shop dedicated to oriental desserts. 8. Fluckiger Founded: 1930 in Alexandria Opened by a Swiss pastry chef almost 100 years ago, Fluckiger used to be especially known for their ‘clo-clo’ cone-shaped ice cream back in the day, which would have people lining up in front of the patisserie for hours. They now have almost 20 branches spread out over Alexandria and the North Coast. 9. Gianola Founded: 1939 in Port Said Gianola is Port Said's oldest patisserie and bakery, dating back 80+ years to when the original owner, Swiss native Francois Gianola, opened his European pastry shop. Gianola remains until now a popular restaurant and patisserie in Port Said. 10. A L’Americaine Founded: 1943 in Cairo An offshoot of Maison Groppi, A L’Americaine was a coffee and pastry shop created by the same owners, but for people couldn’t quite afford Groppi at the time. Two of the branches still exist Downtown until today. 11. ElDomiaty Founded: 1950 in Damietta In the little Mediterranean city of Damietta (El Domyat), the El Husseiny family opened their first first pastry house. Over the decades, the number of ElDomiaty Patisseries grew and spread to Cairo, with their traditional recipes being passed down from generation to generation. 12. Patisserie Alexandra Hamos Founded: 1957 in Alexandria Alexandra Hamos was the wife of the Greek owner of the famous Alexandrian patisserie. It first opened in the Ramleh area, which had been the center of the Greek community in Alexandria, before opening other branches around Alex. 13. Saber Founded: 1960 in Alexandria What started as a food truck for rice pudding, belila, meshmesheya and ashoora back in 1960 soon turned into several small shops in Alexandria. They also claim to be the first dessert shop to offer ice cream during the winter in Alex. 14. Manna Founded: 1969 in Alexandria Manna is the nickname of the beloved woman who founded this patisserie 50 years ago, Amina El Deeb, and is still owned and run by her children and grandchildren until now. This dessert shop was once the favorite of the Alexandrian elite, and served Egyptian icons like Abdel Halim Hafez and Mohamed Abdel Wahab. You might also like: 11 Historical Hotels in Egypt that You Can Still Stay At Today

Cairo is a sprawling city, with its fair share of traffic (to put it politely). So it makes all the sense in the world to try to stick to the neighborhood you live in/work in when it comes to kicking back with a drink after a long day - after all, you’re trying to de-stress, not add to it by being stuck in traffic for an hour and a half. The western suburb of Sheikh Zayed and (6th of October City as a whole) is about half an hour from central Cairo (Downtown & Zamalek), and has recently started to have a hood amount of both casual pubs and upscale restobars. Below we list some of our personal favorites, in no particular order. Read also: 12 Chill Places in Maadi to Get Dinner & Drinks Read also: 9 Best Restaurant & Bars for Dinner & Drinks in New Cairo Read also: Nightlife in Heliopolis, Cairo: 10 Best Restaurants, Bars and Pubs Cairo Jazz Club 610 The sister venue of Cairo’s longest-lasting and most beloved bar/club, Cairo Jazz Club in Agouza. ‘610’ is how we locals usually refer to the 6 October venue, and what’s great about it is that not only do they have an indoor section for live music, DJs and a happening bar, but a large outdoor terrace where you can enjoy a boozy brunch or dinner as well. Location: El Guezira Plaza, Sheikh Zayed Call to reserve: 01008111330 Sachi Park St. The original Sachi in Heliopolis has been a staple of Cairo fine dining and nightlife for over a decade now (for more Heliopolis night spots, head here ). So it was only a matter of time before they brought their famous Mediterranean fusion, sushi menu and cocktail list to the west of the Cairo - which they did with Sachi Park St. Both indoor and outdoor dining available. Location:  Park Street, El Bostan, Sheikh Zayed Call:   01278666185 Clstr 11 Touted as Cairo's first "bar-hopping experience", Clstr 11 is a big courtyard in Guezira Plaza that has multiple adjacent bars and restobars all sharing the same communal courtyard space. Two of Cairo's most renowned nightlife spots, L'Aubergine and Pub 28, opened branches there, as well as other venues like Zouni, Ouzeri, Sotto, Casa de Farida and Chestnut. The pros are that there are a lot of different choices of where to get a drink and a nice communal feeling, but the con is that the places all start to feel sort of the same. Nice and calm during the day, pretty crowded on weekend nights. Pier 88 Pyramid Hills In the mood for Italian food and wine? Pier 88 rarely lets us down, whether it’s the original El Gouna branch, the Nile-side Zamalek branch or Pier 88 Pyramids Hills in 6 October. Cheap this lounge and restobar is not, but we’re still fans. They offer brunch on weekends from 1 pm (and have a great outdoor section if you want some sun) and dinner and drinks on weekdays and weekends from 7 pm onwards. Location: Pyramid Hills compound Call to reserve : 01208111130 Izakaya Cairo’s first Nikkei restaurant. What’s Nikkei, you ask? It’s Japanese-Peruvian fusion, born from the migrant Japanese community living in Peru and over decades adding their touch to traditional Peruvian dishes. It’s become so beloved and recognized that not only does this fusion have its own name -Nikkei- but it’s actually spread half a world away, all the way to Egypt, thanks to Izakaya. It’s also a beautiful place to chill and have a cocktail. Location: Palm Hills compound, Sheikh Zayed Call to reserve: 0 1271116223 Gigi This place is far more casual than its two predecessors on this list, in terms of both food and setting. Gigi is a place to kick back with a burger, beer and friends, whether in their inside section or outdoor patio. Location: Arkan Plaza, Sheikh Zayed Call to reserve: 02 37966344 Read more: 10 Best Restaurants & Cafes in Arkan Plaza Carlo’s What started as a favorite restaurant on Zamalek’s famous Le Pacha 1901 boat, home to several of Cairo’s very best restaurants , became its own breakaway star (the Justin Timberlake of Le Pacha restaurants if you will). The Carlo's in Arkan is a great place for a drink, some good mezze, a shisha, and to watch a football match. Location: Arkan Plaza, Sheikh Zayed Call to reserve: 01122208881 The Tap West Cairo's favorite modern pub. The Tap is known and loved for its live music nights, wings, pub food and laid-back setting. Check out their social media for a heads up on their all-you-can-eat-wings days and happy hours. Location: Galleria 40, Sheikh Zayed Call to reserve: 0 1060000867 Crimson This famous Zamalek restobar opened a second branch in Arkan Plaza, on a rooftop of sorts, with both indoor and outdoor dining, as well as a seated bar. They have the same menu upscale international dishes and an array of cocktails. Location: Arkan Plaza Call to reserve: 01222174270 Esca Cueva Perched atop the New Giza plateau, this design award-winning restaurant and bar serves upscale international food and drinks from 4 pm until 2 am. If you're just going to enjoy the view and food, then try to book a dining slot before 10 pm, when a resident DJ takes over and the restaurant turns into more of a nightspot. Reservations needed (local tip: they're notoriously annoying about answering their reservation line, fingers crossed they get it sorted out soon). For more info: Esca Cueva IG The Smokery Palm Hills Overlooking the golf course in Palm Hills, The Smokery offers an international menu as well as sushi. This indoor/outdoor space offers both high tables for a more cocktail bar feel for night, and lower tables for those in the mood to eat and drink overlooking the view. Location: Palm Hills compound Call to reserve: 01211270078 Mayrig On the joint rooftop of the Crowne Plaza Hotel and the commercial Arkan Plaza, is Egypt's first Armenian restaurant (with lots of Lebanese flair). Mayrig, which means 'little mother' in Armenian, first opened its doors in Beirut, Lebanon and went on to be a smash hit with other Mayrigs opening in Saudi Arabia, Armenia, Maldives and most recently, Egypt. You can order a drink from their bar and enjoy their extensive menu, all with a refreshing breeze that comes from being on a rooftop in Cairo. They're also open for lunch from 1 pm. Location: Crowne Plaza, Sheikh Zayed You might also like: 7 Best Bars, Pubs, Clubs and Other Nightlife Spots in Cairo

Before booking a hotel, hostel or apartment, make sure you have an idea of the area first. Cairo is a sprawling city, and like you probably noticed in other big cities, not all neighborhoods were created equal. Obviously it’s beyond important to stay in an area that you a) feel comfortable in, and b) isn’t five million miles away from points of interest. A lot of tourists love to walk around a new city, and while Cairo does have some awesome spots to take a stroll, that’s not the case for all neighborhoods, so it’s important to have a general gist of where you want to book your hotel or apartment. Below we listed the neighborhoods in order of most recommended: 1. Zamalek An island in the middle of the Nile river, Zamalek is home to some of the most beautiful views in Cairo. It’s also host to most of the city’s embassies, and thus has plenty of security on the street, which makes it great for walking around and feeling super secure. Zamalek is also known for being a walkable nightlife hub , with plenty of bars, restaurants and shisha joints. It’s our local favorite neighborhood mainly because it’s pretty hard to go wrong with Zamalek -- it's in central Cairo, which means any site/destination, whether the airport in east Cairo or the Pyramids of Giza in west Cairo, isn't too far. Recommended for: solo travelers (including solo women), couples and families Stay in Zamalek if you want: nightlife and lots of places to eat/hang out, and a safe neighborhood to walk around in Read: 7 Hidden Gem Restaurants in Zamalek Read: 7 Best Bars, Pubs & Restobars in Zamalek Read: 8 Best Cafes in Zamalek for Coffee, Work or Just to Chill 2. Garden City Perched on the right bank of the Nile, Garden City used to be home to Egypt’s elite, and some of the beautiful architecture still stands today, albeit slightly worse for wear. Garden City also hosts some of Cairo’s nicest hotels, and while it’s not home itself to many restaurants or bars outside of the hotels, Garden City is in walking distance of Zamalek. It's central Cairo, so not too far from any point of interest in the city. Recommended for: solo travelers (including solo women), couples, families and business trips Stay in Garden City if: you want to stay in a nice hotel with spectacular Nile views 3. Maadi Maadi is known as the green oasis in Cairo (greenery is a scarcity in Cairo, and you’ll find locals speaking of trees, grass and parks in hushed, adoring tones), a favored neighborhood by expats. Old Maadi, Maadi Sarayat and Degla are all known for their leafy streets and refuge from the chaotic Cairo traffic. While not as much of a nightlife spot as Zamalek, Maadi’s Road 9 is full to the brim with restaurants, shops, cafes and a bar or two, and Degla has a lot of little good hole-in-the-wall type restaurants. Recommended for:  Airbnb, solo travelers (including solo women), couples and families Stay in Maadi if you want:  greenery and to be slightly away from the hustle & bustle of central Cairo, a good walking neighborhood as well Read: 12 Chill Places to Have Dinner & Drinks in Maadi Read: 10 Best Breakfast, Brunch and Bakeries in Maadi 4. Heliopolis Heliopolis is a good area to stay in if you need to be close to the airport. There’s a quaint little area called Korba which is nice to walk around in, and Heliopolis has its fair share of restaurants and bars. Great hotels in the neighborhood and close to the airport are the Waldorf Astoria and Hilton Cairo Heliopolis. The one con is that with the usual Cairo traffic, it will take a while to get to the city center and even longer to get to the Pyramids. Recommended for: solo travelers (including solo women), couples, families and business trips Stay in Heliopolis if: you want to be close to the airport Read: Nightlife in Heliopolis, Cairo: 10 Best Restaurants, Bars & Pubs 5. New Cairo (also known as Tagamo'a el Khames) This Eastern suburb in Cairo is a kinda far from the usual sightseeing spots, but it’s calmer and less chaotic than central Cairo and closer to the airport. You’ll find here Cairo Festival City, a huge mall full of stores, restaurants, shisha cafes and cinemas, as well as a bunch of other commercial centers (like 5A By Waterway and Garden 8) hosting a slew of restaurants, bars and cafes. Also home to the American University in Cairo. New Cairo is all recently built, so it's definitely not where you should stay if you want to experience Egyptian heritage, culture or history. Also cars/cabs needed to get around -- New Cairo is massive. Recommended for: couples and families. It might be a bit far for solo travelers from where the culture/action is Stay in New Cairo if: you want space and to be away from Central Cairo Read: 9 Best Restobars for Dinner & Drinks in New Cairo Read: 7 Best Restaurants & Cafes in 5A By Waterway, New Cairo Read: 7 Best Restaurants in Garden 8, New Cairo 6. 6th of October City/Sheikh Zayed The Western equivalent of New Cairo. This Cairo suburb is home to Mall of Egypt, Mall of Arabia, and other commercial centers (like Arkan Plaza) full of restaurants and stores. 6th of October City/Sheikh Zayed might be the most sensible area to stay in should the main focus of your Cairo trip be the Great Pyramids of Giza and/or the Saqqara pyramids or the Grand Egyptian Museum ; it’s considerably closer traffic-wise than our other recommended Cairo neighborhoods. It is however the furthest Cairo neighborhood from the airport. Cars/cabs needed; this is another place that will be hard to get around on foot unless you’re masochistic. Recommended for: couples and families Stay in 6th of October City/Sheikh Zayed if: you’re going to dedicate most of your time to the Giza , Saqqara , Dahshur or Memphis sites, or the Grand Egyptian Museum Read: 12 Best Bars, Pubs and Restobars in Sheikh Zayed and 6th October City Read: 10 Best Restaurants & Cafes in Arkan Plaza, Sheikh Zayed Read: 5 Best Restaurants in Park St., Sheikh Zayed 7. Downtown Downtown is a bit (and by a bit we mean a lot) chaotic, so we recommend it for those who are adventurous and looking for a real slice of Cairo life. Shop after shop after shop line the old streets of Downtown, and at night sidewalk shisha cafes dominate the landscape alongside the bright fluorescent lights of the countless window displays. It’s crowded and not always the best walking location for solo female travelers, but has a quirky charm. Most of Cairo’s notable hostels are in Downtown. It’s also the closest neighborhood to the Cairo Museum , Khan el Khalili and Islamic and Coptic Cairo . Recommended for: backpackers Stay in Downtown if: you want to stay in a cheap hostel and experience “real” Cairo Read: 10 Best Restaurants in Downtown, Cairo Read: Best Bars & Nightlife in Downtown Cairo *Not* recommended neighborhoods: · Haram (Pyramids area) While in theory it might seem like a smart idea to stay near the Pyramids, unless you plan to stay in a nearby 5 star hotel (like the Mena House or Steigenberger) and not leave it except to go to the Pyramids, then don’t stay here. The area isn’t the safest and it’s a long drive to get to the action and activities of Central Cairo. · Mohandiseen Think super crowded, super hectic, and just not worth it. Dokki is a slightly better area of Mohandiseen. · Manial While it does have Nile views, Manial doesn’t offer much else and isn’t the most pleasant for tourists, especially solo women. · Nasr City Another crowded, congested area in Cairo that’s not worth staying in. Local recommendation: if you’re staying in a hotel, then aim for a Zamalek or Garden City one; if you’re looking for a hostel, hit up Downtown, and if you’re Airbnbing it, Zamalek and Maadi have some good options. You can check out our full recommended hotel list right here . You may also like: Top 10 Things to Do in Cairo, Egypt

If you’ve ever decided to go eat or grab a coffee at Arkan Plaza in Sheikh Zayed, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. This commercial center on the west side of Cairo is full to the brim with dozens of restaurants, cafes, restobars, shops and booths – and what seems to be something new opening every day.  You might also like: 5 Best Restaurants in Park St., Sheikh Zayed So if you find yourself in Arkan Plaza and are unsure of what’s a hit and what you can miss, here are ten of the best restaurants and cafes there (in no particular order). We also listed at the end of the article other restaurants and cafes that you'll find there that didn't make the list, for discovery's sake!  1. Mayrig This Armenian restaurant (yes, Armenian - the first Armenian restaurant in Egypt!) is on the rooftop of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the Arkan extension. If you’re not familiar with Armenian food, you should probably give it a try if you’re a fan of Lebanese or Turkish food – it has a lot of overlap with the two other cuisines, but with its own flair.  Mayrig has indoor and outdoor dining, with heaters available in the winter. Alcohol and shisha are also served, and they’re open daily from noon until midnight. Mayrig’s menu . 2. Willow's First and foremost, Willow’s is known for being one of the best breakfast places in town (read more: 30 Best Breakfast Spots in Cairo ). Second of all, their decor is all that is comfy and cozy. Thirdly, their all-day menu is massive, so there’s something for everyone – a great family spot. For more info, pictures and menu: Willow’s IG 3. Carlo’s Carlo’s is always a great option when you’re a group of people and everyone wants something different. Instead of standing in the middle of Arkan and arguing over eating sushi or eating hawawshi, just head to Carlo’s where their extensive menu includes Egyptian and international classics from all over the globe – and they’ve consistently done it all well for decades now, back since Carlo’s flagship restaurant in Zamalek led the charge as one of the best restaurants in Cairo . They also serve shisha and alcohol, and have plenty of screens for football matches. Be warned though – on match nights, it’s both crowded and noisy and reservations are needed. Carlo’s menu .  4. Gigi Right across from Carlo’s is Gigi, the place to go if you’re craving burgers, pizza, tons of appetizers and other good comfort food. They have indoor and outdoor seating, a big bar, and lots of cold beer on tap.  Gigi is a nice weekend day spot as well as a ‘drink and burger after work’ kind of place, but it gets crowded quickly so reservations are recommended. 5. Granita Granita is a "concept cafeteria" that's a nod to the 'grand cafes' of Egypt back in the 1930s and 1940s - think   Groppi and other vintage cosmopolitan cafes . They have both an indoor and outdoor area perfect for sunny brunches, work meetings and or just enjoying a coffee and pastry solo. They offer breakfast, sandwiches, salads, pienirli (Greek pizzas), appetizers, main plates and homemade desserts. Granita’s menu .  6. Casa Talia In the mood for something tasty but not quite sure what it is exactly you want? Casa Talia’s large and eclectic menu will sort you out. Aside from their breakfast and brunch menu, they have your usual pastas, burgers, pizzas etc., plus unexpected menu items like bao buns, Turkish pide, sandos and robata-grilled appetizers. Massive dessert menu as well! Casa Talia’s menu .  7. Crimson Arkan If you’re looking for a rooftop date vibe even though you’re in the middle of a commercial center, then Crimson is the place for you. Set above and away from all the hordes of other restaurants and cafes in Arkan, it’s easy to forget you’re essentially in a mall and not on a chic urban rooftop away from the hustle and bustle. Crimson of course is known for its Zamalek branch with sweeping Nile views , but they share the same ambient atmosphere, elevated international menu, and large cocktail list. 8. Koffee Kulture One of the breakfast and coffee stars of Arkan Plaza. Koffee Kulture's menu features all sorts of omelettes, eggs Benedict, tortilla egg wraps, sandwiches, bagels, open-faced sourdough loaves, a bakery, and a ton of coffee options. Even if you stop by later in the day, they have an all-day menu for all your favorite brunch items. Koffee Kulture’s menu . Read more: 30 Best Breakfast Spots in Cairo 9. Al Beiruti This Lebanese resto-cafe has already made its mark in Beirut and Dubai, so it makes sense that Cairenes love it as well. It’s a mix of indoor and outdoor as well as a full-fledged restaurant but with a casual Lebanese cafe feel – think tawla, shisha and Lebanese mezzeh.  Al Beiruti’s menu . 10. Bittersweet   Looking to elevate your morning coffee? Look no further than pairing an espresso with Bittersweet's insane O'Smores. If that shot of caffeine and sugar won't wake you up, probably nothing much will! (They also have other 'normal' breakfast selections for those who don't want to be wired for the rest of the day). Bittersweet doesn’t just do coffee breakfast though – they’re also known for their pizzas and pastas. Other restaurants in Arkan Plaza: Caracas Lucida Crave Charwood's JJ's Texas Longhorn BBQ Chicken & Ribs Butcher's Burger Tres Bon Coco Le Relais de l'Entrecôte Ralph's German Bakery Maison de Paris Tiger's Diner Mistiqa Darjeela Lee Loo in the City Clams and Claws Baladina Garnell Gracias Latin Kitchen Tabali Qahwa Hareer La Scala Maze Restobar Mista Other cafes in Arkan Plaza: Aubaine Blooms and Beans Moishi Ladurée Lychee Specialty Būn NAF Coffee Berry Starbucks Seven Fortunes Chouchou Twenty Grams You might also like: 12 Best Bars, Pubs and Resto-bars in Sheikh Zayed and 6 October

