A panoramic view of Islamic Cairo Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Islamic_Cairo_%282005-05-385%29.jpg Author: Vyacheslav Stepanyuchenko
Cairo, also known as al-Qahira in Arabic, is the capital and biggest city in Egypt. Established in the 10th century, the city is today the nerve-center of Egypt. Covering an area of 453 sq km (175 sq mi), Cairo has a population of 7.8 million people, with another 10 million people living in its metropolitan area. It is bigger than any other city in Africa and the Arab World, and is also the 11th biggest urban area in the world.
Cairo is today a highly congested city with high levels of pollution. It is the only city in Africa with a subway system, which is also the fifteenth busiest in the world. Visitors from Western countries are often astonished on their arrival, at the heat, dust, noise, and the swirl of traffic in Cairo. And yet, even in this bustling city, there are oases of serenity waiting to be discovered.
Cairo is the cultural and political center of Egypt. As a major Islamic city, it has a profusion of mosques. The city also has the world's second oldest university, the al-Azhar University. The Historic centre of Cairo is a World Heritage Site. To learn more, go to Ancient Cairo.
Mohammed Ali Mosque, one of the main landmarks of Islamic Cairo Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flickr_-_Gaspa_-_Cairo,_cittadella_%285%29.jpg Author: Francesco Gasparetti
Climate of Cairo
Although Cairo experiences a desert climate, in reality the winter months are relatively cool. The months of November to March is the best time to visit. That's when the daytime temperature stays at below 25°C, and night time temperature drops to 10°C. On the other hand, temperatures in the summer months from June to August may exceed 35°C. Those who are not accustomed to very hot weather should avoid visiting Cairo during the summer.
Going to Cairo
Visitors to Cairo arrive at the Cairo International Airport (CAI) which receives regular scheduled flights from many major cities in the Middle East, Europe and Asia. Locatede in Heliopolis, on the outskirts of Cairo, the airport has three terminals buildings. The latest, Terminal 3, is used exclusively by Egypt Air, while Terminal 2 is being closed in stages for renovation works.
Cairo Metro at St. George Church, Cairo Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Flickr_-_Bakar_88_-_St._George_Church,_Cairo.jpg Author: Andrew A. Shenouda
Getting around in Cairo
Cairo is the only city in Africa with a subway system. It presently has two lines, which provide limited coverage to the sights in the city. The fare is a low 1 Egyption pound.
The taxis provide a more extensive coverage. They don't use the meter, so you will have to depend on the driver not overcharging you. The locals never quote a price before getting into a taxi. As a foreigner, however, you are likely to get them to overcharge you. To prevent being ripped off, get a stated price before hopping in. You might be quoted slightly higher than to a local, but as long as you find the fare reasonable, consider it your contribution to the Egyptian economy.
Places of Interest in Cairo
Central Cairo Business and administrative center of the city.
Islamic Cairo Muslim quarters of the city.
Old Cairo Coptic Christian enclaves of Cairo predating the Muslim neighborhoods.
Giza Suburb of Cairo famous for its Great Pyramids.
Heliopolis Historic suburb developed in the 19th century.
Dear visitor, thank you so much for reading this page. My name is Timothy Tye and my hobby is to find out about places, write about them and share the information with you on this website. I have been writing this site since 5 January 2003. Originally (from 2003 until 2009, the site was called AsiaExplorers. I changed the name to Penang Travel Tips in 2009, even though I describe more than just Penang but everywhere I go (I often need to tell people that "Penang Travel Tips" is not just information about Penang, but information written in Penang), especially places in Malaysia and Singapore, and in all the years since 2003, I have described over 20,000 places.
While I try my best to provide you information as accurate as I can get it to be, I do apologize for any errors and for outdated information which I am unaware. Nevertheless, I hope that what I have described here will be useful to you.