Welcome to Cairo, a city that wears its history in limestone and sun-dusted stone. From the Giza Pyramids and the gaze of the Great Sphinx to Coptic churches and Mamluk mosques, the Egyptian capital is a living museum of civilization. Yet it’s also thoroughly modern—buzzing cafes, a rising gallery scene, and a riverfront that shimmers at sunset.

Prepare your senses: the aroma of cardamom coffee, the clink of mint tea glasses, the call to prayer drifting over minarets. Lose yourself along Al-Muizz Street, taste koshary like a local, and cap your evenings with a felucca sail or live music in Zamalek. Cairo rewards curiosity and lingers in memory.

Practical notes: Dress modestly for religious sites (shoulders/knees covered), carry small bills for tips, and expect lighter schedules during Ramadan. The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is gradually opening with guided access—book in advance. Uber/Careem work well, traffic is real, and fall–spring offers the most comfortable weather.

Cairo

Cairo is the beating heart of Egypt, a metropolis where antiquity and urban life coexist along the Nile. Base yourself in Zamalek for leafy streets and river views, Downtown for belle-époque architecture and classic patisseries, or Giza for waking up to the pyramids.

Top sights include the Giza Plateau, GEM, the Citadel and Mosque of Muhammad Ali, the medieval lanes of Islamic Cairo, and the sanctuaries of Coptic Cairo. Balance headline attractions with local rituals: a street-side sugarcane juice, a sunset felucca, and fresh baladi bread straight from the oven.

• Where to stay (search all options): Browse apartments and villas on VRBO Cairo or compare hotels—from pyramid-view icons to Nile-side classics—on Hotels.com Cairo.
• How to get here: Fly into Cairo International (CAI); check fares on Trip.com flights and Kiwi.com. Typical nonstop times: London ~5h, Dubai ~4h; 1-stop from NYC/Chicago ~12–15h. Uber from CAI to Zamalek is often $10–18 depending on traffic.

Day 1: Arrival, First Taste of the Nile, Zamalek Flavors

Afternoon: Arrive and settle into your hotel/apartment. Grab a restorative Egyptian coffee and pistachio basbousa at El Abd Patisserie (Downtown) or a flat white at 30 North (Zamalek). Stroll the island of Zamalek—tree-lined streets, galleries, and views of the Nile’s west bank.

Evening: Ease into Cairo with a sunset felucca sail from Zamalek or Garden City. For dinner, try Abou El Sid (slow-cooked molokhia, mahshi, and tajines), or Sobhy Kaber in Shubra for charcoal-grilled kofta, kabab, and offal specialties—lively, local, and delicious. Nightcap at Cairo Jazz Club (Agouza) for live sets or Crimson (Zamalek) for rooftop river views.

Day 2: Giza Pyramids, Great Sphinx, and the Grand Egyptian Museum

Morning: Beat the crowds at the Giza Plateau. Consider entering the Great Pyramid for a truly atmospheric climb (narrow passages; not for claustrophobes). Camel or horse rides are available on the desert fringes—agree on prices before riding.

Afternoon: Head to the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) for the most modern Egyptological displays, including monumental statuary and artifacts debuting from storerooms. Tickets and access are evolving—guided visits are the smoothest route.

Evening: Early dinner at 9 Pyramids Lounge overlooking the plateau—golden-hour views are unforgettable. Optional: Giza Sound & Light Show after dark for a theatrical retelling of Egypt’s dynasties.

Optional small-group/private experience: Grand Egyptian Museum, Giza Pyramids and Great Sphinx Tour

Day 3: Islamic Cairo, Al-Muizz Street, and Khan el-Khalili

Morning: Start at the Citadel of Saladin and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali for sweeping city views. Continue to the Sultan Hassan and Al-Rifa’i mosques—twin masterpieces facing each other like stone epics.

Afternoon: Wander Al-Muizz Street—restored Fatimid facades, carved mashrabiyas, and centuries-old sabils. Pop into Bayt Al-Suhaymi (a historic Ottoman house) if open. Lunch at Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant inside Khan el-Khalili for tahini-dipped mezze and stuffed pigeon, or grab koshary at Koshary El Tahrir.

Evening: Shop for perfumes, brass lamps, and inlaid boxes in Khan el-Khalili. Cap the night at Al-Azhar Park: stroll landscaped terraces, then dinner at Studio Misr with citadel views. For dessert, try konafa or eshta-filled feteer at Mandarine Koueider.

Day 4: Saqqara, Dahshur, and Memphis—The Pyramids Before Giza

Morning: Drive to Saqqara to see the Step Pyramid of Djoser—the prototype of all later pyramids—and the exquisite reliefs in Old Kingdom tombs. Continue to Dahshur to enter the Red Pyramid (airy chambers) and admire the Bent Pyramid’s unique angle change.