If you’re looking for a place to have a meal and a good time in the Sheikh Zayed/6 October area but don’t feel like being overwhelmed by the big commercial centers like Arkan Plaza, then Park St. is a good choice. This dining and shopping hub is on a much smaller scale than Arkan, thus less crowded, but equally as pleasant with their indoor/outdoor restaurants and quirky interior design (anyone who’s seen those little statues scattered about will know what we’re talking about!). Read also: 10 Best Restaurants & Cafes in Arkan Plaza But as always, there’s the forever question of: which restaurant do I choose? Here are some of our personal Park St. West favorites (ps: at the bottom of the article, we list the other restaurants & cafes in Park St. in case anything catches your fancy). Best restaurants in Park St. West: Sachi Park St. Hidden away on the rooftop of Park St., Sachi is an award-winning fine dining restaurant and bar (regularly ranked amongst the top 50 restaurants in MENA). This Asian-Mediterranean fusion restaurant has both ambient indoor seating as well as a large outdoor terrace, always a favorite on warm nights or breezy afternoons. Pricey, but you get what you pay for. Impeccable service as well. For reservations, menu and more info: Sachi’s website Bebabel Looking for a casual Lebanese dining vibe, complete with shisha and beer/wine, but still delivering actually good food? Then look no further than Bebabel. Located on the ground floor of Park St. next to Brunch & Cake, this restaurant is a great spot for breakfast, sunny weekend lunches or dinner and drinks with friends. For the menu and more info: Bebabel’s IG Em Sherif Cafe One of the most famous restaurants in Beirut has found a home in Park St. West. Until recently, Em Sherif was a must-go for Egyptians visiting Beirut, to get a taste of traditional, homestyle Lebanese food. But now we don’t have to go any further than Cairo’s suburbs (Em Sherif is currently in White by Waterway in New Cairo as well as Park St.) They’re open from noon until midnight, and also serve shisha. For the menu and more info: Em Sherif Cafe’s IG Sushimi By K If you’re tired of overpriced, mediocre sushi places (and who isn’t), then you’ll be pleasantly surprised by Sushimi by K. What started as a small sushi catering business quickly grew in popularity to an actual brick and mortar restaurant in New Cairo, with its second branch in Park St. Sushimi by K prides itself on using only the freshest ingredients, including non-frozen salmon and bluefin tuna. Their sushi menu is massive, alongside a few Japanese main courses for anyone in your group who isn’t on the sushi train. For the menu and more info: Sushimi by K’s IG Brunch & Cake If you’re one of those people who eats with their eyes first, then Brunch & Cake will leave you thrilled. This very Instagrammable restaurant will leave you impressed with not only their food presentation but their interior decor aesthetics as well. They have a really creative menu of breakfast and brunch options, but never fear, this restaurant doesn’t go poof when the sun goes down – they also do dinner as well.  For the menu and more info: Brunch & Cake’s IG Other restaurants & cafes also in Park St. West: Bocca Qahwa Ni Cafe Marzipan BRGR CAF Pickl Nola Dolato Le Flandrin You might also like: 12 Best Bars, Pubs and Restobars in Sheikh Zayed & 6 October City, Cairo

Bars, pubs, clubs, oh my! 99% of Cairo’s nightlife used to be found on the island of Zamalek , and while it’s still the city’s night spot epicenter, bars and clubs are popping up like daisies all around the capital now. We’re going to walk you through some of our favorite local nightlife spots in Cairo, no sketchy hotel bars for us, thanks! For a breakdown of best bars per neighborhood, you can check out: 7 Best Bars, Pubs & Restobars in Zamalek 12 Chill Places in Maadi to Get Dinner & Drinks 9 Best Restaurant & Bars for Dinner & Drinks in New Cairo Nightlife in Heliopolis, Cairo: 10 Best Restaurants, Bars and Pubs 12 Best Bars, Pubs & Restobars in Sheikh Zayed & 6th October City Best Bars & Nightlife in Downtown Cairo - Baladi Bars, Historic Bars & Rooftop Bars Cairo Jazz Club Locations : Agouza Type of venue: club Dress code: smart casual Reservations needed: yes Cairo Jazz Club has been a Cairo nightlife staple for 15+ years. While the name might lead you to believe it’s all about jazz, that’s not exactly true. CJC has different music on a nightly basis, ranging from live music to hip-hop, DJs, jazz, Egyptian folkloric music and way more. The great thing about CJC is that they have a monthly schedule, so you can figure out in advance if the music that night is up your alley or not. The music usually starts around 10-10:30 pm, so if you’re hungry or want to have a conversation with someone when you can actually hear each other, go a little before then. It's about a five minute car ride from Zamalek. You can find their music schedule here . CJC 610 Locations: Sheikh Zayed Type of venue: club Dress code: smart casual Reservations needed: yes Cairo Jazz Club's bigger, more expansive branch on the west side of Cairo, in Sheikh Zayed. Whereas the original Cairo Jazz Club is on the smallish and crowded side, 610 has a large open-air terrace and bar connected to the inner club, to either kick back in or escape to when you need a breath of fresh air. Indoors they have two large bars, a stage for DJs and live performers, and tables dotted around the dance floor. They too have their own weekly schedules of music, and it's pretty much the top place in Cairo to dance. You can find their music schedule here . L’Aubergine Locations: Zamalek, Heliopolis Type of venue: pub/bar Dress code: casual Reservations needed: no L’Aubergine is another long-time heavy hitter in the Cairo bar scene. What’s awesome about them is they also serve great food, so it’s a good option if you want to kick back with a beer but also want some food in your system -- and they have a big vegetarian menu too, if that's your thing. Another thing we love about L’Aubergine is the casual-ness of it -- you don’t need to worry about suffering the night away in heels or dressing to impress. The Tap Locations: New Cairo & 6th of October Type of venue: pub Dress code: casual Reservations needed: it’s always better to be on the safe side This light-hearted, indoor/outdoor pub comes complete with foosball tables and a jovial vibe. They play live music on some nights so it’s always worth it to hit up their IG/FB page and see what’s cooking. Speaking of cooking, they also have an extensive menu of pub food -- they’re famous for their wings, so no need to indulge in a heavy dinner (or any dinner) before you head over there. For more info: Tap East's FB page . Tab West's FB page . Crimson Location: Zamalek Type of venue: restaurant/bar Dress code: smart casual Reservations needed: yes Crimson is an open-air rooftop restaurant and bar in Zamalek and has some of the best Nile views in the city. It's a great spot to go get dinner and drinks, or just a beer or cocktail at the bar. Their cocktail list is impressive, but warning - they're expensive! Their food is good as well, landing them also on our list of best Cairo restaurants for locals and tourists alike . For more info, you can check their FB page . Sachi Location: Heliopolis, Sheikh Zayed Type of venue: restaurant/bar Dress code: smart casual Reservations needed: yes Sachi is an upscale Mediterranean fusion and sushi restaurant and bar by Baky Hospitality, the restaurateurs who brought you Lexie’s, one of our favorite places for dinner and drinks in New Cairo . When Sachi first opened its doors, it was one of the only restobars of its kind in terms of impeccable aesthetics and service - and has continued to stay a powerhouse since, with Sachi By The Sea operating in the North Coast during summer months, and Sachi Park St. in Sheikh Zayed . Sachi Park St. in Sheikh Zayed also has a beautiful rooftop terrace for when the weather is nice. For more info, check out their FB page . Pier 88 Location: Zamalek Type of venue: bar/lounge Dress code: smart casual Reservations needed: yes Pier 88, like Crimson, graces both our ‘best bars’ and ‘best restaurants’ list (look at you, Pier 88!). Pier 88 is a great dining destination during the day and most weekday nights, then on weekend nights and Tuesday nights it segues into a sexier lounge/bar feel, with people standing and socializing by the bar or their table, and the owner occasionally dancing on the bar himself. Pier 88 overlooks the Nile in Zamalek and has a small outdoor area if you want to catch the river breeze. Pier 88's FB page . You might also like: 9 Best Rooftop Bars in Cairo

If you're like us, when you visit a new country, you sometimes check out online recommendations of the best places to eat. We’re usually great fans of TripAdvisor and use them pretty regularly, but what gave us pause recently though was when we checked Cairo’s “best” restaurants on TripAdvisor’s Cairo page. No. Just... no. Don’t get us twisted, TripAdvisor is a great resource. But sometimes you just need a local to steer you in the right direction, someone who’s eaten at practically every restaurant this city has to offer. So that's why this list includes places that we locals love going to, whether it's fine dining or street food, overlooking the Nile or the Pyramids or just a random Cairo street - we're sure visitors to Cairo will enjoy these spots just as much as us. (Also: check out the 10 best nightlife spots in Cairo right here .) So without further ado, let’s get started with the best restaurants in Cairo because we’re getting hungry. 1. Khufu's Location: Inside the Pyramids of Giza Plateau Alcohol served:  yes Nile view:  no Vegan & vegetarian options available:  yes If you're looking for incredible food with incredible Pyramid views (and who isn't?), then you're in luck -- both are to be had at Khufu's, serving contemporary elevated Egyptian cuisine. Khufu's is one of the only two restaurants actually inside the Pyramids of Giza plateau , and that comes with an upside and a downside. The upside is that no other restaurant outside the plateau has a view quite like it, but the downside is that you have to buy an entrance ticket to the Pyramids to access the restaurant, and they close at 5 pm daily when the Pyramids of Giza close. It's also about 10-15 minutes away from the Grand Egyptian Museum . At Khufu's, you can either go for breakfast or lunch, and you have your choice from set menus (including a vegetarian menu), all featuring beloved Egyptian classics but with a contemporary twist. Reservations are needed. For reservations and the menu, you can check out Khufu's website . 2. Le Pacha 1901 Location : Zamalek Dress code: smart casual Alcohol served : yes Nile view: yes Vegan & vegetarian options available: yes We're actually killing several birds in this one listing with Le Pacha 1901, because it’s technically not one, not two, but a handful of great restaurants, all in one Nile-docked boat. Le Pacha offers 6 different restaurants and two bar/lounge/nightspot-ish venues. Our absolute favorites are: Carlo’s, where the menu is a mix of all different cuisines (including local Egyptian favorites) and you can order shisha; L’Asiatique, their pan-Asian restaurant; and Piccolo Mondo, which is Italian overlooking the Nile. Let us be the first to tell you -- their food is good, always . And while that might seem like a given, in Egypt it really is not. Most restaurants fail to deliver consistency (it’s pretty sad when you can tell when there’s a different chef), but Le Pacha’s restaurants deliver Every. Single. Time. The other restaurants they have: Le Steak (French), Maharani (Indian), Le Tarbouche (Egyptian), Le J.Z. (lounge) and Cloud 24 (panoramic lounge). For more info and the menus: Le Pacha's website 3. Abou El Sid Location: Zamalek, Heliopolis, 6th of October and New Cairo. Dress code: casual Alcohol served: yes Nile view: no Vegan & vegetarian options available: yes Abou El Sid is the must-go-to restaurant if you want classic Egyptian dishes (check out our article 12 Local Egyptian Foods You Need To Try ) in a super ambient atmosphere (the decor, music, and wall art is enough to make it worth it). They also offer shisha and Egyptian twists on alcoholic cocktails, like vodka with fresh sugarcane juice. Dishes of theirs that are definitely worth trying: the sharqisseya, a chicken dish with walnut sauce; stuffed vine leaves; the Egyptian moussaka, which is an eggplant stew served with rice; and a mix and match of all their various Egyptian mezzes. Drool . For more info and the menu: Abou El Sid website . 4. Koshary Abou Tarek Location: Downtown Dress code: casual Alcohol served: no Nile view: no Vegan & vegetarian options available: koshary itself is vegan, so a resounding yes This restaurant is by no means fancy, no means ambient, and by no means a romantic dining destination (unless your idea of romance is very very quirky, and in that case, rock on). Koshary Abou Tarek is a brightly-lit, fast-foodish or street food type of restaurant in Downtown, and it’s known for having some of the *best* koshary in town. What is koshary, you may ask? We’d be delighted to tell you. Koshary in one of Egypt’s proud national dishes, comprised of rice, macaroni, lentils, chickpeas and fried onions all topped with a garlicky, vinegary tomato sauce. While it might sound like a clusterf*ck of ingredients, trust us when we say it’s the clusterf*ck you never knew you both needed and wanted in your life. It’s super cheap, it’s fast (try to watch the men who work the koshary line, it’s amazing), it’s 100% vegan, aaaand it’s filling, with the word ‘filling’ underlined seventeen times. Light, it is not. But it’s a great power dish that will carry you right through the day. For more info: Koshary Abou Tarek's IG Read more: 7 Best Places to Try Street Food in Cairo 5. Pier 88 Location: Zamalek Dress code: Smart casual Alcohol served: yes Nile view: yes Vegan & vegetarian options available: yes Pier 88 started as a restaurant/bar in the seaside town of El Gouna on the Red Sea, and its food and overall vibe became so popular that the owners decided to take the plunge and open up shop in Cairo. Pier 88 sits on the upper level of a docked boat in Zamalek overlooking the Nile, and during the day it’s one of those quietly sophisticated restaurants, complete with an open kitchen and drinks overlooking the water. At night it gets more of a nightlife feel to it, and reservations are recommended. On weekend nights the music gets turned up and there’s occasionally dancing by the tables (we don’t recommend eating when the dancing gets started, because you won’t find much room to wield your knife and fork). For more info, reservations and menu: Pier 88's website Read more: 7 Best Bars, Pubs & Restobars in Zamalek 6. Esca Cueva Location: New Giza Dress code: smart casual Alcohol served: yes Nile view: no Vegan & vegetarian options available: yes If you're looking for an absolutely stunning restaurant with city views overlooking the wide expanse of Cairo, then Esca Cueva is for you. Perched atop the New Giza plateau, this design award-winning restaurant and bar serves upscale international food and drinks from 4 pm until late. If you're just going to enjoy the view and food, then try to book a dining slot before 10 pm, when a resident DJ takes over and the restaurant turns into more of a nightspot. Reservations needed (local tip: they're notoriously annoying about answering their reservation line, fingers crossed they get it sorted out soon). For more info: Esca Cueva IG 7. Zooba Location: Zamalek, Maadi, Sheikh Zayed, Madinaty, Grand Egyptian Museum, Heliopolis, New Cairo Dress code: casual Alcohol served: no Nile view: no Vegan & vegetarian options available: yes Zooba's an excellent option for all newcomers to Egypt who want a 'light' introduction to Egyptian street food , ie. get a feel for different local fare but without running the risk of actually eating literal street food (aka: bougie street food). Locals love Zooba for being the fancier, more gourmet version of our every day favorites like fuul, taameya and koshary (here's our breakdown of all the local Egyptian foods you need to try ). Zooba has become so popular over the years that not only has it opened a bunch of branches throughout Cairo (including the Grand Egyptian Museum ), it's actually opened in NYC as well as across the Middle East. For more info and menu: Zooba's IG 8. Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant & Cafe Location: Khan el Khalili (Old Cairo) Dress code: casual Alcohol served: no Nile view: no Vegan & vegetarian options available: yes Deep in the famous Khan el Khalili market (head here for our full guide), is a little restaurant & restaurant named after one of Egypt’s most beloved writers. Its official name is Khan el Khalili Restaurant and Naguib Mahfouz Cafe , but locals shorten it to Naguib Mahfouz just to make our lives easier. The restaurant & cafe is a nod to Egypt’s modern history (one has to be specific when referring to Egypt’s history, lest they think we’re talking about pharaohs and pyramids all the time). While you might be hesitant about eating in a restaurant in Khan el Khalili, rest assured that Naguib Mahfouz Cafe is run by Oberoi Hotels, and thus not only has AC but a kitchen you can trust. Their restaurant section serves Egyptian and international classics, and their cafe offers shishas, myriad of fresh juices and desserts. For more info and menu: Naguib Mahfouz Cafe's IG 9. Crimson Location : Zamalek Dress code: smart casual Alcohol served: yes Nile view: yes Vegan & vegetarian options available: yes If you're looking for an unbeatable Nile view from above, a river breeze, a drink and a great meal, look no further than Crimson. Crimson is on the roof of a Zamalek building overlooking the Nile, with both indoor and outdoor terrace seating. The view is spectacular and the food is nothing to sneeze at either. Their menu has a lot of great appetizers, pasta and grill dishes, and their cocktail list is one of Cairo’s more extensive. They also serve breakfast and brunch (they're one of the few restaurants in Cairo that open at 8 am), but their morning fare isn't as good as their evening fare. For more info, reservations and menu: Crimson's website For more of the best rooftop bars in Cairo, head here . 10. 139 Pavilion Location: Next to the Pyramids Alcohol served: yes Nile view: no Vegan & vegetarian options available: yes This open-air restaurant in the iconic Marriott Mena House hotel is a breath of fresh air from the crowds and bustle of Giza. Have breakfast, lunch or dinner fountain-side, surrounded by flowers and greenery and, you know, THE PYRAMIDS. What a view! There’s an a la carte menu, but also the option of an all-you-can-eat buffet. At night you lose some of the Pyramids view because they’re not always lit up, but there’s something peaceful and serene in the darkness. For more info and menu: 139 Pavilion's website Read more: 7 Best Restaurants with Pyramid Views You might also like: Top 10 Things to Do in Cairo, Egypt

