Welcome to Cairo, a city that hums with 20+ million stories. Egypt’s capital is both ancient and electric: a place where minarets stitch the skyline and the Nile moves at its own measured pace. Here, pharaohs meet street vendors, and you can see five millennia in a single day.

Home to the Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx, Cairo anchors any Egypt trip. The city’s historic heart—Islamic and Coptic Cairo—holds mosques, churches, and markets layered with history. New cultural stars like the Grand Egyptian Museum add a modern lens to a timeless narrative.

Pack light, dress modestly for sacred sites, and carry small bills for tips. Expect haggling in bazaars, hearty Egyptian cuisine (koshary, taameya, molokhia), and warm hospitality. Check current travel advisories, and plan for traffic by starting early and booking guides for big sights.

Cairo

From the Giza Plateau’s horizon to the cool alleys of Khan el-Khalili, Cairo is a tapestry of eras. Zamalek and Garden City offer leafy, riverside calm; Downtown brims with Belle Époque facades; Old Cairo gathers centuries of faith and art in a compact maze.

• Don’t miss: Giza Pyramids, Great Sphinx, Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), the Citadel of Saladin, Alabaster Mosque, Coptic Museum, Hanging Church, Saqqara’s Step Pyramid, Dahshur’s Bent & Red Pyramids, and a sunset felucca sail.
• Eat & drink: Koshary El Tahrir (classic Egyptian comfort), Abou El Sid (elegant regional standards), El Prince in Imbaba (beloved grills and liver), Sobhy Kaber (smoky kebabs), Zooba (playful street food), 9 Pyramids Lounge (Giza views), Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant (Khan el-Khalili), and Zitouni (Four Seasons, refined Egyptian).
• Cafés: 30 North (specialty coffee), Brown Nose (Maadi roastery), The Cake Café (Zamalek pastries), Abdel Rehim Koueider (heritage sweets).

Where to stay: For Nile views and easy access, base in Zamalek or Garden City. Downtown suits museum lovers; Giza makes sunrise pyramid starts simple; New Cairo offers modern malls and restaurants.

• Browse apartments and villas on VRBO (Cairo)
• Search hotels on Hotels.com (Cairo)

How to arrive: Cairo International (CAI) is the main gateway. From North America, nonstop/one-stop flights are typically 10–13 hours; from Europe, 4–6 hours. Compare prices and connections here:

• Search flights on Trip.com and Kiwi.com
• Flying to/from Europe? Also compare on Omio Flights

Airport to hotel: Rideshares (Uber/Careem) to Zamalek/Garden City run ~45–60 minutes depending on traffic; expect roughly $8–15. Hotels can arrange private transfers if you prefer a meet-and-greet.

Day 1: Arrival, Nile Strolls, and a Taste of Cairo

Afternoon: Land in Cairo and settle into your hotel. Shake off jet lag with a slow walk along the Nile Corniche or a peek at Zamalek’s galleries (pick up cards and handblown glass from local artisans). Coffee stop: 30 North for a cardamom-scented flat white and pistachio croissant.

Evening: Welcome dinner at Abou El Sid (Zamalek). Share classic mezze, vine leaves, and molokhia with hot baladi bread. Nightcap options: Cairo Tower’s open-air deck for a 360° city view, or a short, breezy felucca ride—negotiate a private sail for sunset.

Day 2: Giza Pyramids and the Great Sphinx (Guided)

Morning: Beat the crowds at the Giza Plateau. A private Egyptologist guide brings the site to life with dynastic lore and engineering feats. Consider adding a short camel ride for photos—stick to designated animal handlers and agree on price first.

Afternoon: Long lunch with jaw-dropping views at 9 Pyramids Lounge (book ahead for a front-row table). Explore panoramic viewpoints and, if available the day you visit, opt for limited inside access to a pyramid for an atmospheric descent.

Evening: Optional Sound & Light Show at the pyramids for a theatrical retelling of pharaonic history. Casual dinner afterward at Andrea El Mariouteya (grilled chicken, dips, and fresh taboon bread) before heading back to the Nile.

Recommended tour: Half Day Tour Giza Pyramids &Great Sphinx with Private Tour Guide
Book on Viator

Day 3: Saqqara, Memphis, and Dahshur (Full-Day Excursion)

Venture south into the deep origins of pyramid building. At Saqqara, stand before Djoser’s Step Pyramid and see tomb reliefs vivid with daily-life scenes. In Memphis, meet the colossal statue of Ramses II. At Dahshur, compare the Bent Pyramid’s experimental angles with the elegant Red Pyramid, often blissfully uncrowded. Pack sun protection and sturdy shoes; lunch at a countryside spot for fresh salads, tahini, and grilled kofta rounds out the day.

