UltimateCity Guide Cairo
Our favourites
The three pyramids of Giza with the queens’ pyramids in front, across the desert under a clear sky The three pyramids of Giza with the queens’ pyramids in front, across the desert under a clear sky The domes and pencil minarets of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in the Citadel The Nile at Zamalek, with the riverside walk and a bridge The Great Sphinx of Giza with the Pyramid of Khafre behind

The city guide to Cairo, Egypt

Best of Cairo

The Pyramids at dawn and Tutankhamun at the Grand Egyptian Museum, the minarets of the medieval city and the lamps of Khan el-Khalili, feluccas on the Nile and the grand hotels of the Corniche: Cairo, checked place by place.

Launch edition · Autumn 2026

Where to eatWhat to see
The red carriages of the Glacier Express crossing the stone arches of the Landwasser Viaduct below a snow-capped peakSister guideULTIMATE Rail JourneysThe story of the train, the great journeys and where to book themA cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, MontenegroSister guideULTIMATE CruisesLines, ships and itineraries, from river to expeditionThe Matterhorn in winter above ZermattSister guideULTIMATE Ski ResortsSeason dates, hotels, après and ski schools, resort by resort
The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-FerratSister guideULTIMATE PropertyZamalek, Maadi, the compounds of New Cairo and how buying works

Cairo, from the Pyramids to the Nile, checked place by place

Cairo is the great city of the Nile and the threshold of five thousand years: the Pyramids on its desert edge, a medieval city of a thousand minarets at its heart, and the Nile running through it all. Here are the grand hotels of the river and the Pyramids, the Grand Egyptian Museum and the old Egyptian Museum, Historic and Coptic Cairo, the restaurants from koshary to Khufu’s, nine areas from Downtown to New Cairo, and journeys to Saqqara, Alexandria, Luxor, Aswan and the Red Sea. We’ve checked every listing against the venue’s own website or an official source, and we leave out anything we can’t confirm.

Cairo, the city of a thousand minarets

In depth

The city of a thousand minarets

Cairo·In depth

The Pyramids and the GEM, the mosques and gates of Historic Cairo, the churches of Coptic Cairo and the Nile between them: how to read the city.

Read the story

Cairo by area

From Tahrir Square and the island of Zamalek to the medieval city, Coptic Cairo, Giza and the Pyramids, Heliopolis, Maadi and New Cairo: each area has its own guide.

The three pyramids of Giza with the queens’ pyramids in front, across the desert under a clear skyArea guideDowntownTahrir and the Khedivial cityThe Nile waterfront walk at Zamalek in the evening lightArea guideZamalek & GeziraThe island in the NileThe Nile at Zamalek, with the riverside walk and a bridgeArea guideGarden City & the CornicheVillas by the riverThe minarets and dome of the Qalawun complex on Al-Muizz StreetArea guideIslamic CairoThe medieval cityThe nave of the Hanging Church, with its carved screen and chandeliersArea guideCoptic Cairo & FustatChurches and the royal mummiesThe Pyramid of Khafre seen past the Great Pyramid and the Khufu boat-pit museum on the Giza PlateauArea guideGiza & the PyramidsThe Pyramids and the GEM

Getting about

Metro line 1 links Downtown (Sadat, for Tahrir Square) with Coptic Cairo (Mar Girgis) and Maadi: keep a car for Giza and the Citadel.

The Baron Empain Palace in Heliopolis, inspired by the temples of AngkorArea guideHeliopolisThe garden city of 1905The Nile at Zamalek, with the riverside walk and a bridgeArea guideMaadiGreen and residentialThe Nile at Zamalek, with the riverside walk and a bridgeArea guideNew CairoThe city in the east

Plan your trip

The practical things to know before you go: the e-visa, two airports, the metro and the sleeper trains, and itineraries for a first visit and the journey up the Nile.