For years now there’s been a huge buzz about the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo – a museum several decades in the making, which, when finished, will be the largest archaeological museum in the world . It’ll be the permanent home for over 100,000 Ancient Egyptian artifacts, including the complete King Tut treasure collection, for the first time ever. And we're here to tell you that we're NOT being biased when we say it's one of the most spectacular museums in the world. But we're not trying to sell it on you -- read about it yourself, see the pictures, and better yet, visit if you get the opportunity. It's 100% a bucket list item for anyone interested in Ancient Egypt. Is the Grand Egyptian Museum open yet? Yes, the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM for short) is open. It's pretty much finished, but it's still in its soft opening phase, meaning there's still a few galleries and exhibitions not opened yet. However, what you CAN see there will easily take up the better part of a whole day, so it's hard to imagine how much time you would need there once it's reached full completion. You can currently see the Grand Hall, the massive Grand Staircase, the 12 main galleries, the commercial area and outside gardens, but the long-awaited King Tut Galleries are still closed to the public. It’s predicted that once fully open, the Grand Egyptian Museum will receive 15,000 visits daily - 5 million a year, which is triple what the current Egyptian Museum of Antiquities (Cairo Museum in Tahrir Square) receives annually. GEM Admission Tickets & Guided Tours Visitors to the GEM have two options: they can either purchase an admission ticket to explore the open galleries themselves, or they can book a 90 minute guided tour (which includes the admission ticket price). The guides are incredibly well-versed in not only the history of the museum, but the history of Egypt as a whole. Not only will they explain clearly to you everything you’re looking at, but also will be able to answer any questions you may have. Here’s the most important information about the tickets and tours: You can book and pay for the admission tickets and tours from the Grand Egyptian Museum’s booking site: www.visit-gem.com (don’t be weirded out if the website looks a little dated; it is in fact legit and safe to use) Tickets are available to be purchased at the museum itself, but because tickets and tour slots are limited, it's always safest to book online in advance If you're buying your ticket at the museum itself, please note that they only accept payment by credit cards, cash is not accepted GEM's operating hours are from 8:30 am to 6 pm (with the galleries open from 9 am to 5 pm) Last available time to buy a ticket on-site is 4 pm There are seven daily Grand Egyptian Museum guided tour slots a day: 9 am, 10 am, 11 am, 12 pm, 1 pm, 2 pm and 3 pm Each tour lasts about 90 minutes The guided tours are either in English or Arabic, and you select which language you prefer upon buying your ticket. If you would like a different language besides English or Arabic and you’re a big enough group, please contact: legacy.booking@hassanallam.com There's on-site parking for a fee There’s free museum entry for children under 4 years old There’s a Children Museum Tour for kids ages 6-12, with its own programs and tickets (more info about this below) You’re not allowed to bring in food or drinks into the museum (you can purchase from the Grand Egyptian Museum’s restaurants and cafes, we listed the different restaurants they have below) You can only take pictures with your phone or small handheld camera, professional cameras, tripods, etc. are not allowed (and there are certain areas where you’re not allowed to take pictures at all, but a museum attendant will inform you of those places) So what WILL you see in the Grand Egyptian Museum? This is a summary of what you’ll see in the Grand Egyptian Museum (reminder that the King Tut Galleries are still closed: The Grand Egyptian Museum’s outer gardens , where you can take in the beautiful architecture of the museum and its surrounding courtyard – including a hanging obelisk The museum’s inner Grand Hall , where you will see a 3,200 year old statue of Ramses II towering at 11 meters high The Grand Staircase with over 60 ancient statues and artefacts flanking both sides. There's also a moving walkway that will take you to the top of the stairs, so that you can still see the giant statues without having to actually climb the 6 storey stairs if you don't want to Stunning view of the Great Pyramids at the top of the Grand Staircase 12 Main Galleries : these galleries (with over 15,000 pieces!) each feature a different era in Ancient Egyptian history, from prehistoric times up to the Greco-Roman era. The exhibitions of each era showcase the daily practices, architecture, industry, spirituality, royalty and personal lives of these extraordinary Ancient Egyptians The galleries are in chronological order, and further divided into Society, Kingship and Beliefs for each era. -Galleries 1-3: Prehistoric Period, Predynastic Period, Early Dynastic Period, Old Kingdom and First Intermediate Period -Galleries 4-6: Middle Kingdom, Second Intermediate Period -Galleries 7-9: New Kingdom -Galleries 10-12: Third Intermediate Period, Late Period, Greco-Roman Period Children's Museum : more info below You can get something to eat or drink at the Grand Museum’s food court/dining establishments You can browse the gift shop and curated Egyptian goods stores, and buy everything from Egyptian cookbooks to souvenirs to locally made clothes and bags. *Note if you're part of a guided tour: You’ll meet your tour guide in the museum’s outer courtyard past the ticket gates. He or she will introduce themselves, and distribute headphones (free of charge) so that you can hear them clearly throughout the tour. Grand Egyptian Children's Museum GEM offers different tours and programs made especially for kids, ages 6 to 12. These aren’t daily however, so make sure to check their website to see what children tours or programs are coming up. These programs are usually themed and based on the age of the kids, so for example there’s a program about learning about Pyramid engineering (where kids learn the principles of how the Pyramids were built, and then get to build their own with blocks), and this is for the younger kids, ages 6-9. For the older kids (ages 9-12), there’s a program about discovering archaeological sites via robots, and the kids learn how to actually use functional robots. There's also been other children's programs themed around chariot making and gaming in Ancient Egypt. All programs include a guided tour of the museum dedicated just for kids (and their guardians). Please note though that the kids’ programs change so make sure to check GEM’s website for their current running programs. GEM Admission Ticket & Guided Tour Prices Ticket prices for non-Egyptians: GEM admission (adult): 1,200 EGP GEM admission (child, age 4 - 12 years old): 600 EGP GEM admission (student, age 13 - 21 years old): 600 EGP Guided tour including admission ticket (adult): 1,700 EGP Guided tour including admission ticket (child): 850 EGP Guided tour including admission ticket (student): 850 EGP Children Museum Tour (age 6 - 12 years old): 500 EGP Ticket Prices for Egyptians: GEM admission (adult): 200 EGP GEM admission (child, age 4 - 12 years old): 100 EGP GEM admission (student, age 13 - 21 years old): 100 EGP Guided tour including admission ticket (adult): 350 EGP Guided tour including admission ticket (child): 175 EGP Guided tour including admission ticket (student): 175 EGP Children Museum Tour (age 6 - 12 years old): 150 EGP Please note that ID and student ID will be required on site. Restaurants & Cafes in the Grand Egyptian Museum Your purchased tour ticket allows you access to GEM’s commercial area, which includes a selection of small restaurants, cafes and shops to relax, have something to eat or drink, and shop for souvenirs. Here’s a list of the restaurants that have opened or are opening soon in GEM: Zooba (upscale Egyptian street food ) 30 North (cafe) Beano’s (cafe) Starbucks (no explanation needed) Dolato (ice cream) Bittersweet (restaurant & cafe) Ladurée (world-famous pâtisserie) Read also: 7 Best Restaurants with Pyramids of Giza Views Should You Stay in the Area & Neighborhood Around the Grand Egyptian Museum? So now that we filled you guys in on what exactly GEM is and what to expect when you’re actually there, let’s talk a little bit about the area where GEM is and whether or not you should pick your hotel or accommodations there. Like we said above, GEM is right next to the Great Pyramids of Giza (for our full guide to the Pyramids, head here ). The area is called Haram (translating to ‘Pyramids’), or Nazlet El Samman. Honestly it’s not a great neighborhood currently, but there’s huge development plans for the area over the next few years. Staying near the Pyramids or GEM makes sense if you want to dedicate more than one day to the Pyramids of Giza, or if you want to also go visit nearby sites like the Step Pyramid at Saqqara or the Bent Pyramid and Red Pyramid at Dahshur . However if you’re only going to see the Pyramids of Giza and just do the 90 minute GEM guided tour, then it’s not necessary to actually stay in the area; all the good restaurants, bars and other spots of sightseeing interest are more towards central Cairo, so it makes more sense to stay there. Hotels Nearby to the Grand Egyptian Museum If you do choose to stay near the Pyramids and GEM, there are a couple 5 star hotels there. Our personal favorite is the Marriott Mena House (which is on our list of 7 best hotels in Cairo as well as our list of 11 Historical Hotels in Egypt You Can Still Stay In Today ). There’s also the Steigenberger Pyramids Hotel close by with great views, but it can in no way compete with the Mena House. A new fad that we’ve witnessed thanks to Instagram and Tiktok, is people getting great Pyramid view content from little hole-in-the-wall ‘hotels’ in that area. These are definitely a case of something looking better on social media than they do in real life; while these motels DO have great views, some are actually shabby as hell and the area around is not great. A lot aren’t even registered as official hotels or motels with the government, so do your research before you book anywhere that seems a bit iffy. Other Museums To Check Out in Cairo If your guided tour of GEM got you all excited and wanting more, then you’re in luck! There are other museums in Cairo that you can peruse to your heart’s desire; the main ones being the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities (Cairo Museum) in Tahrir Square in Downtown Cairo, where the King Tut Room is; and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization where the Royal Gallery of Mummies is. Here’s a full list of 9 Cairo museums you should visit at least once . We hope this extensive guide to the Grand Egyptian Museum was helpful, and we’ll be sure to update it as soon as we have new information about the opening – and when of course, we can actually visit it in its entirety, because it truly looks like it’ll be spectacular. You might also like: 8 Important Egyptian Museums To Really Understand Egypt’s History