Recommended tour: Private Day Tour Saqqara Pyramids, Memphis and Dahshur Pyramids
Book on Viator

Day 4: Islamic Cairo, Coptic Treasures, and Khan el-Khalili

Morning: Explore the Citadel of Saladin and the gleaming Alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali for sweeping views. Drop into Sultan Hassan and Al-Rifa’i—twin masterworks facing each other with soaring proportions and quiet courtyards.

Afternoon: Shift to Coptic Cairo: the Hanging Church, the Church of St. Sergius (tradition holds the Holy Family sheltered here), and the Coptic Museum’s carved wood and textiles. Lunch in Khan el-Khalili at Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant—polished takes on stuffed pigeon, lamb shank, and basbousa—with oud music floating through.

Evening: Wander Khan’s brass and spice lanes. For dinner, choose El Prince (clay-baked tawagen, liver sandwiches; go early) or Zitouni for refined classics by the Nile. Nightcap tea with mint at Fishawi’s café amid the market buzz.

Optional guided experience: 4-hours private Tour Islamic Mosque,Coptic Cairo &Khan el-Khalili
Book on Viator

Day 5: Grand Egyptian Museum and Zamalek Flavors

Morning: Dive into the Grand Egyptian Museum’s public galleries, where colossal statues and meticulously presented artifacts reframe Egyptology for the 21st century. Book timed entry; note that some sections may open in phases and special exhibits can sell out.

Afternoon: Lunch at Zooba (taameya with beetroot tahini, koshary crowned with crispy onions). Stroll Zamalek’s boutique-lined 26th of July Corridor and contemporary art spaces. Pause at The Cake Café for lemon meringue tart, or Brown Nose (Maadi) if you’re café-hopping further afield.

Evening: A classic Nile dinner cruise combines whirling tanoura and live music with sweeping city views. Prefer something quieter? Charter a private felucca at golden hour and dine after at Sobhy Kaber (expertly grilled kofta and fattah) or Maison Thomas for late-night pizza lore dating to 1912.

Day 6: Day Trip to Alexandria (Mediterranean Breeze)

Trade desert hues for sea air on a full-day Alexandria escape. Expect ~2.5–3 hours by private car each way. Explore the Kom el-Dikka Roman amphitheater, the exterior of the modern Bibliotheca Alexandrina, seaside citadel views at Qaitbay (on the site of the ancient Lighthouse), and atmospheric cafés serving sesame-laced feteer and seafood fresh from the nets. Lunch options range from humble fried whiting and sayadia rice to grilled prawns with lemon and cumin. Return to Cairo in the evening.

Recommended tour: Day-Trip to Alexandria from Cairo by Private Car
Book on Viator

Day 7: Breakfast, Last Souvenirs, and Departure

Morning: Leisurely brunch in Zamalek: shakshuka, labneh, and mint tea. If you’re a sweet tooth, stop by Abdel Rehim Koueider for konafa and handcrafted ice cream. Pick up final gifts—spices, brass trays, inlaid wood boxes—from reputable stalls (ask for fixed prices and receipts).

Afternoon: Airport transfer for your departing flight. If time allows, one last Nile-side walk to seal the memory. Aim to leave the hotel 3.5 hours before an international flight to cushion traffic and security queues.

Practical Tips

• Timing: Start major sights by 8:00–8:30 AM to beat heat and crowds, especially at Giza and Saqqara.
• Transport: Rideshares are affordable and reliable. For cross-country travel, compare fares on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.
• Dress & etiquette: Shoulders/knees covered for mosques; bring a scarf. Friday midday prayers can affect opening hours and traffic.
• Money: Cash is king for tips and markets; cards widely accepted in hotels/restaurants. Keep small notes handy.
• Health: Bottled water only; carry hand sanitizer; use sunscreen and a hat.

Optional Upgrades & Alternatives

• More Giza time: Switch Day 2 to a GEM-combo tour if you prefer a single guided day across pyramids and museum highlights. For example: Cairo 8 Hour Private Tour of Pyramids & Grand Egyptian Museum — view on Viator.
  

  

• Nature break: Trade Alexandria (Day 6) for the desert lakes and fossils of Fayoum (Wadi El Rayan & Whale Valley) on a private day tour — view on Viator.
  

  

In a week, you’ll trace the arc of Egyptian civilization—from the earliest pyramids to contemporary museums—while savoring Nile breezes and street-side feasts. Cairo rewards unhurried wanderers: leave space for serendipity, and the city will meet you with stories.