The Nile at Zamalek, with the riverside walk and a bridgeBefore you goCairo essentialsThe e-visa, money, dress and the numbers to callThe ticket barriers of a Cairo Metro stationGetting aroundGetting around CairoTwo airports, the metro and the trainsThe three pyramids of Giza with the queens’ pyramids in front, across the desert under a clear skyItineraryThree days in CairoThe classic first visitThe Pyramid of Khafre seen past the Great Pyramid and the Khufu boat-pit museum on the Giza PlateauLuxury guideLUX LivingThe finest addressesThe Pyramid of Khafre seen past the Great Pyramid and the Khufu boat-pit museum on the Giza PlateauItineraryThe Gold weekendMena House, Khufu’s and the GEMA felucca sailing on the Nile at AswanItineraryUp the NileCairo, Luxor and Aswan

Our advice

Giza at opening time

Arrive at the Giza Plateau when it opens, through the new entrance on the Cairo–Fayoum road, and keep the afternoon for the Grand Egyptian Museum, which stays open until 9pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Giza & the Pyramids

Beyond the city

Saqqara and the first pyramids, Alexandria on the Mediterranean, the temples of Luxor and Aswan, and the reefs of the Red Sea.

The Step Pyramid of Djoser at Saqqara under a blue skyBeyond the citySaqqara, Memphis & DahshurThe first pyramidsAlexandria’s Eastern Harbour and seafront, seen from the Citadel of QaitbayBeyond the cityAlexandriaThe city on the seaThe avenue of ram-headed sphinxes at KarnakBeyond the cityLuxorAncient ThebesA felucca sailing on the Nile at AswanBeyond the cityAswan & Abu SimbelFeluccas and templesThe marina buildings of El Gouna on the Red SeaBeyond the cityThe Red SeaReefs and lagoons

Our advice

Take the sleeper south

The overnight sleeper trains run from Cairo and Giza to Luxor and Aswan: go south by train and fly back, and give each bank of the Nile at Luxor its own day. Luxor from Cairo

In depth: the stories of Cairo

The city of a thousand minarets, its museums and crafts, its table, its hotels, its cars and trains, and where to buy a home: the stories behind Cairo.

The Nile at Zamalek, with the riverside walk and a bridgeFeatureCairo, the Pyramids and the riverFive thousand years along the NileThe domes and pencil minarets of the Mosque of Muhammad Ali in the CitadelThe back storyA thousand minaretsGiza, the medieval city and Coptic CairoA marble fountain floor and carved stone doorway in the Museum of Islamic ArtThe back storyMuseums, music and craftsFrom Tahrir to FustatA dish of koshary with its toppings: lentils, chickpeas, fried onions and tomato sauceThe back storyEating in CairoKoshary to Khufu’sThe Nile at Zamalek, with the riverside walk and a bridgeThe back storyThe hotelsFrom Mena House to the CornicheThe Nile at Zamalek, with the riverside walk and a bridgeThe back storyCars and driversWhy most visitors take a driver

At the mosques

Cover shoulders and knees, take off your shoes and, for women, carry a scarf; avoid Friday midday prayers.

The decorated concourse of Ramses StationThe back storyGetting aroundMetro, monorail and the sleeperThe Nile waterfront walk at Zamalek in the evening lightThe back storyBuying in CairoThe districts and the first stepsThe Great Sphinx of Giza with the Pyramid of Khafre behindFun factsCairo fun factsThings you might not know

Onward with the ULTIMATE guides

Dubai across the Gulf, the cruise lines of the Mediterranean and the great rail journeys of the world.

The Nile at Zamalek, with the riverside walk and a bridgeULTIMATE DubaiDubaiThe Gulf’s great cityFeluccas on the Nile at sunsetULTIMATE CruisesCruisesThe lines of the MediterraneanThe decorated concourse of Ramses StationULTIMATE Rail JourneysRail JourneysThe great trains of the world

ULTIMATE City Guides: Europe & beyond

Planning a longer journey? Each city in the network has its own independent guide, written with the same care and checked place by place. Here are the guides that are live, with more on the way.

