Trip to Cairo: what is worth seeing in addition to the pyramids
Cairo can be a big, noisy city, with the traffic on the streets surprising even the Greeks, but it is at the same time one of the most underestimated experiences in Egypt.
It was once known as "Middle East Paris" and thanks to the Egyptian National Commission for the Protection and Innovation of Cairo's Heritage now we can all understand why. In order to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the city's refurbishment in the style of the French capital, the committee renovates many of the buildings and now is a good time to book tickets and get to know it. In addition, the cost of living and living there will be low and affordable for each pocket. Cairo is one of the places you can do "big life" without paying it dearly.
Where to go
-Take a taxi and visit the medieval fortress on the hill in the southeast of the city. The 19th Century Mohammed Ali Mosque is the top attraction in the complex, but you can also visit other smaller Muslim temples and museums. From high up, you'll even get a first taste of the creepy pyramids of Giza in the background.
Art lovers must definitely visit the Cairo Opera at the southern tip of Gezira Island in the Nile, in the city center, to see their Islamic design, but also to visit the Museum of Modern Egyptian Art, which is being remodeled at the moment.
- Go to the famous Kasr Al Nile Bridge to the equally famous Tahrir Square, which starred in the Arab Spring 2011 demonstrations. It is a historic square with an enormous Egyptian flag floating in the center of grass and grass. To the southwest of this roundabout there is the special mosque Omar Makram.
Head north-east to the historic Talaat Harb where you can see the remains of Cairo's colonial past, including the Egyptian Diplomatic Club, and Café Riche, the oldest restaurant in Cairo at the edge of Talaat Harb Square. To your left, to Mahmoud Bassiouny, you will find a Swiss coffee from 1892, while in Champollion Rd, if you move to the north, you will find the palace of former officer Said Halim, the most magnificent mansion in the city.
Visit the authentic Egyptian Museum as you advance, as it is going to be hosted elsewhere near the pyramids in the years to come. If you are looking for contemporary art then go through Townhouse Gallery, the country's first independent art venue, which reopened in a factory last year.
-Get the experience of the Giza pyramids. At the entrance you will find the Great Sphinx and a 15-minute walk you will reach the Great Pyramid of Cheops, where you have to pay extra to get in. If you do, get ready for the most claustrophobic experience of your life!
-Take your trip to Coptic Cairo, which is part of the old town. There you will find a multitude of churches, such as the 9th-century hanging church, as well as the Ben Ezra Synagogue, the Coptic Museum and others.
Do not miss:
* Eat at one of the city's most famous kushari restaurants, Abou Tarek, to taste Oriental cuisine, Beware of chili!
* Drink an aperitif on the 8th floor of the Carlton Hotel in an art deco environment that seems to have stuck in the year it was created in 1935.
* Eat as a native at Fasahet Somaya at Youssef al-Guindi St, a beerhouse with inspired and very cheap Egyptian dishes.
* Shop for everything from Persian carpets to ceramics, perfumes and spices, or even take your stroll to the famous Han El Halili market.