Cairo is magical and there is so much to do and see, but what if you only have a weekend? How can you get the best out of your two days in the city of a thousand minarets? We were lucky and had almost two weeks in the largest city in the Arab world, and if we had just two days this is what we would do.
Table of Contents
1. Giza Necropolis
If you only do one thing in Cairo, you have to have your photo taken with the Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx. While the pyramids are often on the list of most overrated tourist sites, we had a great time there and think that it was definitely worthwhile visiting. The key advice is simple; get there early!
The Giza Pyramid Complex opens at 6am and we got there just before 7am; it was quiet and beautifully cool. By the time we left, at about noon, the place was packed. For an extra fee, you can go inside the pyramids, but we don’t recommend it, as there is not much there and it can feel a bit claustrophobic, or at least it did to Nick.
Instead of spending your money on going inside the pyramids, use it for a camel ride. We know that a camel ride can seem a bit touristy, but we loved it; a typical example of Monique getting it right again (rather annoyingly). You get the best views of the pyramids, and you leave the madding crowds far away, or at least that’s how it feels.
Don’t be afraid to haggle over the price, we were asked for $100 each for one-hour camel rides and ended up paying half of that, and we may still have overpaid. To get good views and a bit of space, you will need at least 30-minutes. There are 15-minute camel rides available, but unless you only want your photo taken with you on a camel right in front of a pyramid, we wouldn’t bother.
Of course, your Giza Plateau ticket includes access to the legendary Great Sphinx: another fabulous photo opportunity. You may be surprised how small the Sphinx is, but then you remember that it is four and a half thousand years old.
2. Coptic Cairo
Head to the southern part of Cairo to the old Coptic or Christian part of the city. It is fascinating to get a feel for how Cairo was before the Muslim conquest in the 7th Century. You can take a guided tour or just wander around the narrow streets as we did.
The Coptic Museum is interesting, but what we enjoyed most was the old churches, especially the Abu Serba (or Church of Saint Sergius and Bacchus) where Mary, and Joseph are said to have rested with the baby Jesus at the end of their flight to Egypt.
Don’t be surprised by the large police contingents in the area; some people say that the police hassled them and that their presence made them uncomfortable, but they didn’t bother us.
Coptic Cairo is a short metro ride from the downtown area, and Mar Girgis metro station is directly opposite the main entrance to the area. We suggest bringing plenty of small change with you for the collection boxes in all the churches you visit.
3. Islamic Cairo
You will need a full day in Islamic Cairo, which includes the Salah El-Din Citadel and Khan El-Khalili. Just walking around Islamic Cairo is an experience you won’t forget. We hired a local guide, who came to us highly recommended by an Egyptian friend, and it was worth the money.
The area is a chaotic blend of noise, crowds and smells (not all of them pleasant) crammed into a maze-like network of twisting streets and narrow alleyways. In many ways, the experience of just being there is the best thing about the area, but there are some beautiful mosques.
The ideal place to start is Sharia Al Muizz, which was once Cairo’s grand boulevard and remains an important artery through the old, walled city. From there you can visit the Mosque-Madrasa Barquq and the Sultan Al-Ghuri Complex, both of which are amazing religious complexes. Aside from the Citadel, the most awe-inspiring sight is the Mosque-Madrasa of Sultan Hassan, which is simply huge. Then, if you are not totally “mosqued out” you can visit the Al-Rifa’i Mosque.
4. Salah El-Din Citadel
The Citadel is an enormous fort built by Salah El-Din, or as he is more commonly known in the west Saladin, the leader of the Muslim forces against the Christian Crusades during the 12th century. Since then, it has been occupied, and in some cases added to, by the Mamluks, Ottomans, Napoleonic French and, during World War II, the British Army.
In addition to the fort itself, within its walls are three mosques, including the Mohamed Ali Mosque and the dazzling Alabaster Mosque. There are four museums dotted around the compound, and be sure not to miss the Gawhara Palace, built in the 19th century by Ottoman army commander Mohamed Ali.
While the exterior is gorgeous, it’s the interior you don’t want to miss. It’s simply stunning with opulent furnishings and paintings that are topped by the huge gilt throne which was a present from the King of Italy.
However, for us what we enjoyed most of all were the views across Cairo from the grand terrace. Apparently, on a clear day you can see the pyramids of Giza, although on the day we went, it was a little too hazy for that.
