EGYPT
Everything you need to know about Cairo
have a special connection to Cairo and Egypt. When I started looking for a quick getaway before my birthday in January, I came across cheap tickets for Giza, so I immediately knew 2 things: I should alter my initial plan for Egypt, and it was finally time to do this trip.
It was a moment I always dreamt of, to be able to see the pyramids up close, to touch the stones, I still can’t believe I was there
My grandmother, though Cypriot, was born in Cairo – I’ve been hearing about this city all my life. My family has travelled there a lot in the past, I was hearing stories and memories from her and their time there, but I never got the chance to visit myself.
The initial plan for Egypt included a short visit to Cairo and Giza, then a cruise in the Nile for Luxor and Aswan but this had to break into two visits. When I started looking for a quick getaway, Cairo was not in my plans but when the tickets showed up, I felt it was time. A short travel like this would only get me to Cairo and Giza, and since the pyramids and the hieroglyphics were part of my bucket list, it was enough for now.
THE HOTEL
We landed at Sphinx International Airport close to midnight. We were going to stay at Muse Pyramids Inn for two nights in the (very cheap) King Suite. What you should know is that Giza is filled with boutique hotels and AirBnB apartments, with windows seeing the pyramids. These hotels are usually cheap – especially off-season and in less than excellent condition. If you’re considering our place, let me tell you ‘’if all goes right, it’s a great place’’.
We paid €100 for two nights and when we arrived, our room was not available so we stayed at a small room without windows, at a reduced price, with the promise that we would move to our suite on the next day. And we did. As soon as we were in the correct room, everything seemed and felt better. The place is now being renovated, or it looked that way, the restaurant is at the top floor with some choices for breakfast (Italian, French, Egyptian etc). This is how most of these places are, so unless you want to pay good money for a five-star hotel, these are your go-to for a few nights.
THE TRANSFERS
Uber is your best option. It’s extremely affordable and quick, we used this for our transfers, so we changed a few drivers, and they were all great and went out of their way to wait for us and find the exact spot to drop us off. Other than that, you can use the metro; its cheap, clean and on time, with far fewer crowds because not many locals or tourists use it. You may be fan of driving, but Egypt is not the place to do it. The roads are tense and dangerous, even the highways, so its better if you avoid them.
Also, try your luck crossing the road. The cars never stop coming, and they never wait for anyone.
THE FOOD
If you do a quick search on Egyptian food, you will read various comments, some good, most are bad – we had a few negative reviews coming from people who visited Cairo, so we were anxious to avoid food poisoning. We found 139 Pavilion, one of the restaurants at Marriott Mena House, with a view of the pyramids if you sit outside. The place was great, surprisingly affordable (three main dishes, one starter and drinks at €70), and I had the chance to try some Egyptian dishes like shish tawook, served in a small, charcoal grill. The starter included tahini, moutabel, baba ganoush, tabbouleh, fatoush, vine laves, hummus. Other than that, Egyptians have been favoring all forms of bread since ancient times, consumed in large quantities by both the wealthy and the poor. Thankfully, right across our hotel there was a big open bakery with all kinds of sweet, savoury and plain breads and bread-based pastries. We paid around €3 for five different pastries.
THE PYRAMIDS & THE SPHINX
Alone or with a guide? I’m always somewhere in the middle but when it comes to countries with rich history I always prefer a guide. Additionally, you may want to have a local guide with you to avoid the scammers and the tourist traps and you will meet too many around the pyramids and Sphinx. I booked our tour through GetYourGuide and we had all the info and transfers covered. In one day we covered the Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, Saqqara and Memphis, with general admission for everything, for €85 per person. The Sphinx, in Egyptian mythology is depicted as a man and is a benevolent representation of strength. Unlike Greek mythology, the Egyptian sphinxes did not have wings. In both cases sphinxes were guardians.
The Great Sphinx of Giza is made of limestone and dates to the reign of King Khafre (also depicting his face). At 73m long and 20m high, it is among the world’s largest sculptures and was carved from a single piece of limestone. Also, pigment residue suggests that the entire Great Sphinx was painted though the color has faded through the years.
There are three spots in the plateau: one at the Sphinx, one at the Panorama and that brings you right in front of the pyramids. Menkaure (front), Khafre (middle), and Khufu (the Great Pyramid) are the three biggest pyramids, one of which (Khufu’s) is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
The Great Pyramid of Giza (a.k.a. the Pyramid of Khufu or the Pyramid of Cheops) is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza pyramid complex. It is also the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact. If you want to enter, you have to climb up a few steps / stones and even though I did not want to go inside, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to snap a picture. If you wish to go inside the pyramids you need a separate ticket. If you are claustrophobic, I suggest you sit this one out as the entrance corridor is narrow and short, and there’s nothing really to see.
All the pyramids were built during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt, between c. 2600 – c. 2500 BC and the site also includes several temples, cemeteries, and the remains of a workers’ village. It was a moment I always dreamt of, to be able to see the pyramids up close, to touch the stones, I still can’t believe I was there. It’s certainly a site you cannot miss.
