Cairo a City Unlike Any Other

One of the most misunderstood cities in the world

 

I hear so many stories both good and bad when I speak to people about their travels to Egypt and there experience in Cairo. Cairo to me truly is a city unlike any other. 

The Ciaos that is Cairo, the horns that are constantly honking, people jumping in and out of old VW buses in the middle of the road, and all this while the roads are being shared by everything from cars to buses to donkey carts.

Having stood for nearly 1000 years, Africa’s second most populated city is a modern metropolis with an ancient past, It's a place where rich culinary traditions meet glam shopping and nightlife, a city vibrant with residents and tourists alike discovering something new around every winding bend in the road. Cairo is one of my favourite places in the Middle East to browse for decorative arts.

One particular part of Egypt still fascinates me is Old Cairo. In this area, you can learn about my rich ancestral heritage of the Coptic’s and the Christian community which is the oldest in the world. The beloved Coptic area is a part of the Old Cairo, where you can discover the Egyptian culture, literature, language, religions and writing systems.

Old Cairo, which is Masr el Qadīma [Adima] in Egyptian Arabic is the southern part of Cairo, but Old Cairo holds the incredible stories about Egypt. It is packed with our history, our first traditions, and humanity which allow us to rediscover ourselves in today’s society. The city was founded in 969 CE and this part of the city has the first capitals like Fustat, al-Askar and al-Qatta’i. When wandering in the streets of Old Cairo, you can admire the remained ruins of the Roman, the incredible Fort Babylon, the Roman Catholic Cemetery and others wonders. This is where you will find the luxury boutique hotel “Le Riad” if you are looking for something special.

When to visit Cairo

It’s always best to consider a trip to Cairo when the weather is milder, the crowds are smaller, and the accommodations cost much less. The summer months can be very daunting with temperatures sitting around 32-36°c or even higher, especially when navigating around outdoor spaces in the heat. The temperatures from October to November and March to the beginning of May can sit around 25-30°c, these temperatures are much less overbearing, and the city is not as packed with tourists. Surprisingly, Cairo does have a cold winter from December through February, so you’re more than likely going to need a coat handy and other winter wear if you book a trip during that time. Now don't get me wrong when I say it's cold, I mean it's nothing like my home town of Melbourne by any means, but it will get down as low as 10°c though!

The Best Areas to Stay

New Cairo: This charming suburban area is fantastic for shopping and less-crowded streets. It’s much more familial and offers a few high-end hotels not too far from the airport, including Dusit Thani Lakeview and The Westin. New Cairo is a great area to stay for folks who get paranoid about missing flights because of traffic, it's a scant 20 minutes from the airport. It offers more of an open, modern-Cairo neighbourhood experience, and is home to the American University of Cairo, luxury accommodations, western food options, and beautifully constructed malls such as Point 90, Cairo Festival City, and Downtown Karamay.

Maadi: This lively area of the city along the Nile is lively and foreigner-friendly, with western-style restaurants and hangout spots/cafes along Road 9. Although located in a predominantly Islamic country, many visitors frequent this area because they can find alcohol along with a robust nightlife at places such as Cheers Bar and The Tap Bar and Grill. The best options for accommodations in this area are Airbnb’s due to the high congestion and wealth of options therein. The Airbnb’s are often furnished with more updated looks to attract guests and are more or less essential due to the lack of hotel options in Maadi.

Zamalek: Parallel to the historic Nile River, this area is surrounded in upscale shops, cafes, and felucca boat rides. Many people gravitate toward staying in this area due to its close proximity to tourist sites including the Cairo Opera House, El Sawy Culture Wheel, and Cairo Tower. Also, the beauty of the city when it’s lit up in the evening is majestic, and gives this older, busy Cairo development, have more of a modern flare. For accommodations, The Sofitel Cairo Nile El Gezirah boasts itself as an “urban oasis”. Located on its own island along the Nile, guests will be in awe of its views seen in all 433 rooms and the hotels luxurious design.

Giza: This city is the third largest in Egypt and located about 45 minutes to an hour from Cairo’s international airport. More importantly, it's home of the pyramids you no-doubt planned to explore. Streets here are typically thronged with tourists and locals going about their busy day-to-day. For that essential Insta shot with the pyramids as a distant backdrop, the Steigenberger Pyramids is the way to go. This is our chosen Hotel while staying in Cairo on my 11- Day Magic Of Egypt Tour.

