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Opinions of the Egyptians whom we asked about this, were divided. Some advised us not to go because it’s dangerous, others shrugged and said: if you don’t go to the square in the evening, what could happen? So we went. It was worth it!
Cairo agglomeration has about 20 mn inhabitants. We were afraid that this huge city will overwhelm us like some time ago Mumbai, New Delhi or Izmir. Nothing of the kind. Despite the crowds on the streets and traffic jams during rush hours, the city is rather friendly towards tourists, partly because most of the popular monuments and attractions are easily accessible and most of the long-distance buses arrive in the vicinity of the Tahrir square.
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| Tahrir square in the morning, quiet and resembling rather a picnic place rather than a place of protests of a newly born democracy |
Hurghada has many connections with the capital. Time of the travel and vehicle standard determine a ticket price. You can travel for 30 pounds as well as for 150. We decide to take an intermediate option. We pay 75 LE for a ticket on the night bus to Cairo (Go Bus company, formerly El Gouna), and 50 LE for a return (departure in the afternoon).
It’s worth to know that traveling by night is a nightmare. Drivers often set the air-con to 10-11 degrees, because the cold prevents them from falling asleep at the wheel. Everyone sits in a hat and scarf but no one will ever say a word of complain. In addition (at least that’s what we experienced) TV and radio go at full regulator. Six hours. But you don’t lose a day – something for something…
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| City seen from the Citadel |
Worth to know
The center point of the modern Cairo is Tahrir square, in the middle of which there’s a big granite monument of khedive Ismail. Here there are: the Egyptian Museum, big government building Mugamma (there was a wall built in front of it at the time of our stay there – to defend it against protesters) and the American University in Cairo (in a small palace from 1878).
*Tourist Information: train station Mahatta Ramesses, 9.00-17.00; Cairo Tourist Office; Adly 5 St., near Opera square, 8.30-20.00
*Tourist Police: 126, +20-2-391-9144
*Main Post Office, Ataba square, Sat-Thu 7.00-19.00, Fri 7.00-12.00
Attractions
*Egyptian Museum – Tahrir square, daily 9-18, the biggest collection of Arabic art in the world, signs in Arabic and English; entry: 60 LE; royal mummies chamber : 100 LE; audio guide: 20 LE. Before entering the museum you have to leave you photo and video camera in a deposit (free) because it’s not allowed to make photos inside. Of course tourists as well as locals find a way to do it as they don’t tell you to leave you mobile. You have to be careful because there are CCTV cameras everywhere and for sure a museum’s employee will run to you at once.
It’s a so-called „must see”. After passing several chambers you feel kind of dizzy seeing all these things.
Be careful: in front of the museum there are people who come up to the tourists telling that individual tourists may not enter now but later and that the entrance is from the other side of the building. We didn’t believe what they said about opening hours but we went in the direction they pointed to us and we walked all way around the building. I still can’t understand why someone does such things if not out of pure malice not having any interest in doing so.
*St. Josef church – Muhammad Farid St., it crosses Kasr an-Nil; the biggest Catholic temple in the city, built in 1909; in front of it there is a headquarters of Bank Misr, referring to traditional Islamic architecture.
*Al-Gazira – an island („gazira” in Arabic means island) connected to the mainland by three bridges, two of them near Tahrir square. There are: Opera building – cultural complex built by the Japanese and Cairo Tower – 152 meters high, you can go up for 70 LE to admire a wonderful view of the city. In the northern part of the island there’s a quarter called Zamalek – more and more popular among tourists; there are diplomatic missions, hotels, restaurants and bars there.
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| Entrance to the Coptic Museum with St. Josef church (under renovation) |
*Old Cairo (Misr al-Kadima, Coptic Cairo) – remains of the Roman fortress Babylon; best way to get there is to take a metro and get off at Mari Girgis station (St. George) in front of the contemporary Greek church. Quiet and nice quarter was recently ordered and renewed. The most important attraction in this part of the city is the Coptic Museum, Mar Girgis St., daily 9-16, entry: 50 LE (making pictures is not allowed). Building is surrounded by the wall of the fortress; it’s the only place where you can see how the interior of the churches in V-VII centuries looked like; they exhibit here e.g. fabrics, papyrus books, Coptic codices. Definitely worth seeing!
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| Ruins of the old Coptic church |
*Coptic churches are generally open 9-16, donations are welcomed. On two bastions of the southern gate of the Roman fortress, in Mari Girgis St., there is St. Mary church (called also Al-Mu’allaqa or Hanging Church), its oldest part is probably from the fourth century. There are here also several younger churches: St. Sergius, St. Bakchus, St. Barbara, St. Ciril, St. John, Kasriet al-Rihan (called also the second church of Madonna) and St. George monastery.
