Cairo isn't a gentle city. Home to more than 16 million Egyptians, Arabs, Africans and sundry others, the 'Mother of the World' is an all-out assault on the senses. Chaotic, noisy, polluted, totally unpredictable and seething with people, the sheer intensity of the city will either seduce or appal.
Before the 20th century
Cairo is not a Pharaonic city, though the presence of the Pyramids leads many to believe otherwise. At the time the Pyramids were built, Egypt's capital was Memphis, 22km (13.5mi) south of the Giza plateau.
The core foundations of the city of Cairo (then called Al-Qahira) were laid in 969 by the Fatimids, an early Islamic dynasty from North Africa. There had been earlier settlements, notably the Roman fortress of Babylon, and Fustat, which was established by the Arab army that conquered Egypt for Islam in 642. But the Fatimids established the core of Cairo as it is today; their mosque and university of Al-Azhar is still Egypt's main centre of Islamic study, while the three great gates of Bab an-Nasr, Bab al-Futuh and Bab Zuweila continue to straddle two of Old Cairo's main thoroughfares.
Under the rule of subsequent dynasties Cairo swelled and burst its walls, but at heart it remained a medieval city for 900 years. It wasn't until the reign of Ismail, grandson of Mohammed Ali, in the mid-19th century that Cairo started to change in any significant way. Before the 1860s Cairo extended west only as far as what is today Midan Opera. The future site of modern central Cairo was then a swampy plain subject to the annual flooding of the Nile.
In 1863, when the French-educated Ismail came to power, he was determined to upgrade the image of his capital, which he believed could only be done by dismissing what had gone before and starting afresh. For 10 years the former marsh became one vast building site as Ismail invited architects from Belgium, France and Italy to design and build a new European-style Cairo beside the old Islamic city. During his reign the Suez Canal was finished and opened with much fanfare, and the city attracted the attention of the whole world. In the heady times that followed, tourism and business boomed, and Cairo almost had the character of a gold-rush town. European bankers, with the connivance of their governments, bestowed lavish loans at insatiable rates of interest upon Ismail for his grandiose schemes. In 1882 it all came to an end when the British stepped in and announced that until Egypt could repay its debts, they were taking control.
Modern history
The 70-year British occupation of Cairo came to an abrupt halt with the Revolution of 1952. Since then the population of Cairo has grown spectacularly - although at the expense of Ismail's vision. Building maintenance fell by the wayside as apartments were overcrowded. In the 1960s and 1970s, urban planners concreted over the sparsely populated west bank of the Nile for desperately needed new suburbs.
Recent history
Especially in the last decade, growth has crept beyond Muqattam Hills on the east and the Pyramids on the west. Luxe gated communities, sprawling housing blocks and full satellite cities, complete with malls and megastores, spring up from the desert every year: 6th of October City, New Cairo and others are the new Egyptian dream. Whether the desert and the economy can sustain them remains to be seen.
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Four Seasons Hotel Cairo At The First Residence
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Spectacular views of the historic Pyramids and River Nile.
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Sofitel Luxor Winter Palace
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This elegant outpost built in 1886 perfectly combines old-world charm and 21st century luxury, and ...
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Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza
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Top Attractions
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Qasr al-Baron
Heliopolis 
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Blue Mosque
Darb al-Ahmar
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Cairo Opera House
Gezira
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Church of St Simeon the Tanner
Manshiyet Nasr
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A Perfect Day
By Terry Carter
Once I've dragged myself out of my heavenly bed in Talisman, the deliciously Oriental hotel in the Downtown area, I'll hit one of the local juice stands for a fresh mango juice before snapping some photos in the atmospheric streets of Islamic Cairo. Although the Khan Al-Khalili bazaar is worth a look (and tea and sheesha (tobacco smoked through a water pipe) at Fishawi's Coffeehouse is obligatory), I prefer to avoid the touts and tacky souvenirs and indulge my love of the oud (Arabic lute) by visiting one of the finest craftsmen working today, Maurice Shehata (80 Sharia Masr we El Sudan, Hadayek El Kobba), and watch the guys there hand-craft musical instruments. If I impulsively bought one, I'd better visit at Nomad Gallery (14 Saraya Al-Gezira St, Zamalek) to pick up some colourful tribal textiles or Bedouin jewellery for my wife, and then check out Diwan for excellent Egyptian music, books and DVDs. Back in the Downtown area, I have lunch in the amusingly kitsch-cool Felfela, before an afternoon of exploring the musty Egyptian Museum. No matter how many times you visit you'll always find some fascinating treasure on the dusty shelves that you missed the last time. If I want to see the Giza pyramids hassle-free, I head to the Oriental cool of El Sultan Lounge bar at the Oberoi Mena House to watch the afternoon sun turn the pyramids pink while I sip on a cocktail. Otherwise, I head to my other favourite sunset spot at the Semiramis Intercontinental lobby bar where I can watch the feluccas sail on the Nile. A visit to Cairo is not complete without catching the mesmerising whirling dervishes at the Citadel, then taking a late dinner at the exotic Abu As-Sid restaurant, Zamalek, followed by drinks at the nearby funky La Bodega bar. If everyone's up for it, I'll make a call to see if Dina, Cairo's best bellydancer is gracing us with her presence at the Semiramis. If she's dancing, it's going to be a long night…
Cairo has only two seasons: summer and 'not-summer'. Given the choice, you're far better off visiting during 'not-summer', a period that stretches roughly from September to April or May. January and February (10-20°C/50-68°F) can be overcast with the occasional shower, but the months immediately either side are comfortably warm, with daytime temperatures leavened by breezes. Between March and April, Cairo is occasionally subject to the khamseen, a dry and very dusty wind storm which blows in from the parched Western Desert at up to 150kph (93mph). During summer the city is insufferably hot (35-38°C/95-100°F) and grimy, though the relatively low humidity makes the heat just bearable. Well-heeled Cairenes tend to sit out the summer on the coast in Alexandria.
Average weather
Main Currency
Currency: Egyptian Pound (EGP)
Symbol: E£
Transport
Getting around
Overcrowded buses and minibuses are the most common form of transport for the majority of Cairenes; anyone with means takes taxis. By Western standards, taxis are very cheap, although the fare can mount up if you travel any distance - to the Pyramids, say - in which case the bus or the excellent metro can be better.
Getting there and away
Cairo International Airport is most travellers' first stop, although people are increasingly disembarking in other major cities and later making their way to the capital. Train services connect Cairo with Alexandria, Luxor and Aswan. Extensive bus services from Cairo will take you around the country as well as Libya, Israel and Jordan .
Health & Legal Requirements
Dangers and annoyances
You can walk almost wherever you like in Cairo, at any time of day or night, as long as you are properly dressed and a little streetwise. That said, single women should still be careful when walking alone at night.
In February 2009, Cairo was the scene of three separate acts of terrorism that were specifically aimed at tourists. A 17-year-old French girl was brutally killed when a bomb exploded in Khan al-Khalili market, an American teacher was stabbed in the face, and there was a failed firebombing of a passing train on the Cairo metro. The motivation behind these attacks was not clear, though they did coincide with Egyptians protesting the closure of the border with the Gaza strip. There were other incidents in 2005. Overall security is currently good in the area but it's advisable to be aware of the history, and to check travel advisories before your trip.
Theft is not a big problem, but it pays to be safe. Pickpockets are rare, but do sometimes operate in crowded spots such as Khan al-Khalili, the Birqash camel market, the metro and buses.
fast facts
| Full name | Cairo |
|---|---|
| Currency | Egyptian Pound, EGP (E£) |
| Population | 17856000 |
| Languages |
Arabic (official) |
| Time zone(s) | GMT/UTC: +2 |
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