Did you know that, according to sources, there are at least 118 identified “Egyptian” pyramids? Approximately 80 pyramids were built within the Kingdom of Kush, now located in the modern Sudan.
SAQQARA NECROPOLIS
If you want to go inside a pyramid, choose the one of Djedkare Isesi at Saqqara. Here you will also have to duck and walk in a narrow corridor (see the video above), but inside you will get the chance to see an interior full of hieroglyphs and stars on the ceiling. In Saqqara, at the Netjerikhet Complex, you can also see the pyramid of Djoser (the first or second king of the 3rd Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Egypt) also known as the step pyramid – the first pyramid to be built.
The entrance of Netjerikhet Complex is followed by a long colonnaded corridor, with 40 columns, each joined to a small wall perpendicular to the direction of the colonnade. In general, though, walk around the necropolis and explore. It is the largest archaeological site in the country.
MEMPHIS
Memphis (now called Mit Rahineh) was the capital city of Egypt during the Old Kingdom c. 2625-2130 BC. According to a commonly accepted tradition, Memphis was founded about 2925 BC by Menes, who supposedly united the two prehistoric kingdoms of Upper and Lower Egypt. We visited the open-air museum to see the magnificent Colossus of Ramses II; an imposing statue made of limestone, originally 13m tall (though now its 10m high because its legs are missing). The rest is in perfect condition and the details will have you staring. There, you will see a second Sphinx, sculpted in a single piece of alabaster, just 4m high, made to honor pharaoh Hatshepsut. In the premises you will see the ruins of the great temple of Ptah, and there are shopping kiosks for souvenirs and a small room for praying.
PAPYRUS INSTITUTE
If one material is always paired with Egypt, that is papyrus. We visited the 3 Pyramids Papyrus Institute and got to see first-hand how the famous paper is made, from the peeling of the plant to the pressing for the final product (see video above). After the demonstration you can browse and buy if you want.
GRAND EGYPTIAN MUSEUM
The Grand Egyptian Museum is finally open for the public and we simply couldn’t leave Cairo without a visit. It hosts over 100,000 artifacts from ancient Egyptian civilization – including the Tutankhamun collection, which was still not open at the time – with many pieces being displayed for the first time. It is also the largest archaeological museum. It soft launched in October 2024 after being in construction since 2002 when the then president of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, laid the foundation stone. In 2006, the 3,200 years old Statue of Ramesses II was relocated from Ramses Square in Cairo to the museum, now being the first thing you see when you enter. Entrance tickets (without a guide) is 1200 EGP, or €23.
Right across the large staircase that kicks off the exhibition, you will find a food court and a great shop with a nice collection of books and souvenirs. I ended up buying two; «The Egyptian Book of the Dead: The Complete Papyrus of Ani» which includes the translation from the hieroglyphs, and «Gods & Myths of Ancient Egypt», a great feat considering I only had an already full backpack.
AL-AZHAR MOSQUE
Across the street from Al-Khalil there is al-Azhar Mosque. It was the first mosque established in a city that eventually earned the nickname “the City of a Thousand Minarets”. It holds five majestic minarets, three of which were built in 1340, 1469, and 1510, a large prayer area, religious and non-religious schools, and is famous for its breathtakingly beautiful marble central court it was at the center of the French opposition against the French forces in the late half of the 18th century. You don’t pay anything to enter, but you have to take your shoes off.
KHAN EL-KHALILI
You know el-Khalili, its one of the most famous spots of Cairo and among the must-visits of the city. The famous bazaar and souq is a place where you can find anything and everything from artisans and commercial sellers. The name Khan el-Khalili historically referred to a single building in the area; today it refers to the entire shopping district and that district is huge and full of people – you can easily get lost. The market is thought to have been named after Prince Jaharkas Al-Khalili, a prominent figure during the Mamluk period. Hidden passageways and intricate architectural designs with historical significance can be found among Khan el-Khalili’s alleys and streets. Some were built to allow traders to move discreetly or to avoid the heat of the sun, while others led to secret meeting places. One of those hidden passageways is the famous arch, if you want to find it look for the Om Kalthoum Café (and enjoy a tea there too).
What to know:
– It’s a perfectly safe area to wander around, just keep your belongings close to you to avoid pickpockets. We did not have any problems; we didn’t even feel unsafe at any point of Khan El-Khalili. The only problem you will face is the constant nagging from sellers and beggars.
– You get very weak network in and around Khan El-Khalili even with an eSIM, so booking an Uber should be a challenge. We had the market as the last stop before going to the airport, and I’m not gonna lie, we did spend some very stressful 30 minutes trying to find network. We ended up outside the mini-markets next to the mosque – the only spot we could get 5G to connect.
– There are tall gates in the middle of the road so you can’t just walk across. Look for the underground pathway, its right outside the mosque and a few feet away from Khan El-Khalili’s entrance.
It was a travel that could’ve easily resulted in total failure because we basically had only 48 hours from our arrival to our departure, but it ended up being so full of images and history. This bucket list trip became such a precious experience, even though it happened in the heat of the moment.