What to See and Do in Central Cairo

Monuments, Baths and Museums in Egypt's Capital City

Aug 2, 2009

All inclusive package tours to Egypt fit in the main historical sights. Independent travelers can take the time to see some of Cairo's lesser known places of interest.

There is so much to see and do in Egypt and many tour operators do an excellent job in directing tourists to the primary historical sites around Cairo. For those travelers with a little extra time to spend there is a lot more exploring to do.

Cairo's Egyptian Museum

There is a staggering amount of relics and exhibits from almost every period of Egyptian history. According to the Lonely Planet Guide to Cairo, there are over 100 000 relics which means that if a visitor were to spend one minute at each, it would take more than 9 months to see everything.

There are useful guides which can be purchased at the museum which can break down the main objects of interest. Some not to be missed highlights include:

Tutankhamun Galleries: These rooms house the tomb treasures of the young king. The exhibits include his mummy, coffins and sarcophagus and in separate rooms, a glittering collection of jewelry, his mask of beaten gold, gold covered throne as well as jars, caskets and other relics found in his tomb.

Royal Mummy Room: This contains a selection of the mummies of some of Egypt's most illustrious kings and queens, including Rameses II, Seti I, Queen Meret Amun and Queen Hatshepsut.

Pharaonic Technology: Rarely visited room on the 1st floor of the museum, the displays include everyday Egyptian objects used over the centuries including combs, mirrors, plows, hoes, fishing and hunting equipment.

Nile Felucca Boat Trips at Sunset

Feluccas are the ancient sail boats seen up and down the Nile. Feluccas were used for transport and trade in the past, today they are reserved for tourism and entertainment. They can be hired out, complete with captain, for approximately 30LE an hour.

It is a pleasant excursion to hire a felucca as the sun sets, taking a few drinks and snacks along. As with every purchase in Egypt, be sure to haggle down the price if it sounds over-priced, especially if there are several other people on board.

Giza Pyramids at Sunrise or Sunset

Since the sheer number of hawkers, would-be guides, persistent shop owners and beggars can make a trip to the pyramids a misery, an alternative is to take a camel or horse ride at dawn or dusk.

The sunset rides end at the Cheops Pavilion just as the sound & light show illuminate the pyramids and the Sphinx. Some of the stables are open through the night and it is quite an experience to ride out at dawn and watch the sun rise over the desert.

Cairo's Museum of Islamic Art

The Islamic Art Museum is considered one of the world's greatest museums with an exceptional collection of rare woodwork as well as ceramic, glass, crystal and textile objects from all over the Islamic world. It houses more than 102 000 objects.

Hammams in Cairo

There are approximately working 14 hammams (public baths) in Cairo, most of which are open only to men, a few open to women between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and open to men from 7 p.m. onwards. A visit to one of the hammams can be one of the cheapest forms of mental and physical therapy that it is possible to find.

One of the best, Hammam Beshtak, has impressive stone columns and a central fountain and contains suitably humid stone rooms, some of which have domed ceilings inlaid with colored glass.

Hammam Qalaoun, also known as Hammam Al-Nahhasin (the coppersmiths' bath) is found next to the hospital near the mosque of Sultan Qalaoun. Treatments include body scrubs, massages, hair washing treatments, facial masks and dips into hot and cold water that leave a visitor feeling as clean as a new pin.

There are a few more ancient hammans which have fallen into disrepair, which are in the process of being fully restored.