So you’re planning to visit the Pyramids of Giza? Lucky you! Whether it’s your first time or 10th time, the Pyramids will literally leave you awestruck *every* time. We local Cairenes drive past them on a daily basis and we still stare at them as if we hadn’t grown up with these ancient giants in our backyard. You’d think we’d get used to it after a decade or two or three, but nope! For most people, seeing the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx is just a far-off dream. But if you get the chance to actually do it, then you want to do it right and make the most of it, so this is why we put together this jam-packed guide of everything you need to know to enjoy the hell out of your Pyramids trip. Because like most things in Egypt, things can get a tad confusing if you’re not a local, so we’re going to sort you out. But first, a smidgen of history It’s not hyperbole or exaggeration to say that the Pyramids of Giza have been on travelers’ bucket lists for thousands of years -- we’re talking about LITERAL thousands of years! More than 2,000 years to be exact, although the Great Pyramid itself is over 4,500 years old. But around 2,000 years ago was when the Greeks through their conquests introduced the world to amazing feats of architecture in ancient Egyptian, Babylonian and Persian civilizations. This was when the first written references to the ‘7 Wonders of the World’ was born (which to be fair, are very Greek-centric but understandable considering the time). The original ‘7 Wonders of the World’ (now called the ‘7 Ancient Wonders of the World’) weren’t formalized as a list until the Renaissance era over 500 years ago, but you get the idea of how long people have been hearing about and wanting to visit the Pyramids. And yep, even though the Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest entry on the list, it’s the only one still standing! That’s some ancient Egyptian engineering for you (and also a mystery). The history of the Pyramids themselves… but like, super briefly Because we don’t want this guide to be roughly a million words long, and because there are so many detailed academic sources online about the history of the Pyramids of Giza, we’ll keep ours short and cute and focus on the information that *isn’t* so readily available online - like what to expect when you visit and local tips and tricks. But in a nutshell, the Pyramids of Giza were built as tombs for three different Egyptian pharaohs, Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure, in the 4th Dynasty of Ancient Egypt’s Old Kingdom, between 2600 and 2500 BC (so more than 4,500 years ago!). Khufu’s is the Great Pyramid, the oldest and the largest. They, alongside the Great Sphinx and smaller subsidiary pyramids, are all on the same plateau in Giza, now part of modern-day Cairo. How exactly these pyramids were built still have modern historians, engineers and architects scratching their heads to this day, although theories are abundant (including being built by aliens, but the less we say about that, the better). One theory was that it was slaves who built the Pyramids, but the discovery of the Workers’ Village and tombs on the same plateau as the Pyramids provided evidence that it was actually around 10,000 paid and skilled laborers working in three-month shifts (over 30 years for a single pyramid!) who built them. The exact ‘how’ they built them though still remains a mystery. You may also like: 8 Best Ancient Egyptian Tomb Sites in Modern Day Egypt So where are the Pyramids exactly? This sometimes throws people for a loop, because they’re called the Pyramids of Giza but are actually in Cairo. Giza is a governorate on the west side of the Nile while the Cairo governorate is across on the east, but Cairo the city has grown so immensely over the past century that it's spilled over into Giza and is now called ‘Greater Cairo’. So the Pyramids, while technically still in the Giza governorate, are now a part of Greater Cairo. They're about a 45 minute drive from Downtown Cairo with traffic, which is pretty standard for most places in Cairo. What also a lot of people don’t expect is just how close to the city the Pyramids really are. In pictures they seem to be off in a remote desert somewhere, but nope they’re right there smack next to modern buildings and Pizza Huts, no joke. The neighborhood around the Pyramids is called Haram and it’s not the nicest, but the Grand Egyptian Museum (you can find out all about it at Grand Egyptian Museum: A Local's Guide To Everything You Need To Know ) is right next door and the perfect addition to your Pyramids visit, so hopefully things in that area will take a turn for the nicer in the coming months and years. You may also like: The Best (and Worst!) Cairo Neighborhoods to Stay In How to get to there Assuming you’re not going by an arranged tour bus, then the only way to get there is by car, whether a cab, Uber, hired car, etc. Don’t even bother with any articles that say take the metro or take a microbus, just no and no. These people don’t know what they’re talking about. The metro doesn’t go anywhere near the Pyramids so you’d need to take a cab in any case, and like we said, the area isn’t the nicest so don’t go stressing yourself out before you even get there! And microbuses for tourists who don’t speak Arabic is just a terrible idea, so save yourself the hassle and hop in a car that will take you from your starting location straight to the entrance door of the Pyramids. Local tip: the first ‘entrance’ is a security checkpoint in front of the Mena House Marriott Hotel, where they’ll briefly do a security check on the car. Don’t make the mistake of getting out here because you’ll still need to trek up a hill to the plateau to the ticket booth and main entrance, and touts will start hassling you to ride a camel or a horse or a donkey or them themselves up the hill and then try to rip you off. Make sure to get out where the ticket booth is on the top of the hill. Local tip #2: to get around the Pyramids once you buy a ticket and enter, you can either walk around yourself if you don’t mind long stretches of sand and sun, or you can pay for a car ticket and have the car (or cab or Uber) enter the plateau and drive you between sites. This is recommended for those who don’t want to exert themselves too much, get too hot/burned, or waste too much time walking. Each main sight (the 3 Pyramids, the Sphinx and the panoramic viewpoint) have easy parking spots for a car and driver to wait for you to explore and take pictures. Different car options: Private car (provided by a tour guide or someone you know, or a hired car & driver or transportation provided by your hotel/airbnb) Uber or Careem (you can ask the driver who took you there to stay with you inside the Pyramid complex for an extra fee) London Cab (you can either book a ride to/from the Pyramids or book the cab and personal driver from 2 hours to 8 hours, all from their website). A white cab (just make sure its meter is working, and you can ask the driver to stay with you in the complex) You may also like: Different Modes of Transportation for Getting Around Cairo, Egypt Pyramids of Giza Opening Hours Opening hours: 7 am - 5 pm (ticket office closes at 4 pm) * Ramadan hours differ and usually close before 3 pm. Local tip: if you want to go inside the Great Pyramid (Khufu), please note that it’s closed daily from noon to 1 pm. Local tip #2: while technically you can can explore the inside of all three of the Pyramids, sometimes they’re closed for one reason or another and you won’t find out until you get there (for example, last time we were there, the Pyramid of Menkaure was closed - the smallest of the three). The good news is that the real awe-inspiring views are from the outside, and that’s never randomly closed! Local tip #3: if you want to avoid the tour buses, they usually start showing up around 10 am, so aim for early morning or later in the afternoon. Also avoid weekends (Friday & Saturday) and public holidays if you want the complex to be as crowd-free as possible. Ticket Prices for General Entrance, Khufu Pyramid, Khafre Pyramid & Menkaure Pyramid General entrance (mandatory): 540 EGP for non-Egyptians (this includes outside access to all the Pyramids, the Sphinx, the funerary temples, the cemeteries, the Queens’ pyramids and the panoramic viewpoint). 270 EGP for students. General entrance for Egyptians: 60 EGP. Students: 30 EGP. Extras: Ticket to go inside The Great Pyramid (Khufu): 1500 EGP (student: 750 EGP) Ticket to go inside Khafre Pyramid: 220 EGP (student: 110 EGP) Ticket to go inside Menkaure Pyramid: 220 EGP (student: 110 EGP) Ticket for Meresankh III Tomb: 120 EGP (student: 60 EGP) Car entrance ticket: 20 EGP Local tip: you have to decide which pyramids you want to go inside of from the beginning when you purchase your general entrance ticket, because there’s no place to buy tickets from once you enter the Pyramid Complex and you can’t return to the ticket booth. Local tip #2: make sure to hold on to your general entrance ticket once you enter the plateau because they’ll check it again when you go to see the Sphinx. Local tip #3: at the main ticket booth is where you’ll also buy the ticket for your car to enter the plateau (20 EGP). What will I be able to see in the Giza Pyramid Complex? With your general entrance ticket, you’ll be able to drive/walk around and see the following in the complex: Pyramid of Khufu (The Great Pyramid) (internal access via separate ticket) Pyramid of Khafre (internal access via separate ticket) Pyramid of Menkaure (internal access via separate ticket) The Great Sphinx Pyramids of the Queens and other subsidiary pyramids Tomb of Meresankh III (internal access via separate ticket) Valley Temple of Khafre en route to the Sphinx Panoramic viewpoint (a designated spot complete with parking where you have the iconic view of all 3 Pyramids lined up) The cemeteries although there’s not much to see There also used to be the solar boat museum, where there was the ancient boat believed to belong to Khufu, but that has recently been moved to the Grand Egyptian Museum Do I need a tour guide for the Pyramids? We’re asked a lot if a tour guide is needed to visit the Pyramids, and the honest answer is: it depends. On what? On what kind of experience you want to have, so let us go into more detail: First of all, we’re against large organized tour groups. For the reason that there’s very little flexibility, you’re horded around in a small crowd and thus it’s less personalized, with less time to see things at your own pace, ask questions and take those embarrassingly cheesy pictures you know you want. So if you’re going to go down the tour guide route, we suggest hiring one for just you and your travel companions so that you really benefit from their expertise and they also give you room to absorb everything at your own pace. Pros of having a tour guide with you: There’s no explanation or plaques with the history of what you’re looking at once you’re inside the Giza Plateau, so a tour guide helps provide information and context and really bring the experience to life You can ask follow-up questions about anything that catches your fancy They help keep the touts and vendors at bay They know the quickest, most streamlined route throughout the Giza Pyramid Complex You can ask them for tips or advice for other Egypt-related things that you plan to see on your trip They can take pictures for you so you don’t have to bother other visitors or be forced to ask touts Cons of having a tour guide: The extra cost The extra hassle of contacting, arranging and meeting up with them Some of the guides aren’t necessarily the best and will just give you a bare minimum tour because you don’t know better They sometimes (not all of them!) have deals with different shops and restaurants and will try to sell you the idea of buying something/eating there because they later get a cut Tips for getting a tour guide: Ideally research online and choose someone who has multiple good reviews from travelers similar to yourself, then you can contact them directly There will usually be a few random ‘guides’ milling about at the entrance to the Pyramids complex, so if you decide last-minute you MUST have a guide, you can go with one of them but make sure you negotiate a fee you feel comfortable with and look out for the points mentioned below. But for the most part we recommend going with a pre-chosen and researched guide you found online with good reviews. Agree on their personal fee beforehand and ask if there will be any extra fees needed (besides your own tickets) - sometimes they ‘surprise’ you with ‘added services’ like a car and driver, which isn’t always a bad thing but just make sure you know about it first. Also if you would like a car & driver, just ask the guide in advance and they can easily sort it out for you. If you ended up with a last-minute guide you met in front of the ticket entrance, politely decline if they offer camel, carriage or horse rides (unless you want them) - they’re usually in cahoots with the camel & horse people and get a cut. If during or at the end of the tour, they offer to take you to any shops or restaurants, just politely decline (unless you want to). They’ll make these shops/restaurants/cafes seem very appealing but they’re usually tourist traps where you feel pressured into buying/ordering something because everyone is being so friendly and helpful. That’s how they get you, because they’re so nice that you feel bad not buying anything, lol. So save yourself the trouble and just politely decline from the beginning and part ways with the guide at the exit of the Pyramids Complex. Is it worth it to go inside the Pyramids? Similar to the tour guide question, this is something that differs from person to person so there’s no definitive answer we can give. But here’s all the info you need to make an educated choice: There’s actually not much to see inside the Pyramids. All those gorgeous tomb pictures you see with the art and hieroglyphics are mainly in the New Kingdom tombs of the Valley of the Kings and Queens in Luxor . Inside the Pyramids, you’ll climb up extremely narrow passageways until you reach the burial chamber, which is empty except for a granite sarcophagus in the Pyramid of Khufu and Khafre. The real appeal of going inside the Pyramid(s) is just that - you’re inside the Pyramids! It’s definitely about the experience, and not about what you’ll actually see. There’s no need to go inside all three; if you’ve been in one pyramid, you’ve kind of been in all. Local tip: if you’re claustrophobic, or have back and/or knee issues, then we would recommend not going inside. The passageways are both very narrow and not high enough to stand up straight - so you’ll be climbing/descending while hunched over, with people climbing down while you’re climbing up, etc. Plus it gets hot! Local tip #2: if you plan on going inside, wear comfortable shoes and nothing too short! We know you want to look cute for your pictures, but like we said above, you’ll be bent and hunched over with people in front and in back of you, so you don’t want to worry about having to pull your skirt/dress down the whole time. Local tip #3: if you want to go inside a pyramid but are hesitant about the passageways, stick to the Pyramid of Khafre (the 2nd biggest one). The climb is easier than Khufu’s. Local tip #4: you’re not allowed to bring cameras inside, but you can take pictures with your phone with no flash. Seeing the Great Sphinx Make sure you hold on to your entrance ticket once you enter the Giza Plateau, because you'll need it again when you go to see the Sphinx (you leave the compound and then re-enter). You'll access the Sphinx through the Valley Temple of Khafre, which leads to the causeway of the Khafre Pyramid, with the Sphinx on your righthand side. Unfortunately you can't access the Sphinx from its front, only from its side (ironically enough, one of the best full-on front view of the Sphinx is from the Pizza Hut rooftop, outside the compound and across the street). Although the exact history of the Sphinx is uncertain, many Egyptologists believe it to be built by Khafre over 4,500 years ago, with the body of a lion and the head of the pharaoh. For centuries it was buried under the sand, with only its head visible. Riding Camels and Horses at the Pyramids We’re going to be honest with you – we’re against riding camels, horses and horse-drawn carriages at the Pyramids. This is purely due to our love for animals and our stance that they shouldn’t be exploited for tourism. The treatment of some of these animals is circumspect, and we can’t in good conscience give tips or advice on the best ways to ride these animals. We understand that getting that camel picture at the Pyramids is practically a bucket list picture - and if you need to do it, then you do you. But we urge you to think twice :D Dealing with vendors and touts at the Pyramids A common complaint that both visitors and even locals have when they visit the Pyramids (or any tourist hotspot really), is the constant hassling from vendors and touts to buy whatever it is they’re peddling - souvenirs, camel rides, ‘100% original handcrafts’ (they’re usually not), and so on and so forth. It can get really annoying, honestly. They’ll also try to finagle money out of you by any creative means possible: offer to take your picture and then ask for money, offer to take you to see the ‘secret panoramic view’ and ask for money after (it’s not a secret and you don’t need to pay anyone to see it), tell you they’ll let you climb the Pyramids (this is not allowed by the way, so please don’t pay someone to let you do this), etc. Local tips for dealing with touts: Be polite but firm in your decline of whatever it is they’re trying to sell you. You’ll find yourself playing a constant record of ‘no, thank you’ but unfortunately that’s a small price to pay to see the last remaining Ancient Wonder of the World. They all speak English, so you don’t necessarily have to tell them “la shokran” (no, thank you in Arabic) Don’t accept any offers for them to take your picture, ask another tourist to do it Don’t accept any free ‘gifts’ even if they try to wrap a bracelet around your wrist or a scarf around your neck, claiming it’s ‘free’ Don’t accept any offers for them to take you to ‘secret or special’ viewpoints Don’t accept any offers to climb the Pyramids Don’t accept any offers to take a picture with their camel ‘for free’ …all this will cost you money. Just keep saying no thank you and keep it moving. Where to eat and drink at the Pyramids There are limited places to eat or drink in the Pyramid Complex once you enter past the gates except for these restaurants: 9 Pyramids Lounge, Khufu's, Khufu's Bistro and Ladurée, but usually they need a reservation in advance unless you’re very lucky. Alternatively you can grab a coffee or soft drink (and view!) at one of the two coffeeshops. 9 Pyramids Lounge: a casual breakfast and lunch spot, serving up standard Egyptian and international fare. Alcohol is not served there. They take walk-ins if there's availability, but it's safer to reserve (reservations details are here on their FB page ). Khufu's: a more fine dining experience, with set menus of elevated Egyptian classics, and alcohol is served there. You can reserve through their website . Khufu's Bistro: on the top floor of Khufu's, their bistro has a small but carefully curated a la carte menu of re-envisioned Egyptian and Mediterranean cuisine. You can reserve through their website . Ladurée: the famous international patisserie, where you can get macrons and pastries. They also have a small breakfast, brunch and lunch menu. Coffeeshops: Mulliri Coffee Island Important note: these restaurants and coffeeshops have insanely awesome pyramid views, but close by 5 pm, due to the Giza Pyramid Complex closing by sunset. Besides the restaurants, dotted around the plateau you’ll find vendors selling overpriced drinks and snacks, so bring your own, especially if you’re going to be drinking a lot of water. Local tip: Speaking of drinking a lot of water, because there are limited restaurants and bathrooms inside the plateau, the last surefire place for you to go to the bathroom is at the entrance where the ticket booths are, so make sure you empty your bladder before you enter - or else you might find yourself having to pee in the middle of the desert (with a one-of-a-kind view though, to be fair!). There are a few bathrooms scattered around, but can be a hassle to find. Keep in mind though that there are a lot of places where you can eat or have a drink with spectacular Pyramid views that aren’t in the actual complex. For example, right outside the complex is the Marriott Mena House Hotel, which not only is a historical Egyptian hotel but one of our personal local favorites. It’s literally RIGHT next to the complex (where the security gates are), and our favorite place to relax with a beer and some food right next to the Pyramids. If you’re looking for something quicker/cheaper, ironically enough there’s a Pizza Hut and KFC with stunning Sphinx and Pyramid views right outside the complex. Ah, globalization. Leaving the Pyramids If you don’t have a car with you, then leaving the Pyramids Complex is as easy as ordering an Uber. Once you leave the complex gates, people will continuously offer you “Taxi? Taxi?” but an Uber is always easier just because you don’t have to worry about negotiating the fare or explaining to the driver where exactly you’re going. Some parting local tips: Bring water with you so that you don’t have to buy overpriced bottles inside Even in the winter, the sun is extremely strong, so make sure you have sunscreen or some kind of hat if you’re sensitive to the sun Wear comfortable shoes! But most of all, just take your time and let it all soak in… we promise you, you will never see something similar anywhere else in the world! You might also like: Dahshur Pyramids - A Local's Guide to Visiting the Bent Pyramid, Red Pyramid & Black Pyramid of Egypt Saqqara, Egypt - A Local's Guide to Visiting the Step Pyramid of Djoser & the Saqqara Tombs

The Pyramids, the Nile, mummies, mosques and churches more than 1,000 years old… to say there’s A LOT to see and do in Cairo would be an understatement. But we tried to streamline the best of what Cairo has to offer in terms of sightseeing and break down the top 10 things to do in Cairo. Read more: 10 Best Restaurants in Cairo for Both Tourists and Locals Alike Read more: 7 Best Bars, Pubs & Clubs in Cairo Now, ready to explore Cairo? Let’s go! 1. See the Pyramids of Giza & The Sphinx. This obviously goes without saying. Whether you’re in Cairo for a day or a week, this needs to be your number one thing to do. A lot of famous places worldwide are overhyped via things like Instagram etc., but trust us when we say the Pyramids and Sphinx DO NOT disappoint. We have a LOT to say about everything you need to know before visiting the Pyramids for the first time, and we compiled it all here in our local’s guide to the Pyramids . 2. Visit the Grand Egyptian Museum. Overlooking the Great Pyramids, The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is something we 100% recommend incorporating into your Pyramids visit, even if you're not the museum type. GEM is the largest archaeological museum in the world, and a lthough the long-awaited King Tut treasure collection is not open to the public yet, GEM is home to over 100,00 Ancient Egyptian artifacts equally worth visiting. For more cool museums in Cairo, read 9 Museums in Cairo You Need to Visit At Least Once. 3. Walk down El Moez Street in Old Cairo. Cairo as a city is more than 1,000 years old, and there’s no better place to see remnants of what we call Old Cairo or Historic Cairo (which is a UNESCO World Heritage site by the way) than the pedestrian street of El Moez. El Moez Street is 1 km long and filled with everything from medieval houses, mosques and palaces to shops and Cairo’s famous tentmakers’ bazaar. To quote the UN, El Moez Street has “the greatest concentration of medieval architectural treasures in the Islamic world”. Here’s our full local’s guide to everything you need to know about El Moez Street before visiting . 4. Shop for souvenirs at Khan El Khalili. You can’t go to El Moez Street without wandering through the alleys of the adjacent Khan el Khalili, Cairo’s most famous souk or bazaar. Khan el Khalili is the perfect place to find a great souvenir or gifts for people back home. This labyrinth of shops and vendors sell everything from high quality gold and silver to kitschy plastic trinkets. It’s beautiful at night when all the lights and lanterns are lit up, but expect crowds and a lot of bargaining. Here’s our detailed guide to Khan el Khalili . 5. Go to the Cairo Citadel & Mohamed Ali Mosque. The Cairo Citadel is a medieval fortress almost 1000 years old, and used to be where Egypt’s rulers ran the government as well as resided for almost 700 years. It still dominates Cairo’s eastern skyline until now and houses several mosques and museums, including the iconic Mohamed Ali mosque. Because of its elevation, it’s a great place to also see panoramic views of Cairo (if you’re lucky and it’s a clear day, you can see clear across the city and Nile all the way to the Pyramids of Giza. 6. See the neighboring Sultan Hassan & Al Rifai Mosques. Close to the Cairo Citadel are two of Egypt’s most beautiful mosques, Sultan Hassan and its close neighbor Al Rifai. Although the two mosques are of similar size with only a lane separating them, they were in fact built 500 years apart. Sultan Hassan, established in 1359 AD, is considered one of the most important monuments in the Islamic world, and was home to four different madrassas (religious schools) as well as a mosque. Islamic historians referred to it as a “wonder of construction”. Al Rifai was commissioned 500 years later by Khoshiar Hanem, the mother of Khedive Ismail, to house the royal family’s tombs as well as be a place of worship. Read more: 10 Most Beautiful Mosques in Egypt 7. Explore Coptic Cairo. Coptic Cairo is known as the stronghold of Christianity in Old Cairo, home to places of worship that date back to the time when the pharaonic religions of Ancient Egypt had died out and Islam had not yet arrived. Some of Egypt’s earliest churches remain standing in Coptic Egypt to this day - some dating back to the 4th century AD. It’s also believed that the Holy Family lived here for a short period during their flight into Egypt to escape Herod. Coptic Cairo as a whole is a pedestrian complex, so you can walk around and explore the churches, Roman fortress, synagogue, cemeteries and Coptic Museum as well as alleys full of books, postcards and other souvenirs. You can read more in our jam-packed Coptic Cairo guide here. 8. Take a Nile felucca ride. The Nile has been Egypt’s lifeline since the beginning of recorded time, and you’ll find yourself crossing the Nile several times a day to get from one side of Cairo to the other. And while it’s cool to see the Nile from above, there’s nothing like taking an actual sail on a felucca, Egypt’s little sailboats. It’s an instantaneous disconnect from the hustle and bustle of Cairo’s chaotic streets, and sunset especially is a perfect time to catch that river breeze and see the twinkling lights of the city light up the water. Feluccas are available to rent from half an hour to as long as you want. 9. See Egypt’s oldest pyramid at Saqqara. If you’re fascinated with pyramids (rightly so), then you should definitely visit the necropolis of Saqqara and see the Pyramid of Djoser, also known as the Step Pyramid. It’s the oldest pyramid in Egypt, and its step design is considered an initial pyramid prototype before the smooth-sided Pyramids of Giza. It also houses around a dozen fascinating tombs. Saqqara is about an hour from Downtown Cairo and a very easy half-day trip by car. Read more: Saqqara, Egypt - A Local's Guide to Visiting the Step Pyramid of Djoser & the Saqqara Tombs 10. Have lunch or dinner with a Pyramids view. You’ve probably already seen the Pyramids up close and personal at this point (or at least we hope so), but you can’t just be one and done when it comes to seeing the Pyramids! Come on people, we’re talking about the last ancient wonder of the world. This time, instead of trekking around in the sand and sun to see them, kick back and relax with a drink and a meal and the ancient giants as your view. Local tip: try to go during the day or around sunset time, because once the sound & light shows are over for the evening, the Pyramids aren’t lit up so you’ll struggle to see them in the dark. Here’s a list of our favorite restaurants with Pyramids views . Happy exploring Cairo! 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We have two relatively safe assumptions to make: a) most of the world knows about the Great Pyramids of Giza and b) most of the world has very little idea about the 100+ other pyramids that Egypt is home to. Yup, when they started calling Egypt the Land of the Pyramids, they really weren’t kidding (not very sure who ‘they’ are but that’s besides the point). All of these pyramids are thousands of years old, and are tombs to different pharaohs and their consorts. ( Read: 8 Best Ancient Egyptian Tomb Sites in Modern Egypt ) And while no one is trying to compete with the Giza Pyramids’ majesty, there are a few lesser-known pyramids that are most definitely worth a visit. 1. The Step Pyramid Pharaoh: Djoser Built: ~2670 BC (almost 4,700 years old) Necropolis: Saqqara Starting off with the next most-recognizable pyramid after the ones at the Giza plateau. This beauty is the oldest Egyptian pyramid to date -- ‘The Step Pyramid’ is thought of as the initial prototype for the later smooth-sided pyramids. The architect was Djoser’s vizier Imhotep, thought of now as the founding father of Egyptian pyramids, and the design is six mastabas of decreasing size atop one another. Mastabas were how pharaohs and other Egyptian royalty and VIPs were buried before the invention of the pyramids -- mastabas were rectangular, flat-roofed tombs. While there are other pyramids at the Saqqara necropolis, Djoser is by far the jewel in Saqqara’s crown. Read more: Saqqara, Egypt - A Local's Guide to Visiting the Step Pyramid of Djoser & the Saqqara Tombs 2. The Red Pyramid Pharaoh: Sneferu Built: ~2585 BC (around 4,600 years ago) Necropolis: Dahshur Not very far from the Giza and Saqqara pyramids you’ll find the necropolis of Dahshur, home to three different pyramids on this list. Read more: Dahshur Pyramids - A Local's Guide The Red Pyramid received its moniker due to its reddish hue, although it wasn’t always red. The entire pyramid used to be encased in white limestone, which you can still see at the base. The white limestone was actually stripped from the pyramid in the Middle Ages (can you believe it?) to construct buildings in Cairo. The layer underneath was red limestone, which you can see until today. The Red Pyramid is believed to be the first successful attempt at creating a smooth-sided pyramid, and was Pharaoh Sneferu’s third pyramid. 3. The Bent Pyramid Pharaoh: Sneferu Built: ~2600 BC (around 4,600 years ago) Necropolis: Dahshur Another of Sneferu’s Dahshur pyramids, the Bent Pyramid was built right before the Red Pyramid. Archaeologists believe that the Bent Pyramid represents a transitional form between the step pyramid and smooth-sided pyramid. The ‘bent’ appearance is due to its base having a 54 degree inclination, but the top section having a narrower 43 degree angle. There are different theories as to why it was built this way: one was that as the builders reached the top, the top section started to show instability, so they narrowed the angle. Another theory is that they anticipated Sneferu’s death approaching, so they wanted to finish his pyramid as soon as possible. A third theory is that they were trying to avoid the same colossal disaster that occured with Sneferu’s first pyramid, the Meidum pyramid (below), which collapsed mid-construction. 4. The Black Pyramid Pharaoh: Amenemhat III Built: ~1860 AD (around 3,800 years ago) Necropolis: Dahshur This pyramid, while technically ruined, is still definitely worth seeing when you head to Dahshur to see the Red and Bent pyramids, just because it looks so different and vaguely creepy. The Black Pyramid is believed to be the first pyramid in Egypt that was intended to house both the pharaoh and his queens. It’s called the Black Pyramid due to is “dark, decaying appearance”. It collapsed partially due to it being made out of mudbrick instead of traditional stone (although it was encased in limestone), and partially due to its low elevation allowing Nile water to seep into the walls, ending with the structure cracking and sinking into the clay ground. 5. Meidum Pyramid Pharaoh: Sneferu Built: ~2600 BC (around 4,600 years ago) Necropolis: Meidum Meidum is believed to be the second oldest pyramid, after the step pyramid of Djoser. It was Sneferu’s first attempt at building a pyramid and unfortunately not a successful one -- the top collapsed pre-completion. Archaeologists have a theory that the pyramid’s architect was trying to implement Imhotep’s step pyramid design (as seen in the step pyramid of Djoser), but tried to modify the original design halfway through. 6. Fayoum Pyramids Pyramids: Hawara and El Lahun Pharaohs: Amenemhat III (Hawara pyramid) and Senusret II (Lahun pyramid) Built: ~1860 AB (Hawara) and ~1897 BC (El Lahun) This entry is a two-for-one. Not many people, including Egyptian locals, know that not only is Fayoum Egypt’s oldest city (and one of the world’s oldest) , but is also home to several pyramids (the nearby Meidum pyramid, while in Beni Suef, is usually part of the Fayoum pyramid tour as well). While Hawara and El Lahun were built at two different times for two different pharaohs, they were both made of mudbrick with limestone casing, and the casing was stripped off of both pyramids, leading to their final deterioration. 7. Abusir Pyramids Pharaohs: Niuserre, Neferirkare Kakai & Sahure Built: 5th Dynasty (around 4,500 years ago) If the above listing was a two-for-one, then this is your lucky day, because Abusir is a three-for-one. Technically, Abusir is home to fourteen pyramids, but only three of them are considered the “major” pyramids of Abusir. They were styled after the Great Pyramids of Giza, but due to their lower-quality local limestone casing, they haven’t stood the test of time as well as their predecessors. Theories around why the construction of these pyramids was inferior to those of the Giza plateau vary from a declining economy to the decrease of the absolute power of Pharaoh. Interesting local tip: there are two pyramids in North Sudan, built when a Kushite (Nubian) pharaoh ruled Egypt. While these pyramids are geographically in Sudan, they are historically considered Egyptian. You might also like: Ancient Egypt Bucket List - 20 Must-See Ancient Egyptian Sites

