Cairo—known locally as Umm al-Dunya (“Mother of the World”)—has been a major center of life in this region for over a thousand years. But its history goes even further back, tied to older cities that came before it. The city has seen Roman rulers, Islamic dynasties, and colonial powers and is now home to 23 million people and a constant stream of travelers. Here are the best things to do in Cairo during your trip.
We’ll have to start this list with perhaps the most obvious. Just west of Cairo, the Giza Plateau is home to Egypt’s most recognizable landmarks: the pyramids of Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure. Built over 4,000 years ago as royal tombs, they’ve stood through millennia of change and are still impressively intact.
The Great Pyramid of Khufu is the largest, built from millions of limestone blocks. It held the title of tallest structure in the world for thousands of years, and its alignment with the stars and precision construction still puzzle researchers.
You can walk around the base, see the pyramids up close, and, in some cases, go inside one with a timed ticket. The Sphinx is right nearby, carved from a single limestone ridge. Some people head out early for sunrise views, while others come back at night for the sound and light show.
For more ideas of what to do in the area, see our guide to the best things to do in Giza.
Pyramids of Giza near Cairo © Shutterstock
South of Cairo, about a 45-minute drive away, Saqqara is where you’ll find the Step Pyramid of Djoser. Built around 2650 BCE, it was designed by Imhotep and is considered the first major stone structure in the world. This is one of the best day trips from Cairo you can take.
Instead of smooth sides like the Giza pyramids, this one has six stacked levels, marking a turning point in ancient Egyptian architecture. After years of restoration, it’s now open to visitors, and you can explore some of the inner passageways.
The wider Saqqara necropolis is worth exploring, too. It’s filled with tombs that have detailed carvings and colorful scenes showing daily life in ancient Egypt. The Tomb of Ti is a highlight, and the Serapeum, a burial chamber for sacred bulls, adds another layer to the story of this site.
Compared to Giza, Saqqara is quieter and gives you more room to take things in.
Pyramid of Unas at Saqqara, Egypt © Shutterstock
Right in the heart of Islamic Cairo, Khan El Khalili is a massive, winding market that’s been around since the 1300s. It’s the kind of place where you can wander for hours without seeing the same thing twice.
There are shops selling handmade jewelry, metal lamps, spices, perfumes, leather, and traditional textiles. Some vendors make the items right there in their workshops, while others sell antiques or more modern souvenirs.
It’s also very much a social place. Make time for El Fishawi café while you’re there—it’s been serving mint tea and Arabic coffee for over 250 years and was a favorite of the Egyptian writer Naguib Mahfouz. It’s a perfect place to stop for tea or coffee and people-watch for a while.
Late afternoon is a good time to go, especially as the market starts to fill up again after the midday lull. Stick around into the evening if you can—everything gets lit by lanterns.
Khan el Khalili market in Cairo © Shutterstock
If you’re looking for a break from Cairo’s traffic and crowds, El Maadi Wadi makes for a good day out. It’s a dry desert valley about 30 minutes from the city, and it feels a world away once you’re out there. You’ll see layers of exposed limestone cliffs, dry riverbeds, and stretches of open terrain shaped by ancient water flows. You wouldn’t expect it so close to the city.
There are a few trail options—some are short enough for an easy morning walk, and others are better for a full-day hike if you’re up for it. The scenery shifts with the seasons. It’s dry and bare in the hotter months, but after a bit of winter rain, you might catch patches of greenery or wildflowers popping up.
You’ll pass interesting rock formations and fossils embedded in the stone, and if you’re lucky, you’ll see desert foxes or birds darting through the cliffs. The natural acoustics are kind of surreal—shouts bounce around the canyon walls.
Make sure to bring plenty of water, good shoes, and sun protection. It heats up fast.
This mosque has a calm energy to it. It’s one of the oldest mosques in Cairo—built in the 9th century—and it’s still standing much as it was when it was first constructed. The design is simple and spacious, not flashy but stripped back, almost minimal.