Europe

See all Europe
Canal houses and bridges in Amsterdamthe NetherlandsULTIMATE AmsterdamThe canal ring, the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum, canal-house hotels, twenty MICHELIN-starred tables, brown cafés, and day trips to Haarlem and Keukenhof.Visit the guide The Alhambra in Granada in the evening lightSpainULTIMATE AndalusiaSeville, Granada and the Alhambra, Córdoba, Málaga, Cádiz and Jerez, Ronda and the white villages, Doñana and Cabo de Gata.Visit the guide The floodlit Acropolis and Parthenon at dusk, seen from Philopappos HillGreeceULTIMATE AthensThe Acropolis and the Plaka, rooftop bars facing the Parthenon, the Athens Riviera and the Greek islands: our original guide, and our deepest.Visit the guide The road winding out to the lighthouse on Cap de Formentor, Mallorca, above the open seaSpainULTIMATE Balearic IslandsMallorca, Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera side by side, and how to hop between them by ferry.Visit the guide The Sagrada Família lit up at nightSpainULTIMATE BarcelonaGaudí and the Sagrada Família, the Gothic Quarter, four Three-Star MICHELIN kitchens, the beaches and day trips to Montserrat and Girona.Visit the guide Belgrade's old town and the spire of the Cathedral Church of St Michael above the Sava at sunsetSerbiaULTIMATE BelgradeWhere the Sava meets the Danube: a buzzing capital of art, classical music and famous nightlife, with a new waterfront and the mountains of Zlatibor and Kopaonik.Visit the guide The Brandenburg Gate in Berlin against a blue skyGermanyULTIMATE BerlinThe Brandenburg Gate and Museum Island, the Philharmonie and three opera houses, the story of the Wall, and day trips to Potsdam and Dresden.Visit the guide The Royal Pavilion in Brighton under a blue skyEnglandULTIMATE BrightonThe Royal Pavilion and the piers, the Lanes and the North Laine, Kemptown and Pride, and the South Downs on the doorstep.Visit the guide The Romanian Athenaeum in its gardenRomaniaULTIMATE BucharestBelle Époque palaces, concerts at the Athenaeum, a buzzing food and coffee scene, and the castles and mountains of the Carpathians.Visit the guide The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the DanubeHungaryULTIMATE BudapestThermal baths, grand coffee houses, ruin bars and MICHELIN-starred dining on both banks of the Danube, with day trips to the Danube Bend and Lake Balaton.Visit the guide Nyhavn, CopenhagenDenmarkULTIMATE CopenhagenNyhavn and Tivoli, Rosenborg and Amalienborg, smørrebrød at lunch, Geranium and Kadeau’s three stars, Danish design and the harbour baths.Visit the guide A cruise ship in the Bay of Kotor, Montenegroships & regions)ULTIMATE Cruises (linesThe world’s cruise lines for every budget, from family resort ships to yachts, expedition ships and river boats, with the cruising regions port by port.Visit the guide The Ha’penny Bridge on the Liffey, DublinIrelandULTIMATE DublinTrinity and the Book of Kells, the Georgian squares, The Shelbourne, the pubs and their music, and the coast from Howth to Dalkey.Visit the guide Edinburgh Castle on its rock above the trees of West Princes Street GardensScotlandULTIMATE EdinburghThe castle and the Royal Mile, the Georgian New Town, seven MICHELIN stars from Leith to Stockbridge and the August festivals.Visit the guide Aerial view of the white sand spit of Ses Illetes and Llevant, the salt pans and, across the strait, Ibiza and Es VedràSpainULTIMATE FormenteraThe white sands of Ses Illetes, the lighthouses of La Mola and Barbaria, the craft markets and an island made for bikes.Visit the guide The Baie des Anges, NiceFranceULTIMATE French RivieraNice, Cannes, Antibes, Cap Ferrat, Èze, Menton, Saint-Tropez and Cassis: palace hotels, three-star tables, beach clubs, the Festival de Cannes and the painters’ coast.Visit the guide Blue domes of Oia above the Santorini calderaGreeceULTIMATE Greek IslandsIsland hopping made easy: Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Milos and the Cyclades, plus Crete, Rhodes and Corfu, with ferries, beaches, hotels and tavernas.Visit the guide Helsinki Cathedral above the South HarbourFinlandULTIMATE HelsinkiSuomenlinna and the South Harbour, saunas by