Travel + Leisure - India & South Asia
Captured by Cairo’s Charms
HOME TO A WEALTH OF HISTORIC RICHES, THE EQYPTIAN CAPITAL IS ALSO WHERE YOU’LL UNCOVER A MODERN METROPOLIS.
AFRICA IS NOT SHORT on places that evoke the romance of travel. From Marrakesh to Mombasa, the continent abounds with destinations that major in assaulting the senses while delivering transformative journeys for the soul.
Yet, few cities cast quite as potent a spell as Cairo. Known to Egyptians as Umm Ad Dunya—the Mother of the World—the sprawling capital on the River Nile has a multi-level persona that has evolved layer upon layer for millennia.
A walk around the old walled city and citadel will reveal ancient bazaars such as Khan el Khalili as well as one of the greatest concentrations of historical monuments of Islamic architecture in the world. It’s even possible to catch a glimpse even further back in time to Roman times when present-day Cairo was occupied by the legendary fortress of Babylon.
PYRAMID POWER
Just outside the city, meanwhile, the visceral impact of the Great Pyramid
of Giza remains undimmed by its global fame.
Cairo, though, is not a destination that constantly dines out on former glories. Sleek contemporary dining and drinking spots embody the modern face of Cairo. Take the Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino for instance, which stands proud on the mighty river within easy striking distance of attractions such as the Cairo Opera House, the Egyptian
Museum and the city’s best shopping options.
STREET-LEVEL EXPLORING
Sample the city at rush hour when a battalion of honking cars chokes the business districts, drowning out the muezzins’ call to prayer, and you’ll get an idea of why it is regarded as one of the most important economic engines in North Africa.
In this place of often-stark contrasts, it pays to start with the familiar. Whether you are a return visitor or someone who has never set foot in Egypt, nowhere is more recognizable than the pyramids.
The last remaining wonder of the ancient world—and a seemingly eternal tribute to the might and organisation of the Egyptian Empire—the pyramids are a short hop (around 18 kilometers) across the Nile from downtown Cairo.
For those with time to spare, the desert plateau is littered with tombs, temple ruins and smaller satellite pyramids. There’s no doubt, however, that the main draw for most visitors are the four most famous sights: the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre, the Pyramid of Menkaure and the Sphinx.
STROLL THROUGH HISTORY
While nowhere in Cairo itself is quite as venerable as the pyramids, which are reckoned to be at least 4,500 years old, if not much older, the modern traveler can take an evocative step back through the centuries at a variety of sites. One of these is the Khan el Khalili, the historic center of Islamic Cairo and still one of the most atmospheric bazaars in the Arab world. While the mercantile bustle has been slightly sanitized due to tourist footfall, there is still plenty of quality in the stalls and shops that line the narrow passageways of the souk, with glassware, old antiques, handcrafts and other Egyptian souvenirs among the bounty. The bazaar is also notable for fantastic old cafés such as El-Fishawi and array of street snacks such as fresh-cooked falafel or hummus with hot flatbreads.
A LUNCHTIME FEAST
Indeed, food is as central to life in Cairo as it has been since ancient times. The dining scene in the city has evolved as rapidly as any in Africa, with hip hideaways and blowout venues on the banks of the Nile catering to a discerning audience. Sometimes though it pays to go back to basics. And in Cairo,
few places do the simple things better than Abou Tarek, which has been serving up an exemplary version of the local classic koshary—al-dente macaroni, rice and lentils topped with tomato sauce and crispy fried onions—since the 1950s.
Replenished with ballast to re-enter the fray, lunch should be a precursor to visits to more of the city’s compelling historic sights. In a place where incredible Islamic architecture is almost as abundant as cars, the Al Azhar Mosque stands out from a crowded field.
The complex houses a university, one of the oldest institutions in the world with roots dating back to 970AD. But the main lure is the graceful mosque—Cairo’s oldest— whose architecture has been shaped over time Egyptian history including rule by the Turkish Ottoman Empire and the slave-warrior Mamluks.
A fitting place to round off a tour of Cairo’s often byzantine history is at its Museum of Islamic Art (miaegypt.org). The institution is one of the best-curated museums in the Middle East, its collection numbering more than 80,000 objects from across the Islamic world. It’s another unmissable experience in a city that is replete with them.