The layout is open and symmetrical, with wide archways and a massive central courtyard.
What makes it stand out is the minaret. It’s got a winding external staircase you can climb, which gives you a full view over the old city. You won’t find a lot of crowds here, and it still functions as a mosque, so it’s best to dress modestly and be respectful if people are praying.
The Citadel sits on a ridge above the city and was built in the 1100s by Saladin to protect the city. It’s a huge complex—more like a fortified district than a single building—and you can easily spend a few hours exploring it.
The most visible part is the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. It’s hard to miss from almost anywhere in Cairo, with its pale stone and domes rising above the city.
Inside, it’s dim and peaceful, with big chandeliers, carved details, and a central dome that draws your eye upward. The design follows Ottoman influence, so it has a different feel than Egypt’s earlier mosques.
Besides the mosque, the Citadel holds a few small museums and other historic buildings. But the real highlight is the view—on a clear day, you can see across the entire city and even catch a glimpse of the pyramids on the horizon.
Coptic Cairo in the old city of Cairo, Egypt © Shutterstock
Al-Fustat is where Cairo began. Founded in 641 CE by Amr ibn al-As after the Muslim conquest of Egypt, this was the city’s first Islamic capital—and you can still feel that weight of history when you walk through it.
The area brings together layers from different periods: Roman, Coptic, and Islamic. You’ll find the Amr Ibn Al-As Mosque, which is the oldest mosque in Egypt, right near the Coptic Museum, home to a wide range of early Christian Egyptian art.
The Ben Ezra Synagogue is nearby too, tied to the city’s long Jewish history. And just around the bend is the Babylon Fortress, a reminder of the Roman military presence here before Cairo was even on the map.
If you’re interested in religious history or architecture, this is a great place to dig into it. It’s noticeably quieter than central Cairo, and the narrow streets and aged stone buildings give the neighborhood a slower, older feel.
Al-Azhar Park gives you some real breathing room in the middle of Cairo. It used to be a giant rubble heap, but in 2005 the Aga Khan Trust for Culture turned it into a proper public park. Now it’s one of the only places downtown where you can stretch out on grass.
The gardens follow traditional Islamic design, with patterned paths, fountains, and lots of symmetry. You’ll see a mix of native plants that can handle the dry heat, and a café at the top of the hill gives you wide views across the old city—especially nice around sunset.
The park also links up with nearby neighborhoods, so it’s not just a standalone green space—it’s part of a bigger restoration effort. You can walk straight from here into the older parts of the city, which makes it a useful starting point if you're planning to explore more.t’s a calm place to take a break. Good for a stroll, a casual picnic, or just letting kids run around (see our guide to Egypt with kids).
Memphis was once Egypt’s capital—long before Cairo came into the picture. What’s left today is a collection of open-air ruins just a short drive from the city, near the village of Mit Rahina. It’s quiet, spacious, and easy to explore in an hour or two.
The centerpiece is a massive statue of Ramses II, now housed in a sheltered pavilion to protect it. There’s also a large alabaster sphinx and scattered remnants of temples, columns, and statues that tell the story of Memphis’s former importance during the Old Kingdom period.
One thing that stands out here is how close you can get to everything. The ruins aren’t roped off or overly staged—you can walk right up to the stonework. It doesn’t feel polished or curated, and that makes it easier to imagine what it might’ve been like centuries ago. The best tours of Egypt are likely to make a stop here.
It’s a solid half-day trip, especially if you’re already heading to Saqqara or Dahshur. Go early if you can—it’s cooler and quieter.
The Alabaster Sphinx, Memphis, Egypt © Shutterstock
The Egyptian Museum in Cairo holds thousands of ancient artifacts, but the Mummy Room is something else. Inside are the actual remains of pharaohs like Ramses II and Hatshepsut—carefully preserved, laid out in temperature-controlled cases. You can still make out facial features, hair, and other details that bring these historical figures into the present.
