Cairo: 4 Things to do overnight
updated the 7 October 2015 à 00:03
If you find yourself in the beautiful and hectic city which is brimming with culture, history, and modern lifestyle – here are a few things you should see and do.
1. Gazing at Giza Obviously, the pyramids are the first thing to check out for visitors. The brochures don’t lie. Half an hour drive from Cairo will take adventurers to gaze at Khufu – the Great Pyramid of Giza – and its two neighbours: the Pyramid of Khafre and the Pyramid of Menkaure. The elegant Sphinx sits quietly next to them. Entering the pyramids mean a tough exercise for your back as you have to squat and crawl in the dark. 2. Getting lost in Khan el-Khalili After surviving the heat of Giza, hit the biggest market in town that has been operating since early 16th century. Khan el-Khalili is Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley. Find authentic perfumeries, magical lamps, intricate mirrors, oriental sandals, exotic fabrics, and many more here. Have a rest inside the cool Naguib Mahfouz restaurant, or take a coffee break in El Fishawy – among the oldest coffee shops in the world that has been operating since 1773, and it opens 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 3. Chilling in Zamalek Head to the island of Gezira in the Nile River, just west of downtown Cairo, and hit the northern part of it. Zamalek is the “Manhattan of Cairo” – the aerial view with three bridges in the east, and three bridges in the west will confirm the nickname. Zamalek is full of pubs, fine dining spots, hip cafes, bookstores, as well as cultural centres. Inside the old buildings are lavish, white-clothed tables and wine glasses. Try Abou El Sid for upscale homestyle Egyptian cuisine, and Blue Nile Boat with a wide range of restaurants inside, including the Moon Deck that overlooks the Nile. 4. Meeting the Mummy Expect to feel small and fragile as you walk through the ground floor of The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, or commonly known as Egyptian Museum. The larger than life statues are overwhelming indeed. The museum has over 120,000 items, and it does not take an Indiana Jones to find joy in studying them. The jewelleries of the ancient queens and princess are stunning indeed. Feel the mystical grasp as you visit the sarcophagi that keep the mummies. Ve Handojo
Photos: Ve Handojo