Where to Eat

Well a bit about me and food, growing up in an Egyptian household food is everything, from the preparation with the aunties in the kitchen to the mass of family around the table eating, so big that we would have to do two sittings. So before embarking on my Private Travel Business I did many years owning and operating my own food concepts in both Sydney and Melbourne, so you could say food is high on my list of priorities. Like my hometown of Melbourne which is a foodies heaven, so is Cairo! 

"YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO EAT EVERYTHING IN CAIRO" 

Many tourists flock to Cairo to experience a city steeped in history, but as it turns out, they can’t overlook the city’s burgeoning culinary landscape. Thousands of dining establishments ranging from traditional Egyptian to Italian, French, Indian and Lebanese, fetching cuisines that span the globe. With a plethora of choices, where does a first-time foodie begin? Here’s a glimpse at some of the best restaurants in Cairo. Just be sure to go hungry!

For breakfast, seek out foul. Pronounced "fool," the dish is comprised of mashed fava beans seasoned with spices, garlic and chili pepper and served with Egyptian flatbread and pickled veggies.

Gad & Felfela: These are both ridiculously cheap and delicious shawarma places, with homemade sandwiches, tammeya [Egyptian falafel, which is better than the traditional]. Highly recommend them both. They are great on-the-go places, and unbelievably cheap. Gad is all over Egypt so sure to find them on your travels! If you haven’t tried Felfela, you haven’t lived. Seriously this downtown gem is symbolic of every Egyptian’s childhood.  Everything ranging from the decor to the oriental food to the service is everything that Egyptian cuisine stands for. In fact Felfela is one of our dining spots on my 11- Day Magic Of Egypt Tour.

Koshary Abou Tarek: One of Egypt’s iconic traditional recipes since the 19th century, koshary (or kushari) is a combo of rice, macaroni, lentils, capped with chunky spicy tomato sauce then garnished with chickpeas and crispy fried onions. Then you must top with garlic vinegar and/or chili sauce for added heat 💯. This restaurant is also light on the wallet [about US$1 a bowl], This dish is sooo a must-try when in Cairo!

La Palmeraie @ Sofitel Hotel: Incredibly serene [pictured above], you sit right on the Nile, and the tagine dishes are delicious. Both the chicken and fish tagines are very tasty, as well as the mixed dip salad platter for bread. Most evenings, they have live musicians who play traditional Moroccan music as well.

Abou El Sid: This is a Cairo classic. Make sure you head to the original branch in Zamalek and transport back to Egypt in the 1940s. Abou El Sid offers a full blown Egyptian culinary experience ranging from my favourite dish ever Molokheya with rabbits to pigeons to Om Ali, This is where you got to feast! I take my guests who wont to come with, for a night out at the end of Day 2 of my Magic of Egypt Tour Itinerary and end up at Rooftop Bar for drinks and shisha, but that's for another Blog.

How To Get Around Cairo

Cairo's public transportation includes buses and trains is something that I don't even attempt, I get around by either Taxi/Cab or Microbus myself. Microbus system has been around forever in Egypt it is similar to the ride-sharing Uber Pool concept of today's modern world. A mini-bus pulls up as you stand by the side of the road with a bunch of people in it, as it is still in a rolling motion, he asks "what direction", if it's the same direction, you jump in quick......simpless! However if your not up for the process  as a part of Egypt's efforts to create a more modern, safer alternative to fighting with taxicab drivers over prices or jumping on and off crowded buses, Cairo offers Uber and Careem, a similar car service as we are used to in Australia or the US.

Cairo is hectic, congested, and can be a bit stressful to get around in, and this will help you get the most out of your trip. For a bit more money than the regular rust bucket Cab, but an incredibly more efficient and professional cab service, use London Cab. You can order it online, they always speak English, they always have air conditioned and clean vehicles, they never arrive to the pickup point late [in Egyptian time] 😉

The public buses can be extremely crowded and, as with many huge cities, pickpocketing is an issue, so make sure to secure your belongings and stay vigilant. In addition, if you’re a novice to the bus routes, you will have to learn by trial and error: There’s no set website or formal schedule with the pick-up and drop-off points, which means if you are unfamiliar with where to get on and get off, you could end up completely lost.