The ancient Egyptians developed embalming techniques that were incredibly advanced, and standing in front of these glass cases, it’s hard not to feel the weight of time. These were once real people, and now you’re seeing them face to face.
It’s best to go early if you want a quieter visit. The lighting is low and the tone inside is appropriately subdued, which helps give the space the kind of respect it deserves.
Egyptian Museum in Cairo © Shutterstock
Held inside a centuries-old caravanserai, this performance is part religious ceremony, part cultural tradition. The Whirling Dervishes belong to the Sufi branch of Islam, and the whirling is a meditative practice—a way to get closer to the divine through movement and music.
The performance takes place in a stone courtyard with arched ceilings and wooden balconies. It starts with live music—drums, flutes, and chanting—and gradually builds as the dervishes begin to spin. They wear long, white skirts that billow out as they move, and they keep going, non-stop, for nearly an hour.
It’s not flashy or theatrical. The whole thing has a slow, intentional rhythm, and even if you don’t know much about Sufism, the atmosphere pulls you in. You’ll want to arrive early—seating is first-come, and the show runs regularly. For more advice, see our Egypt travel tips.
Whirling dervishes show © Shutterstock
About 50 miles (80km) southwest of Cairo, Lake Qarun sits in the Fayoum Oasis and is one of the better places in Egypt for birdwatching. It used to be linked to the Nile, but now it’s a large saltwater lake that draws in all kinds of waterbirds.
Depending on the season, you might see flamingos, herons, spoonbills, and even birds of prey like eagles. Winter is usually the most active time, when migratory species join the local ones. The landscape’s part of the appeal too— the contrast between the lake’s calm surface and the surrounding desert gives it a distinctive atmosphere.
There are local guides available who know the best areas for viewing. Bring sunscreen, water, and binoculars—it gets hot and there’s not much shade. For more info on how to get there, see our guide to getting around Egypt.
A felucca ride at sunset is one of the more relaxing ways to see Cairo, and one of the best things to do in Egypt. These simple sailboats move with the wind, so things slow down for a bit while you take in the city from the river. As the sun sets, you’ll catch the buildings along the Nile glowing for a moment before the lights come on.
The rides usually last about an hour and don’t follow a strict route—it’s more about drifting and watching the shift in the city’s rhythm. Many of the captains come from families who’ve worked the river for generations, and they might point out things as you go.
Good for couples, solo travelers, or anyone who needs a breather from the traffic and noise. Bring a light jacket if it’s breezy, and try to time it just before sundown for the best light.
Al Azhar mosque in Cairo, Egypt © Shutterstock
Cairo’s old coffeehouses—known as ahwas—are still active community hubs. They’ve long been gathering places for writers, musicians, and political thinkers. Café Riche and Café Groppi are two well-known examples that have been around for over a century.
The atmosphere hasn’t changed much. You’ll see older men playing backgammon, groups deep in conversation, and people just sitting and watching the world go by. The coffee is strong and the tea is sweet.
They’re not flashy, but that’s part of the draw. These cafés are easy to slip into without needing a plan, especially good for solo travelers or anyone interested in experiencing a genuine part of Egyptian culture.
Landscape of Cairo Tower with opera house in capital city of Egypt © Shutterstock
Zamalek is one of the few Cairo neighborhoods that actually works well on foot and is a great area to stay in Cairo. It’s located on an island in the Nile, and the streets are calmer and more shaded than most parts of the city. You’ll pass embassies, old villas, and newer cultural centers, often side by side.
It’s a good area to explore on foot if you’re looking for something a bit more relaxed. You’ll also come across shops selling locally made crafts, independent bookstores, and a range of restaurants—some fancy, some more casual. There’s the Cairo Opera House, the Cairo Tower, and places like Al-Andalus Garden if you want some greenery.
If you’re traveling with kids or just want a slower-paced day, this is one of the easiest neighborhoods to spend time in without having to plan too much.
Ready for your trip to Egypt? See our sample 10 day Egypt itinerary for a detailed look at what to see.
written by
Dre Roelandt
updated 03.06.2025
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