Cairo
EgyptAncient wonders meet big-city bustle. Plan for traffic, carry small change for tips, and use rideshare at night.
🧭 First 48 hours
Clear, quick notes to get set up fast.
📶 SIM & data
Buy Orange, Vodafone, or Etisalat at CAI arrivals desks with your passport. Local eSIMs are limited for short-term visitors; most use a physical SIM or an international eSIM.
💳 Money
Cards at hotels/malls; cash for kiosks, taxis, and smaller cafés. ATMs inside banks/hotels are the most reliable.
🚖 Airport transfer
Uber/Careem from designated pickup areas. Cairo Metro connects central districts (not the airport). Expect peak-hour traffic.
🚇 Get around
Metro Lines 1–3 for central moves; rideshare at night. For Giza, use a hotel car or a reputable tour operator.
🏨 Where to stay
Zamalek (leafy, central), Garden City/Downtown (museum/river access), Maadi (quieter, family-friendly).
🛡️ Safety basics
Book pyramid trips via hotel/tour operator; ignore unsolicited “guides.” Keep small notes for tips and hydrate in summer.
⭐ Editor’s picks
An opinionated shortlist: classic eats, serious coffee, Nile-lit drinks, and a few scenes that never feel like homework.
Eat
Abou El Sid — Zamalek
Golden-age Egypt with mahshi and molokhia that hit the nostalgia receptor.
Kazaz — Downtown
No-frills shawarma and koshary; fast, cheap, perfect after museums.
Sequoia — Zamalek
Nile-side mezze at sunset—book ahead on weekends.
Coffee
35 Espresso — Zamalek
Third-wave extractions; a local barista favorite.
Cake Café — Maadi
Leafy garden sugar hit with serious cappuccinos.
Eish + Malh — Downtown
Italian-Egyptian café with brick-oven warmth.
Drinks
Crimson — Zamalek
Balcony bar over the Nile—golden hour magnet.
Garden 8 rooftops — New Cairo
Slick terraces when you want the city to feel futuristic.
Cairo Jazz Club — Agouza
Live sets and late energy; check the lineup.
Do & See
GEM or Egyptian Museum — Giza/Tahrir
The room where time stops—go early.
Felouka sail — Zamalek
Wind, water, and Cairo’s soft-focus skyline.
Al-Muizz Street — Islamic Cairo
Golden sandstone, carved doors, and that magic hour light.