Egypt’s Giza Plateau has captivated travelers for millennia—the Great Pyramid of Khufu, the Sphinx, and desert horizons that glow at sunset. Today, Giza is paired with Cairo’s energy: mosques and minarets, leafy Nile islands, and a vibrant food scene that ranges from koshari counters to fine dining with pyramid views.

Beyond the icons, this 7-day itinerary layers ancient and modern: the new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), the step pyramids of Saqqara and the bent silhouettes of Dahshur, Old Cairo’s churches and citadel, and seaside Alexandria’s Greco-Roman echoes. You’ll be based in Giza for convenience, with curated day trips and evenings that showcase local flavor.

Practical notes: dress for sun and conservative norms (shoulders/knees covered at religious sites); carry small cash for tips; use Uber/Careem for reliable transport; and hydrate often. Security is visible at major sights. For pyramids and bazaars, using licensed guides helps avoid hassles and deepens the experience.

Giza

Home to the Pyramids and Sphinx, Giza blends ancient wonder with modern neighborhoods stretching toward the desert. Sunrise and late afternoon are the Plateau’s most photogenic windows; evenings bring the Sound & Light show and starry skies over the sands.

• Top sights: Giza Plateau (Khufu, Khafre, Menkaure), the Great Sphinx, panoramic viewpoints, Khufu’s Boat Museum site (adjacent), and the nearby Grand Egyptian Museum district.
• Eat & drink: 9 Pyramids Lounge for breakfast with a view; Khufu’s for contemporary Egyptian; El Dar Darak for grills in Nazlet El-Semman; Andrea El Mariouteya for smoky roast chicken; Cairo Jazz Club 610 (Sheikh Zayed) for live music and late-night atmosphere.
• Insider tip: The official plateau shuttle reaches 9 Pyramids Lounge and various viewpoints—handy in the midday heat.

Where to stay: Browse apartments with pyramid views or Nile-side hotels near Sheikh Zayed/6th of October.

Find Giza vacation rentals on VRBO | Browse Giza stays on Hotels.com

Getting in: Fly into Cairo International (CAI), then 45–75 minutes to Giza by car, traffic-dependent. Compare fares on Trip.com flights or Kiwi.com.

Cairo

Cairo is layers: Pharaonic artifacts, Coptic churches, Mamluk minarets, Belle Époque boulevards, and a river that sets the tempo. Wander Zamalek’s leafy streets, taste your way through downtown, and cap days with Nile breezes on a felucca or dinner boat.

• Top sights: Egyptian Museum (Tahrir), Old Cairo (Hanging Church, Ben Ezra Synagogue), Islamic Cairo (Sultan Hassan, Al-Rifa’i, Al-Azhar), Khan el-Khalili bazaar, the Citadel of Saladin.
• Eat & drink: Abou Tarek (legendary koshari), Felfela (classic Egyptian plates), Zooba (modern street food), El Fishawy (since 1773) for mint tea in the bazaar, Crimson or Pier 88 in Zamalek for Nile views.

Optional overnights: If you’d like a night in town: Cairo VRBO stays | Cairo hotels on Hotels.com

Alexandria

Alexandria’s blue-and-white corniche, Mediterranean seafood, and Greco-Roman heritage make a refreshing day trip. Visit the modern Library of Alexandria, Qaitbay Citadel on the site of the ancient Lighthouse, and Montazah’s royal gardens.

• Eat & drink: Lunch at the Greek Club (White & Blue) by the fortress or Fish Market on the Corniche; sweets at Délices; evening strolls for gelato at Azza.
• Travel time: ~2.5–3 hours by private car each way from Giza/Cairo; tours include door-to-door transfers.

Considering a night by the sea? Alexandria VRBO apartments | Hotels.com Alexandria stays

Day 1: Arrival, First Glimpse of the Pyramids

Afternoon: Land at CAI and transfer to your Giza hotel. Shake off jet lag with a short walk or a tea on your balcony—listen for the evening call to prayer echoing across the city.

Evening: Time your first panorama for golden hour. Grab a table at 9 Pyramids Lounge for shared mezze, fresh bread, and mint lemonade as the sun drops behind Khafre. For dinner, book Khufu’s for refined Egyptian plates (think slow-cooked lamb and tahini-roasted aubergine) or head to El Dar Darak for casual grills in Nazlet El-Semman.

Night: If you still have energy, catch the Sound & Light Show at the Sphinx enclosure. Afterwards, a quick Uber to Cairo Jazz Club 610 in Sheikh Zayed gets you live music and a nightcap.

Day 2: Giza Pyramids & the Sphinx, up close

Morning: Start early to beat heat and crowds. Enter the Giza Plateau and walk the causeways with your guide; consider the optional ticket to go inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu (narrow, steep passages, but unforgettable).