the sea, Aalto and the Design District, two-starred Palace and day trips to Porvoo and Tallinn.Visit the guide The walls of Dalt Vila and the cathedral above the harbour of Ibiza Town, in late sunSpainULTIMATE IbizaDalt Vila’s UNESCO walls, Es Vedrà, three MICHELIN-starred kitchens, the beach clubs and the quiet north, 30 minutes from Formentera.Visit the guide Hagia Sophia and its minarets in golden evening lightTurkeyULTIMATE IstanbulTwo continents, one city: Hagia Sophia and the bazaars, Bosphorus ferries, meyhanes and rooftop bars, Sinan’s hammams and the car-free Princes’ Islands.Visit the guide Varenna on Lake ComoItalyULTIMATE Lake ComoVilla d’Este and the Villa del Balbianello, Bellagio and Varenna, the gardens of the villas, Riva boats and the four MICHELIN stars of the lake.Visit the guide Lisbon’s rooftops falling to the Tagus under a clear blue skyPortugalULTIMATE LisbonBelém’s monastery and tower, the castle above Alfama, palace hotels, Belcanto’s two stars, and day trips to Sintra, Cascais and Comporta.Visit the guide Congress Square, Ljubljana, with the castle on its hill behindSloveniaULTIMATE LjubljanaSlovenia’s green, car-free capital of river cafés and Plečnik’s bridges, an hour from Lake Bled, the Julian Alps, the caves and the Adriatic.Visit the guide The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth Tower lit at dusk across the ThamesUnited KingdomULTIMATE LondonRoyal palaces and the Thames, great museums, West End theatre, grand hotels, and the restaurants and bars of Soho, Mayfair and the City.Visit the guide The Metrópolis building at the start of the Gran VíaSpainULTIMATE MadridThe Prado and El Retiro, the Royal Palace, DiverXO’s three stars and cocido since 1870, with day trips to Toledo and Segovia.Visit the guide La Seu, Palma’s Gothic cathedral, and the Almudaina above the old sea wall, seen from the Parc de la MarSpainULTIMATE MallorcaPalma’s cathedral and palace hotels, the UNESCO Tramuntana, Deià and Sóller, nine MICHELIN-starred kitchens, and Menorca, Ibiza and Formentera.Visit the guide Valletta’s honey-coloured skyline, with the dome of the Carmelite church and the spire of St Paul’s, above the harbour at sunsetGozo & CominoULTIMATE MaltaValletta’s knights’ city, temples older than the pyramids, Caravaggio, seven MICHELIN-starred kitchens and the Blue Lagoon.Visit the guide Yachts in Puerto BanúsSpainULTIMATE MarbellaWhitewashed lanes and orange trees in the Old Town, the yachts of Puerto Banús, beach clubs on the Golden Mile and day trips to Ronda and Gibraltar.Visit the guide Turquoise water below the pine-topped cliffs at Cala Macarella, MenorcaSpainULTIMATE MenorcaA UNESCO Biosphere Reserve: the coves of Macarella and Turqueta, World Heritage Talayotic sites, Ciutadella and Maó’s great harbour.Visit the guide The Duomo di Milano and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II on the Piazza del DuomoItalyULTIMATE MilanThe Duomo and the Last Supper, La Scala and Brera, the Quadrilatero della Moda, Bartolini’s three stars, and day trips to Lake Como.Visit the guide Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountainsOur sister guideULTIMATE MonacoThe Casino and Monte-Carlo’s palace hotels, the Prince’s Palace on the Rock, superyachts in Port Hercule, Larvotto’s beach clubs and the Grand Prix streets.Visit the guide The Oslo Opera HouseNorwayULTIMATE OsloThe Opera House you can walk on, MUNCH and Vigeland, the polar ships of Bygdøy, Holmenkollen and Maaemo’s three MICHELIN stars.Visit the guide The Eiffel Tower seen from the Trocadéro in ParisFranceULTIMATE ParisThe Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, Notre-Dame reopened, the palace hotels, nine three-star tables, the bouillons, and day trips to Versailles and Giverny.Visit the guide The Millennium Bridge over the MoračaMontenegroULTIMATE PodgoricaMontenegro’s relaxed capital of rivers and café terraces, and the gateway to the Bay of Kotor, Lake Skadar, Cetinje and the mountains.Visit the guide Prague Castle and Charles BridgeCzechiaULTIMATE PraguePrague Castle and Charles Bridge, the Old Town and Malá Strana, Mozart, Dvořák and the opera, the Christmas markets and the five MICHELIN stars of 