5. Khan Al Khalili
To describe Khan Al Khalili as a market doesn’t give it justice; it’s far more like a medieval shopping mall. It can be a little tricky to find it, so we were glad to have our guide to help us enjoy our time at this enormous bazaar. It’s a bustling place, so you won’t find much peace and quiet: enjoy the liveliness and be prepared to be bombarded by enthusiastic vendors at every turn.
There are specific areas where specific items are sold such as the gold, jewels and spices, although tacky souvenirs do seem to be available everywhere. Fortunately, we quite like haggling, it’s fun and a challenge; we typically started at half the opening offer, and usually ended up paying about 75% of the original price. We’ve no idea if this was good, but we were happy with the few purchases we made, which didn’t include a plastic pyramid or an alabaster Sphinx.
6. Sobhy Kaber Restaurant – An Authentic Taste of Egypt
To be authentically Egyptian means being wonderfully chaotic, and the Sobhy Kaber Restaurant is no exception. It was quite simply the best food we had during our stay in Egypt. The restaurant is always packed, and we didn’t see any other tourists, which we took as a good sign. We got there a little early which meant that the line to get in was relatively short, although you should be prepared to wait rather than get a table immediately, but trust us, it’s worth the wait.
Grilled meat such as lamb chops, nefa (goat) and kababs are prominent on the menu, but you also get salads, hummus and other dips. One of the most popular dishes is stuffed pigeon, which is worth a try if you like “gamey” poultry; the mango juice they served was refreshing and delicious, and we loved the Sobhy soup. The portions are huge and because we wanted to try so many different dishes, we ended up ordering far too much, but we still ended up paying only about $30.
Sobhy Kaber can be found at 151 Abeid Street, Cairo 11511, and we highly recommend taking a taxi as the parking there is an absolute nightmare. It doesn’t have a website, but does have a Facebook page.
Of course, there is so much more to do in Cairo, and in the rest of Egypt, but if you have only a couple of days, these are our top recommendations. It will be a pretty hectic two days, but by starting early at Giza Pyramid Complex you too can have a memorable time in the Arab world’s largest city.
Are you ready for an epic weekend adventure in Cairo? Drop us a comment below to let us know if you found this article helpful. Don’t forget to also check out some of our related posts below.
Author
Nick Abbott
Hi, I’m Nick. Visiting foreign countries has been an important part of my life since my parents moved to Kano in Nigeria in 1977. Since then, as both a military officer and in later jobs I have enjoyed the huge privilege of being exposed to many different countries and cultures.
I am delighted to be able to support my wife Monique and Yes2Yolo primarily by contributing travel articles, providing editing and proof-reading services and being a general sounding board.
Great article Nick! I have always wanted to visit Egypt but even more so since reading your very useful article! If Andrew and I ever get a chance to visit that awesome country we will be sure to follow your tips.
Thank you very much Elizabeth. Its a wonderful place to see and we would be happy to return with you & Andrew (smile)
Lovely article Nick!.Very vivid description.Made me feel like I was there..Thanks for sharing these experiences with us!
Our pleasure Michelle! Thanks for dropping us a line. Really appreciate.
Great article! Got inspired and book the flights/hotel next month. 😁 By which means did you use to get to Giza? I know there are several ways to get there. I would also like to go early.
Hi Mary. We are really glad you found the post useful and you’ve booked your trip. We hired a local tour guide who came with a car and a driver. They picked us up at our Airbnb and drove us to each of the attractions and when we got there (including Giza), we got out with the tour guide and the car and driver left and picked us up when we were finished. The Tour Guide remained with us the whole time and even had lunch with us. The short answer is we were driven to Giza. From Cairo to Giza during the weekend was about 20 minutes. Hope this helps. If you have any other questions, just let us know! You will have a wonderful time! Be sure to share the pics with us.
Hello Monique! Thank you for your reply. When I went to Jordan, I had hired too a driver who took us to all the destinations. I will think about that for Egypt as well. I will soon plan in detail what I will do. Looking forward to trying to food. Of course I will only try from a reputable place. I don’t want to get food poisoning which I did in Jordan and know others who have in Egypt. Will try that restaurant you mentioned.
I’m sure you will have a wonderful time Mary. With the experience you had in Jordan with food poisoning, I can understand the need to be cautious. Have a fab time when you get there.
Best regards,
Monique