Afternoon: For a stress-free, fairly priced experience with camel time and lunch included, book this private tour:

Pyramids, Sphinx with optional Inside the Great Pyramid of Khufu

Break for koshari or grilled kofta nearby; hydrate often. Swing by a papyrus workshop if you enjoy demonstrations—just compare prices before purchasing.

Evening: Dinner at 139 Pavilion (garden views of the pyramids) or Abou Shakra for classic mixed grill and molokhia. If you have spare time, grab a cardamom coffee at 30 North in Arkan Plaza.

Day 3: Grand Egyptian Museum morning, Nile night

Morning: Explore the Grand Egyptian Museum with a professional guide for context on the colossal statues and the dazzling Tutankhamun collection as access allows. Pre-booking secures entry windows.

Grand Egyptian Museum

Lunch in Zamalek at Zooba (taameya sandwiches with house pickles) or Felfela Downtown for stuffed vine leaves and tajines.

Afternoon: Nap time or a stroll on the island’s leafy streets. Duck into an art gallery or café; El Horreya in downtown is old-school, while specialty-coffee fans can try Kafein.

Evening: Dress for a Nile dinner cruise with music and whirling tanoura—an easy, festive night out with roundtrip transfers:

Pyramids Sphinx Camel ATV Bike Shopping and Nile Dinner Cruise

Day 4: Saqqara, Memphis & Dahshur day tour

Venture south for a full-day pyramid evolution story—from Imhotep’s Step Pyramid of Djoser to the Red Pyramid’s perfect angles and the Bent Pyramid’s experimental form. Memphis, the ancient capital, adds statues and stelae to round out the narrative.

Private Day Tour Saqqara Pyramids, Memphis and Dahshur Pyramids

Return to Giza for dinner at Andrea El Mariouteya (grilled chicken, toum, and warm baladi bread), or try Abou El Sid for rich molokhia and rabbit stew. For dessert, stop by Nola Cupcakes or Mandarine Koueider for classic Egyptian ice cream.

Day 5: Old Cairo, Islamic Cairo & Khan el‑Khalili

Morning: Start in Coptic Cairo: the Hanging Church, Saints Sergius and Bacchus (with its crypt), and Ben Ezra Synagogue. Move to the Citadel for the alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali and sweeping city views.

Afternoon: Classic lunch at Abou Tarek—Egypt’s beloved koshari—then continue to the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir to complement yesterday’s GEM visit with masterpieces in their historic home.

The Egyptian Museum, the Citadel, Khan Khalil Bazaar & Old Cairo

Evening: Drift through Khan el‑Khalili’s lanes for brass lamps, inlaid boxes, and spices; pause for mint tea at El Fishawy (open late). For a sit-down dinner in the bazaar, book Naguib Mahfouz Restaurant for mezze, veal with freekeh, and oud music.

Day 6: Day trip to Alexandria (Mediterranean breeze)

Set out early for the coast. Highlights typically include the Library of Alexandria, the Roman Amphitheatre, Qaitbay Citadel, Montazah Gardens, and a photo stop by the Stanley Bridge. Lunch by the sea at the Greek Club (White & Blue) or Fish Market—order grilled sea bream, sayadieh rice, and tahini.

Day-Trip to Alexandria from Cairo by Private Car

Expect ~2.5–3 hours each way by private vehicle. Back in Giza, keep dinner light—falafel (taameya) sandwiches, pickled veggies, and fresh juice from a neighborhood spot.

Day 7: Slow Giza morning, last tastes of Cairo

Morning: Ease into the day with coffee and a flaky croissant at Ovio (Arkan) or a traditional Egyptian breakfast—foul, taameya, and eggs—at a local café. If you’d like one more view, circle back to the Panorama Point for a final family photo with all three pyramids.

Afternoon: Last-minute shopping for spices and dates, then check out and transfer to CAI for your flight. Compare flight options on Trip.com or Kiwi.com.

Evening: If your departure is later, enjoy an early dinner near the hotel—grilled pigeon or vine leaves at Felfela, or a final mixed grill at Abou Shakra—before heading to the airport.

Optional swaps and add‑ons

• Prefer a combined GEM + Pyramids day with hotel pickup? Grand Egyptian Museum Giza Pyramids and Sphinx in Private Tour

  

• Curious about Islamic & Coptic highlights with a shorter format? 4-hours private Tour Islamic Mosque,Coptic Cairo &Khan el-Khalili

  

Across seven days, you’ll meet the Pyramids at dawn, trace Egypt’s story at the GEM and Saqqara, sip tea in historic markets, cruise the Nile, and taste the Mediterranean in Alexandria. It’s a balanced Egypt travel plan—deep on history, rich with flavors, and paced so you remember the moments, not the lines.