2026.Visit the guide The Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens, Saint-Jean-Cap-FerratOur sister guideULTIMATE Property (prime markets worldwide)Prime neighbourhoods, estate agents, new developments and how buying works, market by market across the ULTIMATE network.Visit the guide The red carriages of the Glacier Express crossing the stone arches of the Landwasser Viaduct below a snow-capped peakOur sister guideULTIMATE Rail Journeys (great train journeys worldwide)The story of the train, the great rail journeys of the world and where to book them, from the Orient Express to the Glacier Express.Visit the guide The Church of St John at Kaneo above Lake Ohrid, North MacedoniaOur sister guideULTIMATE Regions (editor’s letters & regional guides)Editor’s letters and the food, markets, nature and seasons each region shares, starting with the Balkans.Visit the guide Reykjavík and Mount Esja from HallgrímskirkjaIcelandULTIMATE ReykjavíkHallgrímskirkja and Harpa, the geothermal pools and Sky Lagoon, whales and the northern lights, and the Golden Circle a morning away.Visit the guide St Peter’s Basilica in Rome under a clear blue skyItalyULTIMATE RomeThe Colosseum and the Vatican, the grand hotels above the Spanish Steps, La Pergola’s three stars, the trattorias, and day trips to Tivoli and Pompeii.Visit the guide The Sebilj fountain and the square of BaščaršijaBosnia & HerzegovinaULTIMATE SarajevoWhere East meets West at a line in the pavement: an Ottoman bazaar, Habsburg boulevards, Bosnian coffee and the 1984 Olympic mountains, with Mostar two hours away.Visit the guide The Matterhorn in winter above ZermattOur sister guideULTIMATE Ski Resorts (Europe & North America)Ski resorts in Europe and North America, country by country, for every budget: season dates, hotels, mountain restaurants, après, ski schools and getting there.Visit the guide The Warrior on a Horse fountain in Macedonia Square, Skopje, lit at nightNorth MacedoniaULTIMATE SkopjeA 15th-century stone bridge between a 21st-century square and an Ottoman bazaar, Kenzo Tange’s concrete city, Matka Canyon, and Lake Ohrid three hours away.Visit the guide The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia, under a pink evening skyBulgariaULTIMATE SofiaRoman streets beneath the city, golden domes, warm mineral springs and a mountain at the end of the main boulevard.Visit the guide Gamla Stan, StockholmSwedenULTIMATE StockholmGamla Stan and the Royal Palace, the Vasa and Skansen, Frantzén’s three stars, fika and the archipelago of 30,000 islands.Visit the guide The restored Pyramid of Tirana under a blue skyAlbaniaULTIMATE TiranaAn Ottoman mosque painted with waterfalls, museums in bunkers, Blloku’s cafés and the Dajti cable car, with Berat, Gjirokastër, the Alps and the Riviera within reach.Visit the guide Rolling green hills and a farmhouse near Pienza in the Val d’OrciaItalyULTIMATE TuscanyFlorence, Chianti, Siena, the Val d’Orcia, Pisa and Lucca, Versilia, Bolgheri, the Maremma, Arezzo and Elba.Visit the guide Calatrava’s Hemisfèric lit at twilight, reflected in its poolSpainULTIMATE ValenciaCalatrava’s City of Arts and Sciences, the Gothic Lonja, paella by the sea, Las Fallas and the nine-kilometre Turia Garden.Visit the guide The Grand Canal and Santa Maria della Salute, VeniceItalyULTIMATE VeniceThe Grand Canal and St Mark’s, palace hotels, Two MICHELIN Stars at Glam, the bacari, the Biennale, and Murano, Burano and Torcello.Visit the guide The tiled roof of St Stephen’s Cathedral and the rooftops of central ViennaAustriaULTIMATE ViennaThe State Opera and the Musikverein, Schönbrunn and Klimt, the coffee houses and Heurigen, and Railjets to Budapest every hour.Visit the guide St Mark's Church and its tiled roof on St Mark's Square, Zagreb's Upper TownCroatiaULTIMATE ZagrebCroatia’s elegant capital of cafés, museums and markets, and the gateway to Plitvice Lakes, Istria, Dubrovnik and the islands of the Adriatic.Visit the guide Zurich and the LimmatSwitzerlandULTIMATE ZurichThe Limmat and its two minsters, Chagall’s windows, the Bahnhofstrasse and Sprüngli, the lake, Baur au Lac and The Dolder Grand, and the city’s MICHELIN stars.Visit the guide