If we’re going to be honest, Luxor as a city needs no introduction. Formerly the Ancient Egyptian capital Thebes, modern-day Luxor is now one of the oldest (if not THE oldest) inhabited cities in the world. Home to a lion’s share of still-standing Ancient Egyptian temples and tombs, you haven’t really gotten a taste of Ancient Egypt until you’ve visited Luxor. Read : 7 Modern Egyptian Cities More Than 5,000 Years Old A lot of people when visiting Luxor tend to do and see things the traditional way - via tour groups and cruise guides, with set agendas where you don’t really have to think or decide on what you want to see. And while that’s one way of doing it, some people like to explore and follow their own personal, flexible itineraries. So if you’re someone who’s visiting Luxor and want to discover this ancient city on your own, here are ten things you should most definitely see and do while there. Local tip: Because we pride ourselves on our honesty, we want to prepare you for a lot of annoying money-demanding by different personnel at the tourist hotspots. They’ll offer to take your picture, give you special access, or other little ‘favors’ and then demand a tip afterwards. The best way to handle it is just to give a firm but polite ‘no, thank you’ to anyone who offers you anything, no matter how small. Local tip #2: Cash is king around here, so make sure you have Egyptian pounds on you throughout – most sites don’t accept credit cards or cash in other currencies. Local tip #3: It almost goes without saying that Luxor during any time of year besides winter is hoooooot, so make sure you take that into consideration – because almost everything there you’ll be doing is outside. So grab a hat and some sunscreen and happy exploring! 1. Karnak Temple The temple complex of Karnak is the largest religious building ever built, and was constructed over a span of 2,000 years (it’s around 4,000 years old in total!). Construction started in the Old Kingdom and was continuously added to until the Ptolemaic era, with approximately 30 different pharaohs contributing. It’s the second most visited site in Egypt after the Pyramids of Giza . Keep in mind that Karnak is massive. Some people enjoy having a guide there to explain backstories, but others prefer to explore at their own pace - there’s no way a guide could explain everything in Karnak in a few hours. The temple complex is also home to the Open Air Karnak Museum (for more important museums in Egypt, head here .) If you’re heading to the Luxor Temple (below) after Karnak, make sure to walk down the Avenue of the Sphinxes which has connected the two temples for thousands of years. This 3 km pedestrian path is newly opened to the public, and some of the 1350 original human-headed sphinxes still line the avenue until today. Local tip: Karnak closes at sunset, but they’re open super early. Worth considering if you’re visiting during one of the hotter months. At night they have a Sound & Light Show there, and it looks beautiful lit up, but if you want our honest opinion, we’re not huge fans of our local Sound & Light Shows. They’re kind of stuck in the ‘80s and just a tad bit cringe :D 2. Valley of the Kings Where did they bury pharaohs after they stopped burying them in pyramids? That would be in the famous Valley of the Kings. For a period of 500 years in the New Kingdom (1550 BC - 1069 BC), pharaohs were buried in rock-cut tombs in the Theban Hills, hidden from plain view. 62 tombs have been excavated to present day, with King Tut’s tomb being the most famous (but ironically, not the most impressive). Local tip: not all the tombs are open to the public, and some are on rotation. The general ticket allows you into three tombs, but you don’t get to choose which ones. You can also buy an extra ticket for the “special tombs”. By far the most impressive is Seti I’s tomb, but it’s also by far the most expensive. King Tut might be the most famous in name, but his tomb is slightly underwhelming in our humble opinion. Local tip #2: Guides aren’t allowed with you into the tombs, so try to read up a little before you visit to make it even more fascinating. 3. Luxor Temple Constructed around 1400 BC (more than 3,400 years ago), Luxor Temple differs from most other ancient Egyptian temples due to the fact that it wasn’t built for worship of a particular god or pharaoh. It was mainly used as a place where pharaohs were coronated and crowned, sometimes even conceptually (for example, Alexander the Great claimed he was crowned there but no evidence suggests he was ever there). During medieval times, the Muslim community built on the Luxor Temple site, and until now a functional mosque remains part of the temple complex (you can read more about Egypt’s most beautiful mosques here ). Local tip: Luxor Temple is open until 10 pm, so a great time to go is before sunset so you can see everything clearly, and then experience the temple all lit up at night when it gets dark. Keep in mind however that this shrewd tip is not a secret one, and sunset and nighttime is sometimes when the temple is at its most crowded. Hey, you win some, you lose some. 4. Temple of Hatshepsut at Deir el Bahri Known primarily for the mortuary temple of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut of the New Kingdom, Deir el Bahri was originally chosen as the location for the mortuary temple of the pharaoh who founded the Middle Kingdom, Mentuhotep II. Hatshepsut’s temple though is the star of the show, even after a lot of it was defaced by her salty stepson in an attempt to erase her from history. He obviously, you know, failed. The massive terraced monument is surrounded by a steep cliff, and it was in this cliff that archaeologists found a cache of royal mummies, moved in antiquity from the Valley of the Kings. Many of these recovered mummies are now at rest in the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo , where you can go see them in the Royal Mummy Gallery. Local tip: there’s a little electric tram at the entrance that will take you up to the temple if you don’t feel like walking in the sun - once at the temple itself, there’s not much shade. 5. Hot Air Balloon over Luxor Talk about a bucket list item! Riding a hot air balloon anywhere in the world is exciting in and of itself, but riding one in Luxor is even more spectacular for the following reasons: a) you’ll see the temples, monuments and of course the Nile from above - talk about a bird’s eye view of Ancient Egypt! And b) riding a hot air balloon in Luxor is significantly cheaper than elsewhere, with prices as low as around $50! A quick Google search will pull up dozens of hot air balloon trip providers in Luxor and you can see which ones you like the best in terms of reviews and prices. Honestly though, the trips are pretty much the same no matter which provider you go with - you’ll be picked up from your accommodation very early in the morning when it’s still dark out; hot air balloons depart right before sunrise, so you see the sun coming up over the ancient city. Each trip is about 45 minutes to an hour and a half, averaging an hour, depending on weather conditions. If the weather is not cleared for flight, then your trip will be refunded. Pretty straightforward! 6. Valley of the Queens Nearby to the Valley of the Kings is the Valley of the Queens, where the wives of the pharaohs were buried during the same period. The main valley has 91 tombs discovered to date, and they’re generally smaller than the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. Honestly, if you’ve already been to the Valley of the Kings (as you should), then the main reason to visit Valley of the Queens is to see the tomb of Nefertari, the Great Royal Wife of Ramses II. Her tomb is debated to be the most spectacular not only in Valley of the Queens, but Valley of the Kings as well! Unfortunately whoever sets the ticket prices agrees with us that Nefertari’s tomb is the most superior, hence the high ticket price (on top of the standard Valley of the Queens entrance ticket, which allows you access to three other tombs). Another small annoyance is that you only get to spend 10 minutes in this tomb, so try to make the most of it. Local tip: the ticket office only accepts cash and in Egyptian pounds, and there’s no ATM nearby. So if you’re planning to visit Nefertari’s tomb, make sure you have enough on you! 7. Medinet Habu While the Temple of Ramses III at Medinet Habu doesn’t get as much airtime as Karnak Temple and Luxor Temple, it’s most definitely worth seeing. While smaller, this temple has some of the most vividly colored art and deeply-engraved hieroglyphics of all the temples - and another upside, it’s usually much less crowded than the more famous temples! Ramses III is widely considered the last truly powerful pharaoh of the New Kingdom, and his mortuary temple dominates the archaeological site of Medinet Habu. The temple is especially known for the depictions of Ramses III defeating the ‘Sea Peoples’, invaders of Ancient Egypt whose origins are unknown. Local tip: because of the doable size of the temple and all the interesting painting and hieroglyphics, this is a good temple to have a guide with you to explain the backstories. Like most sites in Luxor, you’ll find several guides there offering their services for an agreed-upon fee. 8. Deir el Medina (Valley of the Artisans) This lesser-known (and thus less crowded!) necropolis is often overlooked in favor of its more famous neighbors, the Valleys of the Kings and Queens, but you’d be doing yourself a huge disservice by not visiting Deir el Medina while in Luxor. Also known as the Valley of the Artisans, it’s home to the tombs of the artists, builders and craftsmen who worked on the tombs in the Valleys of the Kings and Queens. It’s a good look into the daily lives of regular Egyptians who lived thousands of years ago – they weren’t all pharaohs after all! Some of the tombs in Deir el Medina (like Sennedjem and Pashedu) are some of the most best-preserved and colorful tombs in all of Luxor. 9. Felucca on the Nile The Nile is just as important a part of Ancient Thebes (and modern Luxor) as any temple or tomb – it was their lifeline thousands of years ago, and remains Egypt’s lifeline now. And not to get too existential on you, but there probably wouldn’t even be an Ancient Egyptian civilization if not for the Nile, so hop aboard a felucca (small Nile sailboat) and sail the same calm waters that countless others sailed down for millennia. A felucca ride is always pleasant, whether in Cairo, Luxor or Aswan, and all distinctly different in regards to what you’ll see, but all a great way to experience the city you’re in away from the crowds and chaos. 10. Luxor Museum Had enough sun, sand and massive temples where you’re not quite sure what you’re looking at? Well, take a break and head for the Luxor Museum, which will be sure to delight due to both its a) clear signage and explanations of the displays, and b) air conditioning! While the museum isn’t as structurally big nor has as extensive a collection as the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities in Cairo (aka the Cairo Museum), the pieces on display in the Luxor Museum are of great quality. Plus the museum is open until 10 pm every night, so it’s something to do in the quiet Luxor evenings to make the most of your limited time. Local tip: to be fair though, if you’ve been to both the Cairo Museum and the National Museum of Civilization (also in Cairo) where the Royal Mummies are, then you can probably skip the Luxor Museum. Unless you just want to be where that AC is :D You may also like: 7 Best Restaurants in Luxor, Egypt

So you want to enjoy a meal with one of the best views the entire world can offer you: the Pyramids of Giza. Who can blame you? (Pst: here's our full guide to the Pyramids ). One small issue though: the tourist trap restaurants in that area can be a nightmare; underwhelming at best and inedible at worst. So we’re here with our local guide of which restaurants are worth both your money and your appetite, without having to give up on that once-in-a-lifetime view. You might also like: Grand Egyptian Museum - A Local's Guide To Everything You Need To Know 139 Pavilion Cuisine: International Serves: 24/7 Serves alcohol: yes This open-air restaurant in the iconic Marriott Mena House hotel is a breath of fresh air from the crowds and bustle of Giza. Have breakfast, lunch or dinner fountain-side, surrounded by flowers and greenery and, you know, THE PYRAMIDS. What a view! There’s an a la carte menu, but also the option of an all-you-can-eat buffet. At night you lose some of the Pyramids view because they’re not always lit up, but there’s something peaceful and serene in the darkness. Khufu's Cuisine: Egyptian Serves: breakfast, brunch & lunch Serves alcohol: yes Brought to you by the culinary minds of one of our favorite restaurants , Pier 88, Khufu's is at the King Center on the Giza Plateau, meaning this is about as close and personal as you're going to get to the Pyramids while enjoying a meal and a drink. There's also an adjacent Khufu's Bistro on the top floor. Khufu's serves 'upscale Egyptian' cuisine, ie. more gourmet versions of Egyptian classics (you choose between two set menus). The view is obviously spectacular, but keep in mind that it's not cheap and closes at 5 pm, so only breakfast, brunch and lunch are available. Reservations needed. For more info: Khufu's IG 9 Pyramids Lounge Cuisine: Egyptian Serves: breakfast, lunch and early dinner Serves alcohol: no 9 Pyramids Lounge was the first restaurant to actually be on the same Giza plateau as the Pyramids themselves -- so the unobstructed views of all three pyramids plus the smaller queens' pyramids are OUT OF THIS WORLD. Serving Egyptian food, 9 Pyramids Lounge is open from 8 am to 5 pm, but last entry is 4 pm. A local tip though: their food is average so don't have super high hopes; here it's all about the view. For more info: 9 Pyramids Lounge IG Moghul Room Cuisine: Indian Serves: lunch and dinner Serves alcohol: yes Also found in the Marriott Mena House is one of Cairo’s best Indian restaurants, the Moghul Room. This restaurant has been a firm Cairo favorite for decades now, and it never falters when it comes to quality, taste, ambience… oh and that view isn’t anything to sneeze at either. Cheristo Cuisine: seafood Serves: lunch and dinner (noon to midnight) Serves alcohol: yes One wouldn't expect Cairo's oldest seafood restaurant (founded in 1930!) to necessarily be at the foot of the Pyramids, but there you are. Cheristo, located across from the Marriott Mena House , has spectacular Pyramid views to enjoy from their second story outdoor terrace (in colder months, try to nab a table by the window instead). For more info: Cheristo's IG Zeeyara Cuisine: Egyptian Serves: breakfast, lunch and dinner (6:30 am to midnight) Serves alcohol: no Zeeyara, on the rooftop of the 'Elite Pyramids Boutique Hotel', is the place to hit up if you want some authentic Egyptian fare to match your authentic Egyptian view; you'll find local Egyptian favorites , plus more adventurous dishes like camel meatballs. They also open early, so it's a great place to have breakfast -- they have an extensive 'countryside menu' as well as a standard Egyptian breakfast and continental breakfast. For more info and the menu: Zeeyara's IG Pizza Hut Cuisine: fast food I guess? Serves: lunch and dinner (11 am to midnight) Serves alcohol: no Strange, but true. If you want to have an open-air, world-class view of the Pyramids over lunch/dinner but want to avoid the exorbitant prices at hotel restaurants, then look no further than the nearest Pizza Hut to the Pyramids. This is perfect for people on a budget or those who have picky kids. This famous chain is on the 2nd floor (above KFC) and has an outdoor balcony with one of the best views in the city. During the day, you can see the ancient giants in all their glory , and at night you can witness them lit up during the Sound & Light Show. Bonus entry: Ladurée Ladurée, the famous French patisserie, is more of a dessert place and not a restaurant per se. But they do have a small breakfast, brunch and lunch menu alongside their spectacular view, so we decided to add them as a bonus. You may also like: 12 Places To Go For The Most Beautiful Views in Egypt

