Cairo Tourist Attractions and Sightseeing

(Cairo, Egypt)

There is no denying that Cairo, for all it's hot dusty calamity, is a tourist gem, full of tourist attractions for visitors.

From the Great Pyramids in Giza to the Citadel, Coptic Cairo and the exemplary National Museum, this Egyptian city has enough sites and attractions to keep you busy for many days.

Amongst the main tourist attractions around Cairo, the City of the Dead, the Khan Al-Khalili and the burial sites at Saqqara are all well worth a visit.

Pyramids at Giza

The sole survivor of the original Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Great Pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, along with lesser structures, are Cairo's showpiece and an outstanding attraction. Remarkable for their sheer size, incomprehendable for the age of construction and mathematically brilliant in design, these ancient burial structures, along with the famous guardian Sphinx, are among the world's most enduring travel icons.
Open hours: daily - 09:00 to 16:45
Admission: charge

City of the Dead (Northern Cemetery)

Despite its eerie sounding name, this is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city of Cairo. Home to ancient tombstones as well as Mamluk burials, this important cemetery is located beneath the Citadel. Sultan Quaitbey built a hostel for the homeless here in 1481, and it's been used for that purpose ever since.
Open hours: call for details
Admission: no charge

Khan Al-Khalili

Located in the heart of Islamic Cairo, this market as been operating since the Middle Ages. Today tourists and locals alike mingle as they bargain and shop for a diverse range of goods ranging from unusual local spices to exotic jewellery. Since you are amongst conservative Moslems here, women should always show respect for Muslim culture by covering arms, necks and legs while shopping.
Open hours: call for details
Admission: no charge

Saqqara Pryramids (Sakkara)

If you've not enough of the area's pyramids, a further site with much older, smaller and less attractive pyramids is found south of the city at Saqqara. Formerly capital of the old kingdom, this area is now noted for its burial sites of kings from the first dynasty. Other attractions include the recently discovered tombs of an ancient queen and the son of a king.
Open hours: 24 hours
Admission: no charge