North America

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Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coastUSAULTIMATE CaliforniaSan Francisco, Napa and Sonoma, Big Sur and the Pacific Coast Highway, San Diego, Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe and the national parks.Visit the guide A schooner silhouetted against the sunset off Key WestUSAULTIMATE FloridaOrlando and the theme parks, Palm Beach, Tampa Bay, Sarasota, St. Augustine and Scenic Highway 30A.Visit the guide The Las Vegas Strip at duskNevadaULTIMATE Las VegasThe Strip and its shows, MICHELIN dining, Sphere and Fremont Street’s neon, with Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon beyond.Visit the guide Downtown Los Angeles at sunset beneath the snow-capped San Gabriel MountainsCaliforniaULTIMATE Los AngelesHollywood and the Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills’ grand hotels, the Sunset Strip, the Getty and the beaches from Santa Monica to Malibu.Visit the guide Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami BeachFloridaULTIMATE MiamiSouth Beach and the Art Deco district, Wynwood’s murals, the Design District, Little Havana’s cafecito and the beaches of Key Biscayne.Visit the guide Sunset at the Naples PierFloridaULTIMATE NaplesWhite-sand beaches and sunsets on the Gulf of Mexico, Fifth Avenue’s terraces, grand beach resorts and golf, with the Everglades and Marco Island close by.Visit the guide The New York City skyline from Top of the RockNew YorkULTIMATE New YorkManhattan’s grand hotels and MICHELIN dining, Broadway and the Met, Fifth Avenue shopping, Central Park and the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO.Visit the guide The Golden Gate Bridge seen from Battery SpencerCaliforniaULTIMATE San FranciscoCable cars over Nob Hill, North Beach cafés, the murals of the Mission, three-star tables and the Golden Gate Bridge.Visit the guide

