Cairo Travel Guide

Situated on the River Nile is the capital of Egypt, Cairo that has often been referred to "the mother of the world" and "city of victory" which once was. The city is famous for its own 7000 year old rich history - preserved in the marvellous medieval Islamic city and in Old Cairo - and for the ancient, days of the Pharaohs, Pharaonic history of the country it represents, just a few miles from the center of Cairo. In many ways Cairo is the proverbial overgrown village. Visitors will find the worlds within worlds, full of charm and contradictions and often bewildering mixture of old and new. Cairo is 13th largest city in the world with its 16 million population.

Contrary to most peoples expectations, Cairo is notas old as its auspicious surroundings might suggest. Overlooked by 5,000 year old monuments, Cairo is arelative newcomer, founded in the 10th century. Muchof the city that we see today owes its heritage to 19thcentury town planners from Europe, commissioned tobuild a modern city to rival London, Paris and Rome.

In the 1950’s population pressures left the townplanners behind and what we are left with is ateaming melting pot of humanity, interspersed with amixture of the old and the new. A seemingly chaotic,disorganised combination of people, places, noisefumes and traffic, with a charm and resonance quiteunlike anything you have ever experienced before,except perhaps in an Indiana Jones movie.

A day would not be enough to explore the historical treasures of Cairo, for example, without a visit to the Giza Pyramids, to the Egyptian Museum in the center of town or to nearby Saqqara. Yet, it beckons you to linger and explore the various districts, each containing a different piece of the puzzle. Though it is a firmly attached city to the past, it is also home to a vibrant modern society with its modern culture, attractions as well as modern hotels and good selection of shopping leisure. Cairo remains one of the best cities in the world to sample the traditional coffee house culture of the region. A simple but one of the best ways to relax and enjoy a night in Cairo is to ride a 'felucca along the Nile river.