City Information    Boka flygstol -    Queensway Travel

Airport
Cairo International Airport is 22 km north-east of central Cairo. The airport is fairly standard, though there are the usual 24-hour duty free stores, several restaurants, banks and souvenir shops. Getting through customs and passport control is not as traumatic as it first appears, though do not be surprised to see occasional travellers walk boldly to the front for prior treatment. Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are 3 km apart, Terminal 1 being the better equipped. Terminal 1 is primarily for Egypt Air international and domestic flights while Terminal 2 is for most major European and American carriers.
Airport to City Centre
The best way to avoid hassle is to take a fixed-price ‘Limousine’ – not all the cars are limousines though – that is simply the name of the company. However, the non-limousine cars are air-conditioned and comfortable. Several companies operate out of both terminals, although you could consider booking a transfer with your travel management company, thereby avoiding the queues at arrivals and the need for local currency. Registered taxis are black and white. Fares should be negotiated before setting off but, as a rule of thumb, pay no more than E£30 to any destination in Cairo, and even less for the city centre. If you are staying in a hotel near the pyramids, E£40-50 is a fair price.
Orientation
Cairo is a densely populated city heaving with approximately 18 million people. However, despite the massive number of people, the incredible volume of traffic and the apparent confusion, Cairo isn’t as difficult to get around as it first appears. Tahrir Sq is at the centre of Cairo. From there, you can easily reach Downtown, which is relatively representative of typical Cairo. Heading east through Downtown will lead you to Islamic Cairo, which harbours small communities of people whose life doesn’t seem to have changed in centuries. Islamic Cairo has existed since mediaeval times and this is reflected in the architecture, although an upsurge in shanty buildings a small way east has made the area slightly less appealing.
Garden City, south of Tahrir Sq, is an embassy filled area with tree-lined streets and little else. Coptic Cairo is further south of Garden City. Zamalek is on an island (Gezirah) in the centre of the Nile and is primarily a foreigner’s refuge. Although if little interest to tourists, the majority of high-end restaurants and hotels will be found in this area. Both Mohandiseen and Dokki also have little to offer the average tourist, apart from a plethora of eateries. Giza is home to the Pyramids and offers a wealth of souvenir buying potential.
Getting Around
Finding one of the black and white taxis is no problem; paying a reasonable fair, getting lost, erratic driving and clapped out old cars are of more concern. Always state your destination before getting in the taxi. The rule of thumb is if the driver asks you how much you are going to pay then he’s trying to rip you off. Honest drivers do not generally discuss fares and will accept what you give them at the end of the journeyEgyptians pay at least 30% less, so do not to give the driver more as he is already ahead of himself. Always pay your fare through the passenger window and walk away if the driver starts to complain. Female passengers should never sit in the passenger seat. For the uninitiated, most hotels have their own taxis, which are much safer, although they are also prohibitively expensive compared to street taxis. You are unlikely to get lost though. ‘Limousines’ are another expensive but safe option and can be hired for the day, though note that most are not actual limousines – this is just the name given to cars hired with drivers.
What to see    Biljett -         Queensway Travel
It would need an entire book to discuss adequately the wealth of sites and museums in this astonishing city. Suffice to say, there are three must-sees: Giza (pyramids and Sphinx), the Egyptian Antiquities Museum and the Citadel.
The Citadel: Spectacular mediaeval fortress perched on a hill above Saladin Sq, home of the rulers of Egypt until the late 19c and now a complex of museums and mosques. Saladin originally built the fort to guard against the invading crusaders in 1176. Mohammed Ali later flattened many of the Mamluk buildings and built in their stead his own mosque and palace. Housed in the northern enclosure are the War Museum, the Carriage Museum and the Mosque of Suleyman Pasha. The southern enclosure is connected by the Al Qullah Gate. Directly opposite this gate is the Mosque of An Nasir, with Joseph’s Well behind. Al Gawharah Palace and Museum, within the grounds, are particularly worth visiting. The clock tower and the ramparts alongside the Al Gawharah are the best of the viewing points during the tour. Entrance is via either Al Gadid Gate or Al Muqattam Gate, near the car park.
Pyramids and The Sphinx: The three pyramids and Sphinx were built 4,500 years ago. The Pyramid of Cheops, at 137.1 m, is the tallest; the Pyramid of Chephren measures 136.6 m; and the smallest, the Pyramid of Mycerinus, measures just 62 m. The Sphinx is the largest of its kind in the Nile Valley and was carved from a single piece of sandstone. If you go during the winter, dress for the cold as the desert air can be very chilly.
Saqqara Step Pyramid: Slightly out of the way, about 25 km south west of Cairo, is Saqqara, a place well worth visiting. When it was built in 2700 BC, the Step pyramid of King Zoser was the largest pyramid yet built. It lies in the northern part of Saqqara and is 544 m high by 277 m wide. Getting there by taxi will cost about E£70. Admission is E£20, plus another E£10 to enter new tombs and about E£10 for a camel or horse ride, in case you feel like visiting the southern part of Saqqara as well. If you have the time it is worth spending more than just one day in this area.