Cairo has walkable areas, but is not typically a walkable city. Sidewalks are not consistent throughout the city and can often land you walking in the street, even in suburban areas such as New Cairo City. Due to non-strict traffic laws, cars tend to make their own rules, set their own speed limits, create extra lanes, and ignore the small number of traffic lights that exist in the city. Curbs are often much higher off the ground in Cairo as a direct result, so it's important to pay close attention when walking so you don’t abruptly step into harm's way.

Sorry all my non-American friends, but you're going to have to get used to tipping for everything when you travel in Egypt. Often referred to as “baksheesh,” you'll be asked to tip for everything from a porter bringing your bag to your hotel room to someone handing you a paper towel in the bathroom.

In some instances you won't be given a choice like going to the toilet, even at the airport it will cost you at least 2 or 3 Egyptian pounds, while in other cases a tip won't be explicitly asked for but will still be expected. It can get annoying being constantly asked for money, but remember the amounts are incredibly small [5 Egyptian pounds is only 30 cents USD], and that the average wage in Egypt is US$200/month. My cousin who is a doctor was earning in Egypt the equivalent to that of what an 18 yr old working at McDonald's back home in Australia.

Must-See's Of Cairo

What you decide to do should be determined by how much time you have, and what else you might plan to do while visiting Egypt. If you have'nt got the hint already Cairo is busy and getting around is not as easy as you might think. So If you plan to see Luxor and the Valley of the Kings, you might want to explore more of the Islamic part of Cairo and more modern historical offerings like Old Cairo, and a tour of the Citadel, for example. If you like the outdoors and pleasant walks with views, you may want to check out Al-Azhar Park while on that side of town in Coptic Cairo, trust me you won't be disappointed! I would even suggest making this a lunch break, grabbing some food from the local choices well-manicured grounds of the park to break up the day. Then continue on back to tour the citadel or Khan Al-Khalili.

Here are my top 5 favorite places and experiences in Cairo

• Giza Pyramids and Sphinx Hello!!
• The Egyptian Museum or the Grand Egyptian Museum.
• The Citadel and the mosques that surround it.
• Khan Al-Khalili the finest of Middle Eastern souq (bazaar).
• Felucca Boat ride along the Nile River at sunset.

Staying safe while exploring Cairo

Walking in Cairo streets is not the time to be aloof. There’s no “right” time to cross the street: Just as the locals do, you’ll find yourself playing Tetris to get from one side to another. This means swiftly walking or running in between cars as you find any break in traffic. Basically, always have the expectation that a vehicle is coming, even if you don’t see it.

Also, while many may assume that being in a predominantly Muslim country women need to be completely covered, that’s not the case. Out of respect when visiting holy sites, dress modestly and be sure to have your legs and arms covered. However, when walking around the streets wear what's comfortable, keeping in mind that some outfits can bring you attention as a foreigner. In more rural areas like Giza or the Old Cairo area of Khan Al Khalili, blending in ism more beneficial than standing out.

Haggling is a way of life here. And if you’re a haggler by nature, it’ll be a lot harder to negotiate prices if you appear to look like you have money to burn in shops and at markets. You’re already an easily identifiable foreigner, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the Egyptian Arabic language, but the flashier you appear the more prices will magically triple.

In terms of language, this is a place that draws tourists from all over the world, though you shouldn't assume people you interact with are going to understand English. Some phrases that are good to help with navigating your trip are:

Sabah El-Khair (sa-bah ul care): Good Morning

Laa, shukran (shoo-krahn): No, thank you

Aywa (aye-wah): Yes

Bas! (bus): Stop!

Bekam (becam): How much?

Yameen: Right (opposite of left)

Shemāl (shay-mal): Left (opposite of right)

Aala tuul (ala-tool): Straight (directions)

 

So if Egypt is on your bucket, then come with me on my very personal and intimate experience The Magic of Egypt Tour you will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to see Egypt not through touristic eyes but through ancient Egyptian eyes.

Check out my Itineraries

11-Day Magic of Egypt Tour Itinerary, where over 11 days you will be weaving through the magic that is Egypt, discovering the hidden gems that many locals wouldn't know exists

15-Day Magic of Egypt Tour + Sharm El Sheik Itinerary with 3 nights in the resort town on the Red Sea. Including 5* Hotel with full board, Flights and Bedouin Dinner and Camel Ride.

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