A common local complaint is that Alexandria falls significantly short in comparison to Cairo when it comes to bars, pubs, clubs and other watering holes. And while this is true to a certain extent, Alex *does* in fact have more than a dozen spots where you can kick back with a drink. Are they all worth going to? Well… we’ll let you decide for yourself. Note: we didn’t include restaurants that served alcohol (Greek Club, Chez Gaby, Santa Lucia, Zephyrion, etc) because they’re more restaurant than a night spot. So here are the main players in Alexandria’s nightlife, in no particular order: 1. Spitfire Dating all the way back to 1883, Spitfire is Alexandria’s oldest bar with decades of paraphernalia on the walls (but have moved from their original spot to the Corniche). 2. Cap D’Or (Sheikh Ali) Another vintage Alexandrian bar, the Cap D’Or (also known as Sheikh Ali) opened circa 1900 and is still owned by the same family. 3. Jeeda's Touted as Alexandria's first ever tapas bar, Jeeda's is where you should head if you want to have a drink in a beautiful indoor/outdoor space with handcrafted cocktails. 4. Eros Eros is a restobar on the second floor of the Alexandria Syrian Club (the club itself was founded back in 1967!). Rooftop Hidden atop a nondescript commercial/residential building on Alexandria's Corniche is a bar/cafe called, aptly, Rooftop or Alex Rooftop, with gorgeous sea views. They serve both beer as well as coffee and other non-bar drinks. 6. The Pint Located in the Eatabe Alexandria Corniche Hotel, this steakhouse & bar is adjacent to a lounge that serves shisha. 7. Cigar Bar A bar true to its name in the Hilton Alexandria Corniche , the Cigar Bar has beautiful sea views as well as an extensive array of cigars. The Hilton Alexandria Corniche also has NEO Lounge if you're looking for some music after the Cigar Bar. They host weekly themed nights like House Night, Latin Night, Oriental Night, etc. 8. Sky Roof On the rooftop of the Windsor Palace Hotel , this very purple bar and lounge serves up blasting music (albeit with great sea views). 9. Calithea Styled after a Greek tavern, Calithea has been open since 1937. While they serve food, most people opt to drink a beer or wine there instead. 10. Monty Bar The vintage bar at the famous Cecil hotel (now Steigenberger). It was named after Field Marshal Montgomery who visited the bar during World War II. Hooligans Indoor and outdoor seating at this sports bar (and DJ venue at night) at the Sunrise Alex Avenue Hotel, near Stanley Beach. 12. The Kraken A Viking-themed bar and restaurant in the Africana Hotel in King Mariout, on the outskirts of Alexandria, complete with a pool table and bar games. 13. Le Bar A beautiful lounge and bar at the Four Seasons San Stefano which will make you nostalgic for Alexandria’s belle epoque -- with Four Seasons prices, of course. 14. Nyx Bar & Lounge On the second floor of Elite, a Greek restaurant in Mehatet el Raml, you'll find Nyx Bar and Lounge, where they have DJs, karaoke nights and happy hours. Il Punto A restaurant and pub in the Downtown area of Alexandria. It’s small, so reservations are needed. You might also like: 7 Must-Try Restaurants in Alexandria

Egypt, understandably, has its fair share of museums; 7,000+ years of civilization will do that to you. Cairo alone has over a dozen really interesting museums covering different aspects of Egyptian history, civilization and culture, so imagine how many the country as a whole has. That being said, not all museums were created equal, and while they’re all most definitely worth a visit, some are crucial to truly understanding Egypt beyond just the Pyramids and the Sphinx. Egyptian history is vast: you have prehistoric, Ancient Egypt, Greco-Roman (and the introduction of Christianity), medieval (and the introduction of Islam), Ottoman Egypt, the French occupation, the Muhammad Ali dynasty and Khedivate, the British occupation, the Sultanate of Egypt followed by the monarchy, the revolution in 1952 and its following republic and the revolution on January 25th, 2011. Whew! Obviously visiting a few museums won’t be making you an Egyptian scholar but it’s a good place to start to try to wrap your head around Egypt’s mind-boggling history. 1. Grand Egyptian Museum Location:  Giza, next to the Great Pyramids Type of museum:  Ancient Egyptian history The largest archaeological museum in the world, and truly impressive both in architecture as well as exhibitions. It’ll be the permanent home for over 100,000 Ancient Egyptian artifacts, including the complete King Tut treasure collection, for the first time ever. It's truly spectacular in both its sheer size as well as overall experience. You can currently see the Grand Hall, the massive 6 storey Grand Staircase with 60+ statues, the stunning 12 main galleries, the commercial area and outside gardens, but the long-awaited King Tut Galleries are still closed to the public. 2. Egyptian Museum Cairo Location: Cairo Type of museum: Ancient Egyptian antiquities Before the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum opened its doors, the Egyptian Museum at Midan Tahrir in Downtown Cairo was the best one-stop-shop for becoming acquainted with different aspects of Ancient Egyptian history. It's still home to over 170,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts! Local tip: it’s worth going with a guide (there are also relatively knowledgeable touts there who will offer to work as a guide for a negotiable fee), because many of the exhibits don’t have descriptions. 3. Alexandria National Museum Location: Alexandria Type of museum: Alexandrian history Alexandria, the ancient Mediterranean city and capital of Ptolemaic Egypt, is of paramount importance in Egyptian history. If you’re fuzzy about the story of Alexandria, its National Museum will help sort you out. The museum itself from an architectural standpoint isn’t that impressive, but don’t judge a book by its cover -- its contents definitely make up for what its facade lacks. Its exhibits are divided chronologically into eras to help you flesh things out a bit: pharaonic, Greek, Roman, Christian, Islamic and modern. There’s also a section for underwater monuments (some monuments still exist till present day in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Alexandria!). Read: Sightseeing in Alexandria - 15 Best Things To See And Do 4. National Museum of Egyptian Civilization Type of museum: historical Location: Fustat, Old Cairo This large museum hosts over 50,000 artefacts from all eras of Egyptian civilization, from prehistoric times, through the pharaonic era up until now - and good news, because it's been recently renovated, all displays have clearly stated information, so no guide needed! The museum is divided into two sections: chronological and thematic. The chronological runs through Archaic, Pharaonic, Greco-Roman, Coptic, Medieval, Islamic, modern and contemporary Egyptian eras, and the thematic covers Dawn of Civilization, The Nile, Writing, State and Society, Material Culture, Beliefs and Thinking and the Gallery of Royal Mummies. The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization is also touted as the first museum of civilization in the Arab world. The gallery of the Royal Mummies is definitely one of the highlights of this museum - in this quiet, tomb-like space, you can see 20 royal mummies that are thousands of years old, including some of the most famous pharaohs of all time like Ramses II. For more info, here's their website . 5. Museum of Islamic Art Location: Cairo Type of museum: Islamic heritage This art museum holds over 100,000 pieces of Islamic heritage from not only Egypt but also Arab and non-Arab countries alike, and is important in understanding Egypt’s Islamic history. Many of the pieces were gathered from the first Islamic capitals of Egypt (Fustat and Askar), prior to the rise of Cairo. Pieces were also selected from the Delta, Fayoum, Luxor and Aswan . Other collections of note: their wooden collection, which has some of the most beautiful and intricate woodwork from the days of early Islam, as well as beautiful ceramics and lamps. 6. Coptic Museum Location: Cairo Type of museum: Coptic Christian heritage Known as the best place to learn about Coptic history in Egypt, this museum hosts over 1,600 pieces, dating back to the early days of Coptic Christianity in the 3rd and 4th century AD. This museum is known for its bibles written in the 11th and 13th centuries in both Arabic and the Coptic language on deerskin, as well as Christian writings on papyrus dating back to the 6th century.Other collections of note: its icon display, as well as pottery, glass, metal, wooden and textile collections. Local tip: the museum is located in an area of Old Cairo called Coptic Cairo, walking distance from some very worth-seeing churches such as the Hanging Church and Mar Girgis church. Read: Coptic Cairo - A Detailed Local's Guide 7. Nubian Museum Location: Aswan Type of museum: Nubian heritage Nubians hail from southern Egypt and northern Sudan, and their history is as old as Ancient Egypt’s. The preservation of Nubian culture is extremely important, because the heartland of Nubia was destroyed due to the flooding of the Nile. The museum tells the story of Nubia from its start as a prehistoric Nile Valley civilization, through the pharaonic era and introduction of Christianity and Islam to Egypt, up to the building of the Aswan High Dam in the 1960s. Read more: Aswan, Egypt: A Local's City Guide 8. Bibliotheca Alexandrina Museums: Sadat Museum, Manuscripts Museum, Antiquities Museum and History of Science Museum Location: Alexandria Type of museum: varied The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is the new Library of Alexandria, built in 2002 as a nod to the ancient library and its spirit of knowledge and learning. The original was an ancient wonder of the world, but was sadly destroyed in the Roman conquest of Alexandria around 2,000 years ago. The library is home to four different and important museums: the Sadat Museum , dedicated to the former Egyptian president and also a look at modern Egyptian history; the Manuscripts Museum , which focuses on the conservation and restoration of ancient Egyptian manuscripts; the Antiquities Museum , with special focus given to Alexandrian and Hellenistic collections; and the History of Science Museum , which highlights the historical aspect of science in Egypt during three major periods: ancient Egypt, Hellenistic Alexandria, and the Arab-Muslim World. You might also like: 7 Beautiful Palaces You Can Still Visit in Cairo Today

If you’re looking for a white sand beach holiday in Egypt  and considering booking in Soma Bay, then good for you – why? Because it’s still somewhat of a Red Sea hidden gem, which means YOU are one of the lucky ones in the know.  For those NOT in the know, Soma Bay is an up-and-coming luxury resort town about 45 minutes south from the popular beach city of Hurghada on Egypt’s mainland Red Sea Riviera . Soma Bay’s claim to fame is its enviable location on a peninsula jutting into the Red Sea, which means you get open sea with an extremely vibrant and thriving reef on one side, perfect for scuba diving and snorkeling; and the other side is a calm shallow bay with crystal-clear water and soft white sand; a nirvana for swimmers, sunbathers and kitesurfers.  So what’s the difference between Hurghada and Soma Bay? Hurghada is an actual city, so there’s the regular hectic local Egyptian life and hustle and bustle interspersed with hotels, restaurants and touristic activities. Taxis are needed to go from one part of Hurghada to another. Read more: Hurghada, Egypt: A Local Guide For First-Timers Soma Bay on the other hand is a quiet and gated resort town; a mix of private residences, 5 star hotels, beaches, and a handful of restaurants/bars. The only people who have access to Soma Bay are residents and visitors who’ve booked in one of Soma Bay’s hotels or have rented a beach villa or apartment there. All of Soma Bay can be explored by foot, golf cart or bike; no taxis needed. Go to Soma Bay if you want : a 5 star luxury hotel or rental experience; stunning beaches;  outstanding scuba diving and snorkeling; a quiet and safe destination where you can leave your hotel and explore via walking or golf cart; a slew of different activities for both kids and adults Don’t go to Soma Bay if you want: vibrant nightlife or a ‘city’ feel; backpacker hostels or budget hotels Quick Facts About Soma Bay It’s easily accessed from abroad via Hurghada International Airport, with most flights from Europe averaging 4 hours, and domestic flights from Cairo averaging 45 minutes It’s then about a 45-50 minute drive from Hurghada International Airport (45 km) Soma Bay is on the Ras Abo Soma peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Red Sea, with a backdrop of Egypt’s eastern mountains Soma Bay has five hotels: Kempinski, Sheraton, Cascades, Robinson and Breakers It’s known for some of the best scuba diving in Egypt There’s an 18 hole championship Gary Player signature golf course overlooking the sea It’s home to one of the best spas in the region, the Spa & Thalasso at Cascades Hotel Best Time To Go Soma Bay is a year-round destination, with almost 365 days of beach sunshine, even in the winter. Spring and fall are considered Soma Bay’s ‘high season’ -- it’s when the weather is at its most ideal (beach weather without soaring temperatures) with warm breezy nights. Summer is a great time to go too obviously because the water is nice and warm, but only if you can handle daily temperatures in the mid-to-high thirties (Celsius) or the nineties (Fahrenheit) and super-strong sun. During summer months, most people prefer to go to the beach in the morning or the later afternoon to avoid peak heat. Late December through to February is considered Soma Bay’s ‘winter’ – but we use that term loosely because the weather is still sunny and warm during the day, although cold at night. We’ve also seen many visitors even swim during the winter months, although the water then is a tad too chilly for us personally.  Getting There If you’re coming from abroad  (or even planning to fly domestically), then just fly into Hurghada International Airport, which is about a 45 minute car ride from Soma Bay. Once you land, it’s easy to either grab a taxi from outside the arrivals hall or pre-arrange with a car service (like London Cab  or ABC Taxi ) to pick you up. If you’re staying at a hotel, you can also easily arrange pre-arrival for your hotel to send a car to pick you up. If you’re coming from Cairo , then you have one of three options: a) drive, b) take a bus, or c) fly. Driving from Cairo is now a super-smooth trip thanks to the new Galala Road which allows you to bypass the scary two-way twisty mountain roads of Ain el Sokhna. It takes about 4.5-5 hours by car from the Cairo toll station to Soma Bay. If you’re coming by bus , then GoBus  has a bus stop at the Soma Bay Marina, with daily buses from Cairo. As for flying, the domestic flight from Cairo Airport to Hurghada International Airport takes about 45 minutes. Where To Stay in Soma Bay As we mentioned briefly above, Soma Bay itself (the private resort town) has 5 hotels and numerous rentals. But if you google ‘Soma Bay hotels’, you’ll find more than 5 hotels showing up in your search results. How come? Because there are also a handful of hotels outside the gates of Soma Bay, stretching south on the coast towards Safaga, but still name/list themselves as ‘Soma Bay’. Some of these hotels are very nice, but keep in mind you won’t have access to all the amenities and activities in Soma Bay proper like you would if you stayed in Soma Bay’s 5 official hotels. But let us break everything down further, and you can decide on where to stay based on your personal preferences. Hotels in Soma Bay: Kempinski  - 5 star beach and pool luxury all the way. They also have the best restaurants of all the hotels Cascades Golf Resort, Spa & Thalasso  - `5 star resort overlooking the golf course and home to the famous Thalasso spa Sheraton  - a great 5 star resort for families, with almost 1 km of gorgeous beachfront Robinson  - 4 star hotel ideal for German speakers  Breakers  - a 4 star diving and surfing lodge for those mainly interested in watersports and activities, adjacent to the Orca Scuba Diving Center Apartment and villa rentals in Soma Bay: If you’re looking for something larger or just more personal than a hotel room, then there are a lot of great rental homes you can book depending on your preferences. There are apartments, chalets and massive beach villas, and most feature great sea views. Renting a home in a residential neighborhood also means you get access to that neighborhood’s pool (and some of the homes even have their own private pool). Stayr  is the official vacation rental provider in Soma Bay, and they offer concierge service as well. Alternatively you can find a lot of great rental listings on Airbnb too.  Hotels outside of Soma Bay: As we mentioned above, there are a handful of really nice beach resorts nearby Soma Bay, but they won’t have access to all the extra activities, restaurants and amenities that the gated community of Soma Bay and its inner hotels have. But if you’re not planning to leave your resort anyway, then it doesn’t really matter. The best hotels near Soma Bay are: Steigenberger Resort Ras Soma Palm Royale Resort Soma Bay Solymar Soma Beach Main Areas & Points of Interest in Soma Bay So we’re just going to briefly explain the main areas and points of interest in Soma Bay, so you have an idea of the overall layout. Residential neighborhoods (where the home rentals are) The current finished residential neighborhoods are: Mesca, Baywest, Baycentral, Soma Breeze, Reef Town, Wadi Jebal, Golf Residences, Marina Residences Hotel Area  Next to the Soma Bay Marina, you’ll find a stretch of 4 adjacent beachfront hotels (Kempinski, Robinson, Sheraton and Breakers), stretching from the Marina all the way down to the jetty at the tip of the peninsula and connected via a promenade. The only hotel that isn’t directly on a beach is Cascades due to it being on the golf course, but it has its own beach accessible via shuttle bus.  Soma Bay Marina This is where you’ll find restaurants, coffeeshops, shisha, Cheers (an alcoholic beverage shop), the supermarket, pharmacy, fitness center, beauty salon, local shops and souvenirs and a medical center. This is also where boats and yachts dock. Play Park Behind the Marina is the Play Park, fun for both kids and adults alike. Here they have the Soma Splash Aqua Park, the Soma Raceway for go-karts, paintball, footgolf and a kids’ playground. Seaside Promenade Ideal for walking, bikes, scooters and golf carts. This path takes you from the Breakers Hotel next to the jetty all the way past the main hotel area to the Marina and onwards to Wyte Beach Club. If you don’t feel like walking it, there’s also a free shuttle that goes up and down the boardwalk.  The Jetty A 420m long jetty that allows you to walk above Soma Bay’s spectacular house reef. At the end of the jetty, there’s designated areas for both snorkeling and scuba diving, and the amount of sea life to be seen there is wild – dolphins, turtles, rays and barracudas are frequently spotted, and every now and then you can even spot Wally the whale shark! Orca Dive Club Soma Bay is one of the best spots in Egypt for scuba diving , and this diving center is ideal for both beginner and advanced divers alike; certified SSI and CMAS instructors offer diving and specialty courses in several different languages. The beautiful house reef is a mere minute’s walk away, and there are around 20 different dive sites by boat around Soma Bay. Orca Dive Club also has a beach bar to relax after a long day of diving. Wyte Beach Club It’s on a picture-perfect spot on the shallow bay, with crystal clear water and zero waves – ideal for swimming. They have umbrellas, sunbeds, beanbags and hammocks, and you can also rent canoes and other beach equipment. There’s also a beach bar and restaurant, and they offer shisha in the afternoons. On most weekends during the high season, they’ll have a DJ playing music throughout the day. 7BFT Kite House  This kitesurfing center was ranked one of the top three in the world. Soma Bay is ideal for kitesurfing with its flat water and 300 days of wind ( off-shore and side-shore winds ranging from 4 to 8 Bft). The 7BFT Kite House has training for beginners as well as advanced kiters and licenses up to ‘instructor’ level. Read more: 7 Best Kitesurfing Spots in Egypt Gary Player Signature Golf Course Designed by world-renowned Gary Player, this 18 hole championship golf course is right next to the sea. Spa & Thalasso At Cascades Hotel, they have the only spa on the Red Sea that uses thalasso-tonic seawater for therapy, as well as hundreds of other treatments for both mind and body. Even if you’re not a guest at Cascades, you can book the treatment of your choice and enjoy the spa’s wellbeing programs and amenities. How to get around Soma Bay Like we mentioned above, once you’re past the gates of Soma Bay and situated at your hotel or rental, getting around is pretty easy and there’s no need for taxis. If you do want to explore outside of your hotel/rental and don’t have a car, here are the best ways to get around Soma Bay: Walking:  if you’re staying in one of the hotels on the beach and want to reach the Marina or the jetty, it’s a pleasant walk on the boardwalk.  Free shuttle : there are free shuttles that will take you up and down the boardwalk.  Bike or scooter rental:  you’ll find at the Marina and down the boardwalk little kiosks that say ‘Hopper’ on them; there you can rent out regular bikes, e-bikes, and scooters either for a few hours or a few days.  Golf Cart rental:  Hopper also rents out golf carts, ideal for people who are staying in rentals in the residential areas and don’t have a car. There are designated golf cart paths all throughout Soma Bay.  Golf cart taxi services:  if you need just a ride from one place in Soma Bay to the other and don’t want to rent out anything, Hopper also provides golf cart taxi services. Best Things To Do in Soma Bay There are lots of things to do in Soma Bay, whether you’re active or just want a lazy vacation, with kids or flying solo. And luckily all are very easy to do!  Enjoy the beach, whether at your hotel or Wyte Beach Club Explore the jetty Scuba diving Snorkeling Boat trip (whether sunset boat trip or a snorkeling trip) Golf Desert safaris (provided by Alex Safari at the Marina) Tennis/Squash/Padel tennis Spend an afternoon at Utopia, a beach bar on nearby Tobia Island, completely surrounded by sea Horseback riding on the beach with Jasmine Stable Go-karting Take the kids to the water park Paintball Shisha at sunset overlooking the bay at SoBar Work out at the fitness studio Kitesurfing Windsurfing Windfoil Relax and decompress at the spa & thalasso Join the monthly full moon parties at the kite house Day trip to Luxor Dining & Nightlife Each hotel has their own roster of restaurants and beach bars, but if you’re looking for something outside of your hotel, then the Soma Bay Marina is where you’ll find most of your dining and nightlife options. Here’s the best restaurant/bars in the Marina: SoBar:  this restaurant and bar is one of the best and most dependable in Soma Bay, with beautiful views over the Marina and indoor/outdoor dining depending on your preference. Their rooftop terrace is great for sunset drinks, and on weekends they usually have a DJ. They also have a section for shisha and set up big screens for football matches and other big sporting events. During the high seasons, there’s a party or performer of some sort on the weekends as well. Kokomo:  this grill and smoked BBQ restaurant and bar is only open during spring and fall, but they serve some fantastic dishes cooked over an open fire. Excellent pizza as well.  Bamboo Shoot : this pan-Asian restaurant is run and managed by the Kempinski, but you’ll find it at the Soma Bay Marina on Wednesday through to Saturday nights.  Baladina:  want to indulge in some local Egyptian food ? Baladina has an extensive menu of all the Egyptian classics, from breakfast to feteer to late night grills.  Other dining options in the Marina: Maison Thomas - a pizzeria Burger Factory - burgers and fried chicken sandwiches For coffee: Seven Fortune - coffeeshop Parting Local Tip Just to summarize everything we spoke about above – if you’re looking for a relaxing Red Sea vacation on a world-class beach, and want all the perks of staying in a luxury hotel or rental but also have the ability to leave the hotel and enjoy safe resort town life, then Soma Bay is 100% for you. You may also like: Sharm El Sheikh - A Travel Guide For First-Timers