Egyptian Antiquities Museum: The main attraction here is the treasure from Tutankhamen’s tomb, discovered in the Valley of the Kings by English archaeologist Howard Carter in 1922. The tomb itself contains only the pharaoh’s mummified body, a coffin and stone sarcophagus, but there are 1,800 other items spread about the museum. Note also exhibitions of mummies and coffins, statues from ancient Egypt, solar barques and a large collection of Greco-Roman coins. There is an impressive separate Mummies Hall. Tahrir Sq, next to Nile Hilton Hotel.
Cairo Tower: On a clear day you can see the pyramids at Giza (32 km away) from the coffee shop at the top of this 185-m-high tower on Gezirah Island.
Mosque of Al Hakim: The Islamic district is packed with wonderful mosques, many from the early 11c. This one was completed in 1010, for and during the reign of the third Fatimid caliph Al Hakim (996-1021), who was best known for his insanity. The mosque was only quite recently restored as a house of prayer. Previously it served various purposes, including – ironically – that of a madhouse.
Mohammed Mahmoud Khalil Museum: Popularly know as the Mahmoud Khalil Museum, it contains several great Rodin sculptures, a decent collection of French Impressionist works and some contemporary Egyptian art.
Khan Al Khalili: This is one of the biggest bazaars in the world, comprising a vast tangle of alleys, shops and market stalls. After the Ottoman conquest, it became a fully fledged Turkish bazaar, selling perfumes, glassware, leather goods and fabrics. The exquisite coloured glassware is unique in its class. Go for the experience rather than the kitsch tourist souvenirs. In Al Gamaliya in the streets leading off Al Azhar Sq (Midan). After wandering round the bazaar you might want to stop at one of Cairo’s oldest coffee houses, Fishawi, close to Midan Hussein Sq, for some Turkish coffee and narghile. If you are hungry the Naguib Mahfouz café on Sikkat Al Badistan St offers a great atmosphere as well as very good Middle Eastern food.
Felucca Trips: For a romantic evening and a great way to see the city and the Nile, hire a felucca boat. Powered by triangular lateen sails, they travel at a pleasantly sedate pace. Your hotel will rent one for you for the evening and provide a picnic with wine and cold food for parties of two to 20. Alternatively, go down to the river and book one yourself for about E£80 for 4 hrs: you’ll find a number of these graceful boats near the Cairo Méridien Hotel. There’s no finer way to see the city.
Cruise Vessel Restaurants: There are a number of cruise vessels, including the recommended Pharaohs, which serve lunch and dinner while you are cruising down the Nile. There are several Pharaoh boats.
Shopping            - Resebyrå-    Queensway Travel
In central Cairo, the main shopping streets are Mohammed Farid St, Talaat Harb St and Al Kasr Al Nil St, off Talaat Harb Sq, where many of the international fashion chains can be found. Prices are often considerably lower than in London. For a more Egyptian flavour and a colourful atmosphere, head for the gigantic Khan Al Khalili bazaar. Other interesting khans are the tentmakers’ bazaar and the coppersmiths’ bazaar, where one can admire the craftsmen at work. Best buys are brass trays inlaid with copper or silver and incised with Arabic calligraphy and Islamic designs. Other notables include brass or copper gongs, candlesticks, lamps and coffee pots. There are a number of interesting antique book stalls, mostly at Opera Sq or at The Orientalist in Qasr Al Nil St. The Orientalist also sells fine old prints and maps.
Other top shops are: Al Ghaffer, for scarves and leatherware, at 73 Gawhar Al Kayeed St; and Saad, for silver, at 10 Shwalkar Building in the Khan Al Khalili, with a branch in the Ramses Hilton Hotel. In Old Cairo, to the south beyond Roda Island, there is a good souvenir shop near the Church of St Serguis. If you are not in the mood for a trip to Khan Al Khalili, but you are looking for traditional Egyptian handicrafts, Marketing Link on Zamalek island is the place to go, with scores of authentic handicraft products available, from tapestries to wooden carvings. Recently opened on the Corniche is the new Arcadia Shopping Mall, which offers comprehensive modern shopping. It’s handy to know that there’s a cash machine in the main entrance.
Where to walk
The best areas to explore on foot are the Old City, 3 miles south of central Cairo, the Islamic district of Ghuriya to the east of the centre, the citadel, south-east of Saladin Sq, and the pleasant, tree-lined streets of Zamalek and Garden City. Street maps of the individual areas are widely available from hotel receptions, major tourist attractions and major bookshops.
Weather and Climate
Cairo is in the ‘arid zone’, which means it receives hardly any rainfall and has a desert climate – hot days (20ºC-36ºC), but reasonably cool at night. The winter months are delightful, with February and March the best of all. Summers are very hot and dry. Expect sandstorms in April and May when the scorching Khamsin winds blow.