Caribbean

See all Caribbean
The pink sand beach of Harbour Island, the BahamasOur sister guideULTIMATE The BahamasSeven hundred islands: Nassau and Paradise Island, the Exuma Cays and the swimming pigs, Harbour Island’s pink sand, marinas and island hopping.Visit the guide The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. JamesOur sister guideULTIMATE BarbadosThe Platinum West Coast and Sandy Lane, UNESCO-listed Bridgetown, rum where it was born, Friday nights in Oistins and the wild Atlantic east.Visit the guide Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed PitonsOur sister guideULTIMATE St LuciaThe UNESCO Pitons and Soufrière’s drive-in volcano, Marigot Bay, Rodney Bay and the Gros Islet street party, reefs, rum and cocoa.Visit the guide

Asia & Indian Ocean

See all Asia & Indian Ocean
The Grand Palace reflected at dawnThailandULTIMATE BangkokThe Grand Palace and Wat Arun on the river, the grand hotels of Charoen Krung, MICHELIN stars from street food to tasting menus, rooftop bars and the Thai islands.Visit the guide Hong Kong Island and the harbour at night from Victoria PeakOur sister guideULTIMATE Hong KongThe harbour from the Peak, the Star Ferry, Cantonese dining rooms with MICHELIN stars, dim sum in the lanes of Central and the museums of West Kowloon.Visit the guide An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the MaldivesOur sister guideULTIMATE MaldivesUndersea restaurants and overwater bars, Hanifaru Bay’s mantas, the whale sharks of South Ari, private islands and the little capital, Malé.Visit the guide The Taj Mahal Palace and the Gateway of India from the harbourIndiaULTIMATE MumbaiThe Taj and the Gateway of India, Marine Drive’s Queen’s Necklace, three UNESCO sites, modern Indian restaurants and day trips to Elephanta and the Ghats.Visit the guide The Lujiazui skyline lit up at night across the Huangpu RiverChinaULTIMATE ShanghaiThe grand hotels of the Bund facing the towers of Pudong, every MICHELIN star, Yu Garden, the two Shanghai Museums and day trips to Suzhou and Hangzhou.Visit the guide The towers of the Central Business District lit up at night, reflected in Marina BayOur sister guideULTIMATE SingaporeMarina Bay and Raffles, three restaurants with three MICHELIN Stars, the hawker centres, and the Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Visit the guide A caparisoned elephant in the Esala Perahera procession, KandyOur sister guideULTIMATE Sri LankaColombo, the ramparts of Galle Fort, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the tea country by train, Sigiriya and leopards in Yala.Visit the guide Longtail boats on West Railay beach beneath the limestone cliffsOur sister guideULTIMATE Thai IslandsWinter sun on two seas: Phuket, Krabi and Railay, Phi Phi and Koh Lanta on the Andaman, Koh Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao in the Gulf.Visit the guide

Middle East & North Africa

See all Middle East & North Africa
Burj Khalifa and Business Bay at blue hourUnited Arab EmiratesULTIMATE DubaiBurj Khalifa and the Fountain, abras on the Creek, resorts on the Palm, every MICHELIN star of 2026 and day trips to Abu Dhabi and Hatta.Visit the guide

HOT TOPICS · Have Your Say

What readers are saying about Cairo: the Pyramids at opening time, the best koshary, the GEM, the bazaar and the trains up the Nile.

    Have your say in HOT TOPICS

    Grand Egyptian Museum

    This week's pick

    Grand Egyptian Museum

    Giza·Museum

    From 1 November the Grand Egyptian Museum opens “Eternal Sun”, an immersive light experience running until 30 April 2027. The galleries are open daily from 9am to 6pm, until 9pm on Wednesdays and Saturdays; book online.