Egypt’s Red Sea has had the international diving community buzzing recently due to its continual high ranking as one of the best diving destinations in the world . It also doesn’t matter if you never dived before a day in your life -- Egypt is chock-full of PADI-certified, professional diving centers, instructors and liveaboards that will propel you from snorkeler to advanced diver in no time. Here’s a list of some of the very best diving destinations (and specific dive spots!) we have here in the Egyptian Red Sea . 1. Marsa Alam Best dive spots: Elphinstone Reef, Daedalus Reef, Abu Dabbab, Dolphin House Reef Marsa Alam might not be as well known or frequently visited as Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada when it comes to diving, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less impressive (it might be even more so!). This coastal town is more off the beaten track for both Egyptians and foreigners alike, so it’s an excellent place if you want to relax and focus on diving and other sea activities. Beginner divers: the shallow bay of Abu Dabbab is perfect for newbies -- there’s no current and the water is around 18 m deep. It’s also there where you can sometimes see Egypt’s very rare dugongs, cousins of the manatee. Advanced divers: Famous dive sites like Elphinstone and Daedalus are must-sees for more advanced divers -- you can see anything from hammerhead sharks to manta rays in these open sea sites. They’re accessible by either day trips from Marsa Alam or liveaboards. Local tips: Around April and May, water visibility is reduced slightly because of plankton, but that’s what attracts whale sharks and manta rays Whale sharks can be spotted in May & June, and hammerheads from May to August It’s possible to dive year-round, with the coldest water being 24°C in January and warmest being 30°C in the summer (which some find to be too warm, especially when the air temperature regularly hits 40+°C). How to get there: you can either fly into Marsa Alam airport or drive from Cairo (around an 8-10 hour drive) Read more: 10 Best Things to Do in Marsa Alam 2. Sharm El Sheikh/Ras Mohammed Best dive spots: SS Thistlegorm, Dunraven, Kingston, Shark Reef, Yolanda Reef According to Dive Magazine , “Sharm El Sheikh has been, for many years, the favourite Egyptian destination for scuba divers, and has probably contributed more to the European dive business than any other resort in the world.” It’s also the starting point for most dive expeditions into Ras Mohammed, an Egyptian national park at the southernmost tip of Sinai, where the Gulf of Aqaba meets the Gulf of Suez and the mixing of water leads to brightly-colored, healthy coral reefs. Beginner divers: Dive sites like Ras Um el Sid are ideal for beginners; easy reef diving in a shallow bay with no currents. Advanced divers: Sharm has some amazing wreck diving, like the SS Thistlegorm, a British ship that was sunk by Germans in WWII. Other great wreck dives are Dunraven and Kingston. Local tip: There’s no specific diving season in Sharm, but if you want to avoid the crowds both on shore and off, try to avoid the high tourist season (September-November and March-May), and go either during summer (if you can stand the soaring temperatures), or winter. How to get there: fly to Sharm El Sheikh airport or drive from Cairo (6-7 hour drive). Read more: 12 Best Things to Do in Sharm El Sheikh 3. Hurghada/El Gouna Best dive spots: Giftun Islands, Abu Nuhas reef and wrecks, Rosalie Moller The coastal towns of Hurghada and El Gouna might be around 25 km apart, but they share many of the same diving sites. Hurghada, which used to be a small fishing village only a few decades ago, is now the biggest Red Sea resort town on the Egyptian mainland. Beginner divers: Hurghada and El Gouna are actually ideal for beginner divers because most of their reefs are shallow and easily accessible but still crammed full of marine life, like the Giftun Islands (home of the famous Mahmya beach restaurant/bar on the shore ). Advanced divers: the deep wreck of the Rosalie Moller is closer situated to Hurghada than to Sharm El Sheikh, where its sister ship, the SS Thistlegorm is. Rosalie Moller was a coal ship so it’s not as impressive as Thistlegorm with all its relics, but still an awesome wreck dive. Local tip: Same as Sharm. There’s no specific diving season in Hurghada, but if you want to avoid the crowds both on shore and off, try to avoid the high tourist season (September-November and March-May), and go either summer or winter . How to get there: fly into Hurghada airport and take a cab/car hire from there if you’re going to El Gouna. Or you can drive from Cairo (around a 5 hour drive). 4. Dahab Best dive site: Blue Hole, The Canyon, Eel Garden The Blue Hole in Dahab is probably the most famous dive site in all of Egypt, known even by non-divers, but it’s definitely not the only diving spot Dahab has to offer. Beginner divers: most of Dahab’s coral reefs are right off the shore and easy for beginner divers to reach and explore, including The Blue Hole’s reef (but not the arch!). Advanced divers: the deep arch of the Blue Hole is a 70m archway and passageway in the reef, and is popular with advanced divers and freedivers, but is also extremely dangerous -- dozens of people have passed away there (the onshore tribute to the fallen divers is both moving and somber). The Canyon is also another favorite spot for advanced divers. Local tips: It’s rare to see sharks in Dahab It’s not a destination for wreck diving It’s awesome for snorkeling if you have non-diver friends with you Diving is year-long, and most people go between July-December, so try to avoid those months if you don’t want to the reefs to be crowded with divers How to get there : fly into Sharm el Sheikh then make the drive to Dahab (around an hour away), or drive from Cairo (7-8 hours). 5. El Qoseir Best dive sites: El Ikhwa Islands (Brothers’ Islands) Most would be surprised to see El Qoseir on the list, but it’s true -- if you’re looking for great diving away from it all and untouched coral, then look no further. This 5,000 year old town is home to several ecolodges and diving camps on the cliffs overlooking a pristine stretch of sea between Hurghada and Marsa Alam, and there are lots of diving centers to choose from. Beginner divers: most of the diving is close to the shore, easily accessible to the diving camps and shallow. Advanced divers: El Ikhwa Islands is one of the undisputed best diving spots in the whole of the Red Sea, and a good place to see sharks and other big fish, since it’s 70 km off shore from El Qoseir. Local tip: Qoseir as a town has almost nothing going on when it comes to restaurants or nightlife, so you’ll be spending most of your time in a hotel or Nuweiba-style beach camp, which is ideal for those who want peace and quiet How to get there: you have three options: 1) fly into Hurghada and drive south, 2) fly into Marsa Alam and drive north, 3) drive from Cairo (6 hours). 6. Soma Bay Best dive sites: Ras Abo Soma, Abu Kafan, Tobia Reefs (aka Seven Pillars/Seven Pinnacles) and Panorama Reef South of Hurghada is the nearby resort town of Soma Bay, on the same coastline between Hurghada and Marsa Alam. Whereas El Qoseir is the destination to go if you want primitive camps and a more back-to-basics feel, Soma Bay offers 5-star resorts and all-inclusive luxury hotels. Beginner divers: the reef of Ras Abo Soma and its adjacent areas are great for beginner divers, and you even have the chance of happening upon reef sharks. Advanced divers: there’s awesome wall and drift diving, and the Tobias Reefs are well-loved. You can also visit the Salem Express wreck, a controversial dive spot because of the sad story attached. The Salem Express was a passenger ferry between Egypt and Saudi Arabia that sank in 1991, killing over 400 passengers. Some divers choose not to visit the wreck, but other divers do and pay their respects to the remains of the ship and the lives lost. Local tips: This stretch of the Red Sea is ideal if you want to have a luxury vacation aside from just diving The area is close to Hurghada, but is not as crowded with diving boats How to get there: either fly into Hurghada airport and drive south, or drive from Cairo (5 hours). Read more: Soma Bay, Egypt - Travel Guide for First-Timers 7. Hamata, Wadi Lahami and the Deep South Best dive spots: St. John’s, Fury Shoals and Rocky Island Ever wondered about the stretch of the Red Sea between Marsa Alam and Sudan? It’s known as the Deep South, where the tiny coastal towns/villages of Hamata and Wadi Lahami are, right before you reach the Shalateen and Halayeb protected areas. This pristine stretch of Red Sea is completely untouched and unspoiled. Beginner divers: because of the strong wind conditions, it’s not always the best place for beginner divers, but St. John’s has a few easier dives. Advanced divers: the strong current leads to amazing drift diving, with an increased chance of seeing hammerhead sharks, pods of dolphins and manta rays. Local tips: There’s not many places to stay in Hamata and Wadi Lahami, just a few sparse diving villages. If that’s not your thing, then you can take a liveaboard from Port Ghalib near Marsa Alam (about 3 hours away by car). The best time to dive is from May to October, when the wind is less strong, but it’s also during the hottest months. Winter months have more agreeable weather in general but the wind and current can sometimes postpone dives. How to get there: fly to Marsa Alam and either take a liveaboard from Port Ghalib, or drive down to Hamata/Wadi Lahami. You might also like: 9 World-Class Beaches in Egypt

El Moez Street (also spelled Muizz or Muiz) is the shorthand version of its proper name: El Moez Li-Deen Allah Al-Fatimi Street. You can probably see why we locals shortened it. So what exactly is Moez Street? It’s a 1 km long pedestrian street, and to quote the UN, it has “the greatest concentration of medieval architectural treasures in the Islamic world”. It might not be the Pyramids , but it’s a definite must-see to get a true feel for the history of Cairo as a city, and to see some frankly mind-blowing medieval Islamic architecture and art. And not in a stuffy, museum-type behind-the-glass environment -- it’s a free pedestrian street with the architecture all around you, so you don’t have to worry about paying money to stare at super curated things that you a) don’t really understand, and b) are kind of boring. One thing we can promise about Moez Street -- it’s not boring, that’s for sure. A little background first: El Moez Street is found in an area of Cairo known officially as Historic Cairo, but we locals refer to it as ‘Old Cairo’ ( masr el adeema in Arabic). Cairo was officially founded in 969 AD by the Fatimids (a North African Shi’ite Muslim caliphate) and the modern-day area of Old Cairo consists of the remnants of the pre-Cairo cities (Fustat, Al Askar, Al Qatta’i), as well as Coptic Cairo and Islamic Cairo. Moez Street is named after the 4th caliph of the Fatimid dynasty. You might also like: Cairo's City of the Dead - A Local's Guide Old Cairo/Historic Cairo was deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979, and it was called "one of the world's oldest Islamic cities, with its famous mosques, madrasas, hammams and fountains" and "the new centre of the Islamic world, reaching its golden age in the 14th century." Read more about Egypt’s 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites here . Cairo’s Islamic History Briefly explaining the Islamic history of Egypt and Cairo in particular isn’t easy, what with all the different Islamic dynasties, but it’s important to have an idea of what we’re talking about when we reference something as being Fatimid, Mamluk, Ottoman or what have you. Egypt was conquered by Arab Muslims in 641 AD, led by Amr ibn Al-As, who proceeded to build the first mosque in Egypt and all of Africa (a reconstructed mosque still stands in Cairo today). Although the capital of Egypt at the time was Alexandria , Amr ibn Al-As created a new capital where his mosque was, and named it Fustat. More than 300 years later, in 969 AD, the Fatimid Caliph El Moez Li-Deen Allah Al-Fatimi built his new capital Cairo ( Al Qahera in Arabic) north of Fustat, and later absorbed it. When Cairo was first built, it was a walled enclosure for the royal caliphs, and part of that wall still remains today -- El Moez Street runs between two different gates of the wall. Since the foundation of Cairo, it was under several different Islamic dynasties: Fatimid (969 - 1171 AD) - originally Arab, they had a North African Shi’ite caliphate Ayyubid (1171 - 1250 AD) - a Sunni Muslim dynasty of Kurdish origins, led by Salah El Din Mamluk (1250 - 1517 AD) - a sultanate ruled by military slaves of Turkic and Circassian origins Ottoman (1517 - 1867 AD) - part of the Ottoman Empire. Egypt became an autonomous Khedivate under Ottoman influence after 1867 Egypt wouldn’t achieve full independence from outside powers until it became a republic in 1952. Pheeeeww ok we are now officially done with the history lesson. Moez Street Today: What To Expect Moez Street today is a mix of medieval mosques and buildings alongside modern vendors and shops in an Old Cairo neighborhood called Gamaleya, and the street is adjacent to the world-famous bazaar Khan el Khalili (for more info, you can read our full Khan el Khalili guide here ). The street starts at the northern Bab El Fotouh (one of the original gates to the old walled city), then meanders south for a bit until it intersects with Al Azhar street. Cross Al Azhar, and El Moez continues through the El Ghouri Complex ( El Ghoureya in Arabic), ending at Bab Zuweila and the Tentmakers’ Market in the south. You can either walk down the street and admire the buildings just from the outside, or you can explore some of them from the inside. Most of the mosques have free entry, but some of the other medieval buildings require a ticket and have working hours. Starting from the El Ghouri Complex, the street gets pretty chaotic with all the different shops and vendors, so just don’t expect a calm stroll and you’ll be fine. How To Get There The easiest way to get to Moez Street is to have a taxi or Uber drop you off at Bab el Fotouh in Gamaleya. Just plug in the destination on your Uber app, or tell the cab driver (just make sure he knows where it is first -- some Egyptian cab drivers really need to give up their day job). From Bab el Fotouh, you just walk through the gate and there you are! Moez Street Tickets and Working Hours The street itself is free of charge, and is just as popular at night as it is during the day, mainly because of how the buildings are lit in the dark. Mosques: most of the mosques are free to enter, but if you’re a woman make sure that you have something to cover your hair (and aren’t wearing something too short/revealing) and both sexes need to take off their shoes at the entrance (you can bring them in with you though). Places like the Qalawun Complex and Beit el Seheimy need a ticket to enter, and you can either buy an individual ticket or a combination one that lets you into different spots of interest on Moez Street, including historical houses, palaces and mausoleums. Combination ticket price: 180 EGP (non-Egyptian), 60 EGP (Egyptian). This ticket gives you access to Qalawun Complex, Sulayman Agha Al-Silahdar Mosque and Sabil, Al-Kamil School, Al-Nasir Muhammad Ibn Qalawun Mosque and School, Sultan Barqouk Mosque, Maimonides Synagogue, Hammam Inal and Amir Beshtak Palace. Where to buy the combination ticket: at Qalawun Complex The combination ticket doesn't include Beit el Seheimy (180 EGP and you buy it at the entrance of Beit el Sehemy itself). It also doesn't include climbing Bab Zuweila (100 EGP). Working hours for places that need tickets: 9 am - 5 pm (shortened hours in Ramadan), closed on Sundays. What You’ll See There’s *a lot* to see while walking down El Moez Street, but we narrowed down the main sites and listed them in the order of what you’ll see walking from Bab el Fotouh at the north entrance down south to the Tentmakers’ Market where Moez officially ends. Ready? Take a stroll with us: Bab El Fotouh Built: 1087 AD Islamic era: Fatimid One of the last three remaining gates to the original walled city of Cairo, built by a Fatimid caliph. It has arrow slits and shafts for pouring boiling water or oil on attackers. Bab El Nasr Built: 1087 AD Islamic era: Fatimid Before entering Moez Street from Bab El Fotouh, you can check out Bab El Nasr to the left of Bab el Fotouh. It’s one of the three remaining gates mentioned above, translating to Gate of Victory. Al Hakim Mosque Built: 992 AD Islamic era: Fatimid Once you enter Moez Street, the first site you’ll find is the Al Hakim Mosque, short for Al-Hakim Bi-Amr Allah. Its minarets are the oldest surviving minarets in Cairo. During certain periods after its construction during the Fatimid dynasty, it was used as a prison for Latin Crusaders, a fortress for Napoleon and a school before returning to its original function as a mosque. Mosque-Sabil of Sulayman Agha Al-Silahdar Built: 1839 AD Islamic era: Ottoman This religious complex of Sulayman Agha Al-Silahdar is a mosque, sabil (a building with the purpose of providing free drinking water to the public) and kuttab (a religious elementary school). Its design is known as ‘Ottoman baroque’. Beit El Seheimy Built: 1648 Islamic era: Ottoman Translating to ‘House of El Seheimy’, this historic house turned museum is a beautiful example of Ottoman residential architecture. It needs a ticket to enter (you can either buy a single ticket or a combo Moez Street one), but is definitely worth it. It’s found on Darb el Asfar, a lane intersecting with Moez Street which was an extremely expensive and affluent area of Islamic Cairo. Al Aqmar Mosque Built: 1126 AD Islamic era: Fatimid Translating to ‘Moonlit Mosque’, this mosque served the residents of early Cairo as well as the Great Fatimid Palace (no longer standing). It was the earliest mosque to have such an elaborate exterior facade and decoration. Beshtak Palace Built: 1339 AD Islamic era: Mamluk This palace turned museum was built in the 14th century by the Mamluk emir Beshtak (an emir was a powerful official or lord in the Mamluk dynasty). He built the palace to be his home and stables, and it’s a rare example of residential architecture at the time. Only part of the palace still exists, and is accessible via a ticket. Sabil-Kuttab of Katkhuda Built: 1744 AD Islamic era: Ottoman This public water fountain/building (sabil) and religious elementary school (kuttab) was built by Egyptian architect Katkhuda, and differs from the rest of Moez Street’s architecture in the sense that it’s free standing from 3 sides -- it’s in the middle of the street. Although it was built during the Ottoman era, the design is Mamluk. Hammam Inal Built: 1456 AD Islamic era: Mamluk This medieval hammam (public bathhouse) was built by the Mamluk Sultan Inal. It's one of the last remaining preserved historic hammams in Cairo; by the end of the 19th century there were around 80 hammams but now have dwindled down to just a few. Al-Kamil School Built: 1229 AD Islamic era: Ayyubid Adjacent to the Hammam Inal is Al-Kamil School (also known as the Mosque-Madrasa of Al-Kamil Mohamed Ayyub or Kamileya School). It was one of the greatest theology schools in Egypt in the 13th century, but the building was largely destroyed in later centuries. It was restored during the Ottoman era, which shows through the Ottoman architecture (for example, the mashrabeya windows) that you can still see today. Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Barquq Built: 1386 AD Islamic era: Mamluk This religious complex was built by the Mamluk Sultan Al Zaher Barquq and houses not only a mosque but a ‘madrasa’ -- a religious school dedicated to the four Islamic schools of thought. It’s adjacent to the madrasa of Al Nassir Mohamed , an earlier sultan. These two structures are thought to be some of the greatest Mamluk architecture in Cairo, alongside the Qalawun Complex (below). Qalawun Complex Built: 1285 AD Islamic era: Mamluk The funerary complex of Sultan Al-Mansour Qalawun was built over the ruins of one of the two original but no longer standing Fatimid palaces of Moez Street (giving this section of the street the name of ‘ Bein el Qasrein ’ -- ‘between the two palaces’). The mausoleum at Qalawun Complex is considered to be the second most beautiful mausoleum in the world, second only to the Taj Mahal. Entrance is via ticket. Sultan Al-Ashraf Barsbay Mosque Built in: 1424 AD Islamic era: Mamluk Also known as Al Ashraf Mosque, the Barsbay mosque was part of Mamluk Sultan Al Ashraf Al Barsbay’s complex, alongside a mausoleum and Sufi lodgings (now destroyed). This mosque is known not only for its size but its marble mosaics and stained glass windows. El Ghouri Complex Built: 1505 AD Islamic era: Mamluk Cross Al Azhar street and you’ll continue Moez Street through the El Ghouri Complex, known as El Ghoureya in Arabic. El Ghoureya is a funerary complex for the second-to-last Mamluk sultan, El Ghouri. What makes this complex so different from anything else on the street is that it’s situated on both sides of Moez Street, with a wooden roof above connecting the two sides. It’s home to a mosque, mausoleum and religious school, but the main thing you’ll see are all the modern stalls and vendors peddling all kinds of clothes and textiles. Al Muayyad Mosque Built in: 1421 AD Islamic era: Mamluk Close to Bab Zuweila (below), the Al Muayyad Mosque is considered the last great hypostyle mosque in Cairo. The interiors of the mosque were some of the most richly decorated at the time, although it’s said that some pieces were illegally taken from other mosques; Al Muayyad Mosque’s door and chandelier is said to come from the famous Sultan Hassan mosque. Bab Zuweila Built in: 1087 AD Islamic era: Fatimid The last remaining southern gate of the old Fatimid walled city of Cairo. Executions would sometimes take place here, with the heads of executed criminals displayed on the wall (which reminds us, RIP Ned Stark). Bab Zuweila is where Moez Street officially ends, but most explorers continue directly south to the tentmakers’ market. Tentmakers’ Market ( El Khayemeya ) A covered market (one of Cairo’s very last) selling all different kinds of beautiful textiles: carpets, pillow cases, tapestries and colorful tent material that’s used all over Egypt in mosques, weddings, homes and holidays. The market itself is a small alley with a high roof with skylights for sunlight and ventilation. The goods sold at the different stalls are great examples of Egyptian handicrafts, and are super reasonably priced. Extra: the Maimonides Synagogue Built: 10th century originally The Maimonides Synagogue (also known as Musa ben Maimoun Temple or Rav Moshe Synagogue) is kind of a bonus site for El Moez Street, mainly because it's not actually on the street itself -- it's on a small side street about a 10 minute walk away, in what used to be known as the Jewish Quarter (Haret el Yehood). However, entry to the synagogue is included when you buy your combination Moez Street ticket. The synagogue had fallen into decay but was restored by the government in 2010. Where to stay on Moez Street If you're interested in staying in a hotel right in the heart of Moez Street, then look no further than Le Riad de Charme, a boutique hotel that embraces the history and architectural beauty of the area. Read more: 8 Boutique Hotels in Egypt for a More Unique, Personalized Experience The pros of staying in a hotel right on Moez Street are that you'll be able to explore the street and Khan el Khalili for as long as you want without worrying about fitting it all in one day or having to make several trips. It's a good base in general if your main interest is Islamic Cairo as a whole: which includes not only Moez Street and Khan el Khalili but the Citadel, Sultan Hassan & El Rifai mosques , Ibn Tulun and City of the Dead as well. The cons of staying in a hotel on Moez Street are that it gets pretty crowded and busy, and traffic is a hassle if you want to explore Cairo outside of that area. Also Old Cairo/Islamic Cairo in general doesn't have a plethora of good restaurants, plus they don't serve alcohol, so you'll be a distance away from any nightlife. Where to eat on Moez Street While that area is known for having either tourist trap restaurants or just mediocre food in general, here are a few we recommend: Naguib Mahfouz Cafe & Khan El Khalili Restaurant This is actually one restaurant, but we locals mainly refer to it just as Naguib Mahfouz Cafe. It's not technically on Moez Street, but very close by in the Khan el Khalili market. It's run by the Oberoi group, which ensures that the quality of food never dips, and in fact it's one of our favorite restaurants in Cairo to bring foreign friends . The menu has all the Egyptian classics, the inner decor is ambient and fits its surroundings and they have live music most nights - but make sure you reserve before you go though, they're always fully booked! 2. Zeeyara The boutique hotel on Moez Street that we mentioned above, Le Riad de Charme, has a very cute rooftop restaurant called Zeeyara that overlooks several of the medieval monuments. 3. Tekiyt Khan Khatoun (Beit Zeinab Khatoun) This restaurant/cafe isn't on Moez Street itself, but is nearby behind the Al Azhar Mosque (on El Azhar street, which intersects with Moez Street). You'll find the restaurant in the courtyard of Beit Zeinab Khatoun, a historical Mamluk house built in 1486. Read more: Oldest Restaurants, Bars and Cafes in Cairo This spot is recommended more for a snack, coffee or shisha during your Moez Street visit, although they do have a full menu of Egyptian and international dishes (we recommend ordering the Egyptian options). And that’s a wrap for Moez Street! But before you leave the area, make sure you check out the world-famous souq and bazaar Khan el Khalili which is adjacent to Moez Street (you’ll have to double back a little back from Bab Zuweila). How to leave: You can catch a cab from the narrow street right outside Bab Zuweila, but it’s probably easier to head back to Al Azhar street (where El Ghoureya is), and get a cab from there or have an Uber pick you up. Or if you’re exploring Khan el Khalili before you leave, hop in a cab from El Hussein Square. You might also like: Coptic Cairo - A Detailed Local's Guide