*Al-Fustat – lying east of the Old Cairo remains of the first muslim capital of Egypt. Amr ibn al-As mosque, built in 641 and rebuilt many times is worth seeing it at least from the outside; daily 9-16, closed for Friday prayers 12-13.
*Citadel; daily 8-17, mosques closed for Friday prayers, entry: 50 LE. Note: entry through the gate al-Mokattam from Salah Salim highway. In the southern part there is Muhammad Ali Pasha mosque (called also Alabaster mosque). View from the observation deck is really breathtaking; on the other side of the yard there is Al-Gawhara palace, which is now a museum. There are also Muhammad an-Nasir mosque, Military Museum and Carriage Museum here.
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| Citadel |
In this part of the city there is a biggest bazaar Khan al-Khalili but it looks like its fame is much exaggerated.
*Medieval Cairo – Ibn Tulun mosque, As-Saliba St., is regarded as one of the wonders of the muslim architecture; the building surrounded by narrow streets makes a big impression thanks to its simplicity and size, its spiral minaret is very interesting; daily 7-17.
In As-Saliba street there begins Kasaba – main road of the medieval Cairo; in this part of the city there is a lot to see. Your attention will be drawn by massive facades of the two „high schools” – madrasa Shajku and khanqah (mosque with dwelling part) surround As-Saliba street creating a picturesque oriental landscape. In the northern part of Kara square, on both sides of a passage into Muhammad Ali Street there are two huge sacral buildings: mosque and madrasa of sultan Hassan (daily 8-17); the mosque is the greatest Mamluk building in the city.
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| Sultan Hassan mosque seen from the Citadel |
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| Majority of the Old Cairo edifices fell into negligence, despite that they are worth to be seen |
The best way to visit the medieval Cairo is on foot. One of the most interesting routes starts at Bab al-Gadid, north gate of the Citadel, and leads to do Bab Zuwayla. You pass many buildings, mosques etc., reaching the Museum of Islamic Arts on Ahmed Maher square (called also Bab al-Khalq square), on the corner of Port Said St. and al-Kala’a St. (daily 9-17, entry: 50 LE, camera: 10 LE). This a bit neglected but interesting museum presents one of the biggest collection of islamic pottery, sculptures in wood, carpets, fabric, manuscripts etc. in the world.
Gate Bab Zuwayla was built in 1092, it’s beautifully renewed, high on the wall there hangs a mysterious trophy consisting of metal tools and weapons which origin is not known until today. Over the gate there are two minarets belonging to sultan al-Mu’ayyad mosque.
*Mosque and University Al-Azhar, El Darb al-Ahmer, Al-Azhar St.(called also Youssef Abba St.) – the most wonderful and oldest Fatimids’ building complex built in 971, university was founded in 988;one of the oldest still working universities in the world; entry to mosque through a beautiful Barber’s Gate from XIV century.
* Rhoda island – on the southern outskirts there is Nilometer which serves to measure the water level in the river.
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| On the street of the Old Cairo |
Transportation
*Buses and mini-buses – private and belonging to Cairo Transport Authority – 1-2 LE; private micro-buses – 0,50-1 LE; main terminal behind the Egyptian Museum.
*Metro, www.cairometro.gov.eg; runs from 5.30 until 1.00 in the summer / until midnight in the winter; single ticket: 1 LE.
Main stations of some interest to tourists:
-Mubarak – Ramesses square, near train and bus stations,
-Sadat – Tahrir square, 10 entrances, near the Egyptian Museum,
-Mar Girgis – in front of the Coptic Museum
Accommodation and eating
In the vicinities of the Tahrir square there are plenty of hostels. A double room with private bathroom, air-con and Wi-Fi shouldn’t cost more than 200 LE. If a shared bathroom is OK with you and you go in the season when you won’t need an air-con (e.g. in November or December) you will find a double room for 100 LE – a stone’s throw from Tahrir square.
As regards food – like everywhere else you can eat a lunch for 15 LE, but you can also spend ten times more. It depends on your taste, if you prefer better restaurants or if you’re interested rather in local cuisine and places where locals used to eat. It’s best to apply the following rule – enter where there are many local people because it means they give good food there. Who can’t live without fast-food they will find premises of the main international chains like McDonald’s or KFC. There are also some local chains.
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| Coffee tastes best in a cafe on the street of the Old Cairo |
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| Chatting over a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice |