Cairo has been the heart of Egypt for more than 1000 years and it demonstrates the dichotomy of all things Egyptian. It's in Cairo where the medieval world and the contemporary western world come together in a confusion of earthen houses and towering modern office buildings, of flashy cars and donkey-drawn carts. Nobody really knows how many people live in Cairo, but estimates put it between 12 and 16 million, and the city's many squatter camps and slums alone accommodate around 5 million people. Housing shortages are terrible and the traffic is appalling, but the government has begun a campaign to ease these pressures, opening an underground metro system and constructing satellite suburbs.

Islamic Cairo (no more Islamic than the rest of the city) is the old medieval quarter, and stepping into its neighbourhoods is like moving back six or seven centuries. This is the most densely populated area of Egypt, and probably the whole Middle East. Districts like Darb al-Ahmar are full of tiny alleyways, mud-brick houses, food hawkers, and goats, camels and donkeys. There are mosques and temples everywhere and the air is filled with the pungent smells of turmeric and cumin, and animals and squalor. Some of Islamic Cairo's highlights include the Ibn Tulun Mosque, dating from the 9th century and one of the largest mosques in the world; the Mausoleum of Imam ash-Shafi'i, the largest Islamic tomb in Egypt where one of Islam's greatest saints was buried; and the Citadel, which is an awesome medieval fortress that was the seat of Egyptian power for 700 years. The Citadel has three major mosques and several museums.

Coptic Cairo was originally built as a Roman fortress town. It pre-dates the founding of Islamic Cairo by several hundred years and was home to one of the world's first Christian communities. It is, however, a holy place for Jews and Muslims as well as the Coptic Christians who lived there. The one remaining part of the the Fortress of Babylon is a tower which was built in 98 AD and originally overlooked an important port on the Nile before the river changed course. The Coptic Museum is at the foot of the tower and its exhibits cover Egypt's Christian era between 300 and 1000 AD. This stunning collection includes religious and secular art, and includes stonework, manuscripts, woodwork, metalwork, paintings and pottery.

Giza is on the west bank of the Nile and takes in an 18-km-wide swathe which includes the Great Pyramids. These pyramids are considered one of the seven wonders of the world, and despite the crowds that visit every year, they are truly overwhelming when you stand before them. They have survived the rise and fall of great dynasties and conquerors and they share the flat desert surrounds with the Sphinx and a number of smaller pyramids and temples.

There are various precincts with cheap tourist accommodation and places to eat, but central Cairo is popular with budget travellers, particularly Midan Orabi and Midan Talaat Harb.

DMC Companies

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• Capitol Services Inc.
• ITTA Tours
• Sakkara Tours
• Wings Group

Summary|Culture|History
Alexandria|Aswan|Cairo
Luxor|Port Said