When thinking of Egypt and pyramids, most people automatically think of the Giza Pyramids. But what most people fail to realize is that they’re not the sole pyramids in Egypt, and not even the oldest! Read more: 9 Different Egyptian Pyramids (That AREN’T The Giza Pyramids!) That You Need To See One of the things that makes the Pyramids of Giza so fascinating is their sheer size, plus the neighboring Great Sphinx. But not too far from the Giza Plateau is the necropolis of Saqqara, which is home to the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest pyramid in the world (and also the oldest complete stone building in the world, by the way), as well as a fascinating array of smaller pyramids and Old Kingdom and New Kingdom tombs. Wait, what exactly is Saqqara? Saqqara (also spelled Sakkara) was the royal necropolis of Ancient Egypt’s Old Kingdom capital, Memphis. The remains of the necropolis today include the Step Pyramid of Djoser (aka Zoser), smaller pyramids, tombs and other Ancient Egyptian monuments. Outside of the necropolis that’s sectioned off for sightseeing, Saqqara is still an active archaeological dig site, with almost yearly discoveries. Is Saqqara worth visiting while in Cairo? If you have the time, then definitely. For several reasons: The Step Pyramid of Djoser is the oldest pyramid in Egypt, and is considered the initial prototype for the smooth-sided pyramids of Giza (you can see more of that evolution with the Bent Pyramid of Dahshur) Saqqara actually has more to see than the Giza Plateau, between the different pyramids, mastaba tombs, Serapeum, etc. Continue reading down below for a more detailed guide to what you can see in Saqqara Saqqara isn’t far at all from Downtown Cairo, around an hour maybe. Paired with the Dahshur Pyramids and maybe the remnants of Memphis, it’s a really nice half-day trip that’s easily put together by any tour agency if you don’t want to do it solo Saqqara is much emptier and quieter than the Giza Pyramids. You can wander around the site without any annoying touts and vendors, and there are actually plaques to describe what you’re looking at it, which is a rarity in Egypt What to See in Saqqara Like we said above, Saqqara is divided into both a tourist site open to visitors and an active dig site. You won’t be able to explore the dig site for obvious reasons, but there’s still TONS to see. Local tip: not all of the following are always open to the public, sometimes they’re closed for restoration or are on rotation. Unfortunately the only way to find out what’s open and what’s not is to actually go, lol. So here are the main spots in the necropolis, and they’re all a very quick drive away from each other by car, or you can hoof it but beware all the sand and sun: Main Saqqara Site #1: Step Pyramid of Djoser Complex Ok so first off, you’ll hit the Step Pyramid of Djoser Complex. There’s lots to see and explain, but we’ll only get briefly into the main points or else we’ll be here all day. The main things to see there once you walk in are: i) Colonnaded Entrance of the Djoser Step Pyramid Complex You’ll enter the complex through here (same as ancient days, by the way). The colonnade is 20 pairs of columns with 24 small chambers between each, which are thought to maybe represent the nomes of Upper and Lower Egypt, and may have once held statues of the pharaoh or the gods. ii) The Step Pyramid of Djoser This beauty is the oldest Egyptian pyramid to date – it was built c. 2670–2650 BC, so it’s about 4,700 years old, if you can believe that. The architect was Djoser’s vizier Imhotep, thought of now as the founding father of Egyptian pyramids, and the design is six mastabas of decreasing size atop one another. Mastabas were how pharaohs and other Egyptian royalty and VIPs were buried before the invention of the pyramids -- mastabas were rectangular, flat-roofed tombs. You can enter the Step Pyramid with an extra ticket. You’ll enter through the Southern Passage, where you’ll walk down a stone corridor ( local tip: it’s nowhere near as narrow or steep as the Giza & Dahshur Pyramids, so if you want to go inside a pyramid with the least amount of claustrophobia/physical exertion, this is the one to enter). At the end of the corridor you’ll reach a railing where you can look down and see the burial chamber where Djoser was laid to rest, deep in the belly of the pyramid. Note: the Northern Passage into the Step Pyramid is not currently open to the public, which is a bummer because it leads to tunnels with some fascinating tiling, engraving and wall imagery. iii) South Tomb The South Tomb is a good place to see what you’re missing within the Northern Passage of the Step Pyramid. Because this tomb is too small to actually hold Djoser’s body, Egyptologists have several theories about the function of the tomb: one is to house the pharaoh’s ka in the afterlife, and a second theory is that this is where the pharaoh’s organs were kept in canopic jars (although future pharaohs were always buried with their canopic jars in the same burial chamber, so it’s a mystery). In either case, the South Tomb has a 30m tunnel that descends into a pink granite burial chamber. It then leads into further chambers that have blue tiling (like the non-accessible Northern passage of the Step Pyramid) as well as wall decoration. Note: you need to buy an extra ticket to enter the South Tomb. iv) Serdab The serdab is a small, enclosed chamber from the Old Kingdom that houses a statue of the deceased (in this case, Djoser) with just a small hole in the wall. It’s believed this statue was for the Pharaoh’s ka, and the sealed off space allowed the soul protection within its walls. You can peek into the hole and see what’s left of Djoser’s statue. Like we said above, there’s loads more to see at the Step Pyramid Complex so make sure to read up on the nitty-gritty before you go. There’s also signage there if you’re not going with a guide. Saqqara Main Site #2: Pyramid of Unas & Old Kingdom Mastaba Tombs While the Pyramid of Unas is not much to look at externally anymore, it’s what’s inside the collapsed pyramid that makes it so interesting. It’s the smallest remaining pyramid of the Old Kingdom, but notable due to the discovery of the ‘Pyramids Texts’ inscribed inside on its walls. The Pyramids Texts were funerary texts and spells for the pharaoh’s afterlife, which would later become the basis of the Book of the Dead. Nearby the Pyramid of Unas are other Old Kingdom mastaba tombs such as: Tomb of Mehu, a royal vizier Tomb of Ti, known for its wall depictions of daily life in the Old Kingdom, including scenes of farming, boat-building and poultry-fattening Tomb of Niankh-Khnum and Khnumhotelp, an unusual ‘double tomb’ mastaba. It’s not common to find a tomb for two people, so it’s theorized that these two men were brothers, and perhaps twins (one theory is that they were actually conjoined twins) Tomb of Irukaptah, also known as Tomb of the Butchers Saqqara Main Site #3: Pyramid of Teti & Tomb of Mereruka This pyramid doesn’t even really resemble a pyramid anymore – you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s a sandy hill. But it is in fact the remains of the Pyramid of Teti, and underneath the rubble is worth seeing too – it’s the second known pyramid to have Pyramid Texts on its walls. Nearby the Pyramid of Teti is the Tomb of Mereruka, the biggest and most elaborate tomb of all the non-royals buried in Saqqara. It has 33 chambers in total, with wall paintings and a life-like statue of the vizier Mereruka himself. (Note: going inside the Tomb of Mereruka needs an extra ticket). There are also other Old Kingdoms tombs near the Pyramid of Teti worth visiting, like the Tomb of Kagemni. Saqqara Main Site #4: Horemheb Necropolis (Tombs of the Nobles & New Kingdom Tombs) and the Bubastieion This site is for the “newer” tombs of the New Kingdom (and by newer, we’re talking 3,000+ years old lol). Although during the New Kingdom the Ancient Egyptian capital was at Thebes (now modern-day Luxor ) and the pharaohs were buried in the Valley of the Kings there, the generals were still buried in Saqqara. Horemheb was a general during the time of Tutankhamun and built his tomb in Saqqara, but then became pharaoh after King Tut died childless. The Bubastieion (or Bubasteum) was a temple dedicated to Bastet, the cat goddess. It’s a cat necropolis where over 100 cat mummies were discovered and thousands of cat bones found. 5 lion mummies were also found there. Saqqara Main Site #5: Serapeum So we covered the feline necropolis, but did you know there’s also a burial ground for bulls in Saqqara? It’s true, the Serapeum was for a sacred Ancient Egyptian bull called the Apis, and more than 60 bulls were found to be buried there, with 24 sarcophagi still remaining at the site. How to Get to Saqqara The most direct and hassle-free way of getting to Saqqara is arranging with a local tour company for them to pick you up and take you there (you can also add on whatever sights you’d like, for example the Dahshur Pyramids or Memphis. You can also include the Pyramids of Giza and have one big Pyramids day). You can also go solo, via Uber or taxi, but these are our local tips: The Saqqara necropolis is off the beaten track a bit and in agricultural land, so it’s not always straightforward to get to and sometimes the GPS will lead you astray. It’s better to make sure your driver knows how to get there without relying on GPS The Saqqara necropolis is pretty big and ideally would need a car to drive you from one main site to the other; it’s doable on foot but ultimately a big hassle It’s almost impossible to get an Uber back from Saqqara, so if you go with an Uber or taxi, make sure that they wait for you to finish and you can leave with them Saqqara Opening Hours 8 am - 5 pm (closes earlier during the month of Ramadan) Saqqara Ticket Prices Standard Entrance to Saqqara Necropolis Ticket: Non-Egyptian ticket: 450 EGP Non-Egyptian student ticket: 230 EGP Egyptian ticket: 30 EGP Egyptian student ticket: 10 EGP Local tip: this ticket includes the Step Pyramid of Djoser complex, Unas and Teti Pyramids and the tombs of Kagemni, Nikauisesi, Ankhmahor, Nefereshemptah, Ptahhotep, Ti, Idut, Unasankh and Iynefert – but keep in mind the tombs are sometimes on rotation so you’re not guaranteed these will be the same tombs open on the day you go. Entry into the Step Pyramid via the Southern Passage Ticket: Non-Egyptian ticket: 220 EGP Non-Egyptian student ticket: 110 EGP Egyptian ticket: 40 EGP Egyptian student ticket: 20 EGP South Tomb in Step Pyramid Complex Ticket: Non-Egyptian ticket: 240 EGP Non-Egyptian student ticket: 120 EGP Egyptian ticket: 40 EGP Egyptian student ticket: 20 EGP Nobles Tombs & New Kingdom Tombs in Horemheb necropolis and the Bubastieion Ticket: Non-Egyptian ticket: 330 EGP Non-Egyptian student ticket: 170 EGP Egyptian ticket: 20 EGP Egyptian student ticket: 10 EGP General Local Tips About Visiting Saqqara: As you can probably tell by now there’s a ton to see, so if you’re interested in visiting all the sites and entering all the tombs, this will take the better part of half a day. If you want to visit as part of a larger Giza Pyramids + Saqqara + Dahshur tour, you’ll have to streamline your Saqqara visit There aren’t any restaurants or cafes there, so make sure to bring your own snacks/water (there are a few touts selling water & sodas, but for exorbitant touristic prices) The sun is strong, so make sure to bring sunscreen and a hat if you’re sensitive to the sun Saqqara is a great spot to be able to see in the distance the rest of the pyramid fields: Giza, Dahsur & Abu Sir Pyramids Happy exploring and enjoy! You might also like: Dahshur Pyramids – A Local’s Guide to the Bent Pyramid, Red Pyramid & Black Pyramid