Afternoon: Stop at the open-air museum in ancient Memphis (colossal Ramses II). Lunch at Andrea New Giza for spit-roasted chicken and mezze, or head back toward town for Zooba’s street-food staples (taameya, koshary, hawawshi) reimagined with flair.

Evening: Unwind along the Nile. If you’d like a lively night out, consider a dinner cruise with folkloric tanoura and belly-dance performances.

Good value private tour (customizable): All inclusive Giza Pyramids,Sphinx,lunch,Camel,insid 3rd pyramid — you can focus on Saqqara, Dahshur, and Memphis if you visited Giza on Day 2.

Day 5: Day Trip to Alexandria on the Mediterranean

Morning: Depart around 7:00 a.m. (2.5–3 hours by road). Begin at the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa and the Roman Amphitheatre. Stop by the striking Bibliotheca Alexandrina (exteriors and exhibits when available).

Afternoon: Walk the corniche and visit the Qaitbay Citadel—built on the site of the ancient Lighthouse of Alexandria. Lunch on the water: Fish Market for grilled mullet and calamari, or the Greek Club/Taverna for seafood meze and harbor views.

Evening: Coffee and pastries at Délices before returning to Cairo. Expect to arrive back by ~8:00–9:00 p.m., depending on traffic.

Easy, door-to-door option: Alexandria Day Trip From Cairo

Day 6: Coptic Cairo, Museum Time, and a Nile Night

Morning: Explore Coptic Cairo: the Hanging Church, Saints Sergius and Bacchus (with the crypt tradition connects to the Holy Family), the Coptic Museum’s art and manuscripts, and Ben Ezra Synagogue. Dress modestly and move quietly through active worship spaces.

Afternoon: Choose your museum: The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir (still housing many masterpieces, with some collections transitioning to GEM) or return to GEM for deeper dives. Lunch picks: Felfela (Downtown, classic Egyptian plates), Abou Tarek for the city’s most famous koshary, or Kazaz for quick shawarma and roast chicken.

Evening: Celebrate your last full night with a Nile dinner cruise—live music, whirling tanoura, and a buffet of Egyptian favorites. Prefer land-based views? Book a table along the river in Zamalek and enjoy a late stroll.

Bundle option that includes a dinner cruise: Pyramids, Sphinx with Optional ATV Bike, Dinner Cruise& Shopping

Day 7: Modern Cairo, Brunch, and Departure

Morning: Brunch in Heliopolis at Granita (near the Basilique) or head to Zamalek’s Cake Café for shakshuka and croissants. If time allows, visit the Baron Empain Palace in Heliopolis for eclectic, Indo–Art Nouveau architecture, or browse Zamalek’s galleries and boutiques for last-minute gifts.

Afternoon (departure): Pick up sweets to take home—pistachio-studded baklava, date ma’amoul, and rose lokum—from El Abd or Mandarine Koueider. Leave ample time for airport traffic and security lines.

Dining Shortlist: Local Favorites You’ll Love

• Koshary icons: Abou Tarek (Downtown) and Koshary El Tahrir—mix your hot sauce carefully and add extra crispy onions.
• Street food, modern twist: Zooba (Zamalek, Maadi, New Cairo) for taameya, beetroot tahini, and baladi bread fresh off the griddle.
• Grill masters: Sobhy Kaber (Shubra) for smoky skewers and salads; El Prince (Imbaba) for legendary liver (kebda) and tagines.
• Classic Egyptian: Felfela (Downtown) and Abou El Sid (Zamalek) for mahshi, molokhia, and fattah.
• View dining: 9 Pyramids Lounge (Giza) at golden hour; riverside spots in Zamalek for Nile sunsets.
• Cafes and sweets: 30 North (specialty coffee), Brown Nose (Maadi roastery), El Abd and Mandarine Koueider for pastries and ice cream.

Practical Tips

• Getting around: Uber/Careem are reliable; the Metro is handy for central hops (avoid peak crush hours). Always confirm cash prices and small changes.
• Dress code: Shoulders/knees covered for mosques; bring a scarf. Respect no-photo signs at security posts and inside some sanctuaries.
• Timing: Fridays have midday prayer crowds; schedule mosques early. Summer visits: start outdoor sites at opening to beat heat.
• Tickets: Major sites accept cards but carry EGP; pyramid interior entries are separate and limited.
• Arrival/Departure planning: Check flight options on Trip.com and Kiwi.com; Cairo traffic can add 30–90 minutes to airport journeys.

Optional Add-Ons if You Extend

• Museum/Bazaar combo day: Cairo 8 Hour Private Tour of Pyramids, Egyptian Museum and Bazaar (pairs well if you have an extra day).

  

Seven days in Cairo gives you the icons, the neighborhoods, and the Nile at sunset—plus a rewarding glimpse of the Mediterranean in Alexandria. You’ll leave with sandy shoes, a camera full of miracles in stone, and a taste for Egypt’s generous hospitality.

May your itinerary be the first chapter of many returns—there is always another minaret to climb, another museum hall to explore, another plate of koshary to perfect.