    Find out more

    Every list in the guide

    Plan your day

    The three pyramids of Giza with the queens’ pyramids in front, across the desert under a clear skyItineraryThree days in CairoThree daysThe Pyramid of Khafre seen past the Great Pyramid and the Khufu boat-pit museum on the Giza PlateauItineraryThe Pyramids and the GEM in one dayOne dayThe minarets and dome of the Qalawun complex on Al-Muizz StreetItineraryIslamic Cairo on footOne dayThe Nile waterfront walk at Zamalek in the evening lightItineraryA property viewing day: Zamalek, Maadi and New CairoOne dayThe Pyramid of Khafre seen past the Great Pyramid and the Khufu boat-pit museum on the Giza PlateauItineraryThe Gold weekend: a luxury weekend in CairoTwo daysA felucca sailing on the Nile at AswanItineraryUp the Nile: Cairo, Luxor and AswanFive days

    Know your neighbourhoods

    Our favourites right now

    Restaurants

    1. 1Eating in Cairo: koshary, molokhia and the new Egyptian tableCairo · In depth
    2. 2Khufu’sGiza Plateau · Restaurant
    3. 3Abou El SidZamalek · Restaurant
    See all 9

    Cafés

    1. 1El FishawyKhan el-Khalili · Coffee house
    2. 2GroppiDowntown · Tea room
    3. 3Café RicheDowntown · Café
    See all 5

    Bars

    1. 1Cairo Jazz ClubAgouza · Live music
    2. 2The Rooftop, Kempinski Nile HotelGarden City · Rooftop bar
    3. 3The Jazz Bar, Kempinski Nile HotelGarden City · Jazz bar
    See all 6

    Hotels

    1. 1The hotels of Cairo, from Mena House to the CornicheCairo · In depth
    2. 2Marriott Mena House, CairoGiza · Historic hotel
    3. 3Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile PlazaGarden City · Luxury hotel
    See all 10

    Sights

    1. 1Cairo, the city of a thousand minaretsCairo · In depth
    2. 2The Pyramids of Giza and the Great SphinxGiza · UNESCO World Heritage
    3. 3Grand Egyptian MuseumGiza · Museum
    See all 14

    Arts & Culture

    1. 1Cairo’s museums, music and craftsCairo · In depth
    2. 2The Egyptian MuseumDowntown · Museum
    3. 3National Museum of Egyptian CivilizationFustat · Museum
    See all 16

    Outdoors

    1. 1Al-Azhar ParkIslamic Cairo · Park
    2. 2Orman Botanical GardenGiza · Botanical garden
    3. 3The Fish GardenZamalek · Garden
    See all 5

    Walks

    1. 1Al-Muizz Street, from Bab al-Futuh to Bab ZuweilaIslamic Cairo · Walk
    2. 2Downtown’s Khedivial CairoDowntown · Walk
    3. 3Zamalek, island streetsZamalek · Walk
    See all 6

    Shopping

    1. 1Azza Fahmy JewelleryCitywide · Jewellery
    2. 2NagadaCitywide · Textiles
    3. 3Mall of Egypt6th of October · Shopping mall
    See all 5

    Health

    1. 1Emergencies: call 123Egypt · Emergency numbers
    2. 2As-Salam International HospitalMaadi · Hospital
    3. 3Cleopatra Hospitals GroupCitywide · Hospital
    See all 8

    Property

    1. 1Buying in Cairo: the districts and the first stepsCairo · In depth
    2. 2RE/MAX EgyptCairo · Estate agent
    3. 3SODICCairo · Developer
    See all 8

    Developments

    1. 1Grand Egyptian Museum precinctGiza · Project
    2. 2The Giza Plateau visitor projectGiza · Project
    3. 3Downtown Cairo restorationDowntown · Project
    See all 7

    Cars & Drivers

    1. 1Driving in Cairo: why most visitors take a driverCairo · In depth
    2. 2UberCitywide · Ride-hailing
    3. 3Hotel cars and driversCitywide · Chauffeur
    See all 5

    Getting Around

    1. 1Cairo by metro, monorail, train and planeCairo · In depth
    2. 2Cairo International AirportHeliopolis · Airport
    3. 3Sphinx International AirportWest of Giza · Airport
    See all 7

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