Cairo

Cairo is Egypt's capital + Africa's largest city — population 10M city + 22M metro on Nile River. Founded 969 AD by Fatimid Caliphate + 'City of a Thousand Minarets' + Africa's most populous metro.

Famous for **Pyramids of Giza** (4,500-year-old + 1 of 7 Ancient Wonders of World + last surviving + Great Pyramid 138m + UNESCO 1979 — actually in Giza city 18km west of Cairo + camel rides + Sphinx 73m long), **Egyptian Museum** (1902 — 120,000+ Pharaonic artifacts + Tutankhamun's gold mask + mummies + transitioning to new Grand Egyptian Museum at Giza opening 2025), **Khan el-Khalili bazaar** (1382 — oldest market Middle East + spices + jewelry + leather + brass + tea at El Fishawi cafe since 1797), **Islamic Cairo** (UNESCO 1979 + 600+ mosques + Sultan Hassan Mosque 1359 + Al-Azhar Mosque 970 — oldest university world), **Coptic Cairo** (Christian Coptic district + Hanging Church + Cave Church + 1,500-year-old Christian roots), and **Nile River cruise** (felucca sailboat + sunset + most photographed Cairo).

**The Pyramids of Giza** — only surviving Ancient World Wonder + Great Pyramid of Khufu (138m + originally 146m + tallest building world for 3,800 years until Lincoln Cathedral 1311) + Khafre + Menkaure pyramids + Sphinx (73m long lion-pharaoh — 4,500-year-old). Visit at SUNRISE (open 8:00am) for best lighting + cooler temps + camels available + photographers' dream. Tour buses arrive 10:00am — get there early.

**Egyptian Museum** has 120,000+ Pharaonic artifacts + Tutankhamun's gold death mask + 30+ mummies. **NOTE: Most artifacts moving to Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)** at Giza opening late 2025 + GEM will be world's largest archaeological museum with 100,000+ pieces. Visit current Egyptian Museum until 2025 transition complete.

**Egypt's tourism has bounced back** since 2019 + much safer than 2010s political turmoil. Major sites guarded + tourist police presence + safe. 2024 visitor numbers approaching pre-2010 levels.

Iconic Egyptian food: **Koshari** (Egyptian national dish — rice + lentils + chickpeas + macaroni + tomato sauce + crispy onions EGP 50-100 — try Koshary Abou Tarek institution), **Ful medames** (slow-cooked fava beans + olive oil + lemon — Egyptian breakfast staple EGP 30-80), **Falafel/Ta'meya** (Egyptian chickpea balls EGP 20-50), **Molokhia** (mallow leaf soup + chicken or rabbit EGP 50-150), **Mahshi** (stuffed grape leaves + zucchini EGP 80-200), **Hawawshi** (Egyptian pita stuffed with spiced meat EGP 30-80), **Egyptian seafood** (grilled fish + tahini at Sequoia Zamalek EGP 200-500), **Umm Ali** (Egyptian bread pudding dessert EGP 50-150). Drink: **Egyptian Stella beer** (national lager EGP 30-60), **Karkadé** (hibiscus tea EGP 5-15), **Egyptian coffee** (Turkish-style + cardamom EGP 10-30), **Sahlab** (winter milk drink + cinnamon + nuts EGP 20-50).

**Best Cairo restaurants**: **Sequoia (Zamalek Nile-front)** (modern Egyptian fusion + Nile views EGP 400-800), **Khufu's Restaurant (Mena House Hotel)** (Egyptian fine dining + Pyramids backdrop EGP 700-1,500), **Abou El Sid** (authentic Egyptian + molokhia + grilled pigeon + lamb EGP 400-800), **Felfela (since 1958)** (Egyptian classics + ful + falafel + koshari EGP 100-300), **Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant (Khan el-Khalili)** (iconic restaurant in souk + Egyptian fine dining EGP 300-700), **El Fishawi cafe (since 1797)** (oldest Cairo cafe + tea + shisha EGP 100-300).

**Cairo day trips + extensions**: - **Pyramids of Giza** (18km west — half day) - **Saqqara + Memphis** (40min south — Step Pyramid + ancient capital) - **Alexandria** (3h north — Mediterranean coast + Roman Catacombs + Library of Alexandria) - **Luxor + Aswan** (1h flight + Valley of Kings + Nile cruise 5-day to Aswan)

Bottom line: Cairo is canonical Pharaonic civilization + Pyramids of Giza + Egyptian Museum + Islamic Cairo + Nile felucca. 3 days minimum: Pyramids 1 day + Egyptian Museum + Khan el-Khalili 1 day + Coptic Cairo + Nile cruise 1 day. Best paired with Luxor + Aswan Nile cruise 5-day extension.