Things to do in Cairo: museums, Islamic Cairo, Coptic Cairo and the Nile

Cairo at a glance

Student prices, Ramadan hours and the ticket rules for these sites are on the Cairo day tours page. Children below 6 enter Ministry sites free.

Ancient Egypt

1. The Egyptian Museum, Tahrir Square. The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities says that it has the largest collection of Pharaonic objects in the world. It opened in 1902. See the Narmer Palette, the treasures of Tanis and the burial of Yuya and Thuya. Also see statues of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. A foreign adult pays EGP 550.
2. The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC), Fustat. It shows Egyptian history from prehistoric times to today. The royal mummies are in this museum. Wikipedia says that 22 mummies came here from the Egyptian Museum in April 2021. Buy tickets on egymonuments.com. The nearest metro station is El Malek El Saleh.
3. The Giza pyramids and the Sphinx, Giza. They are at the west edge of greater Cairo. A foreign adult pays EGP 700 for the plateau. You can enter from 07:00, last entry 16:00. For tours, see Pyramids of Giza tours.
4. The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), near Giza. It is near the pyramids, not in central Cairo. A foreign adult pays EGP 1,830. For tickets and entry slots, see Grand Egyptian Museum tickets.
5. Saqqara and Dahshur, south of Giza. These sites have the Step Pyramid, the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid. You need a car and most of a day. See Saqqara tour.

Islamic Cairo

The Ministry calls Al-Muizz Street the largest open-air museum of Islamic monuments in the world. The Ministry says that the street went on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979.

1. Salah El-Din Citadel and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali. The Citadel is a medieval fort on the Muqattam Hills, with a view over Cairo. Salah al-Din started it in 1176 AD. The Mosque of Muhammad Ali Pasha is the main building in the Citadel. Wikipedia says that builders made it from 1832 to 1857, with alabaster walls. The Citadel also has older mosques and some museums, such as the Military Museum. A foreign adult pays EGP 550.
2. Al-Muizz Street. This street goes from Bab al-Futuh in the north to Bab Zuwayla in the south. The Ministry lists 29 monuments on it, from the 10th to the 19th century. They include mosques, houses, markets and gates. Walk it from one gate to the other.
3. Khan el-Khalili. This is the old market area next to Al-Muizz Street. Wikipedia says that it started as a center of trade in the Mamluk era. Today it has shops, cafés and craft workshops.
4. Al-Azhar Mosque. It is near Khan el-Khalili. Wikipedia says that work on the mosque started in 970 AD, under the Fatimid rulers. Al-Azhar University started as a school in this mosque.
5. Al-Azhar Park. It is a public park on the Darassa Hills, next to Islamic Cairo. The Citadel is to the south. Wikipedia says that it opened in 2005 and covers 31 hectares.

The UK government tells visitors to dress modestly, especially in mosques and markets. Obey the staff at the door of each mosque. For details, see What to wear in Egypt.

Coptic Cairo and Fustat

This area is in Old Cairo, south of Downtown. The Ministry says that Fustat was the first Islamic capital of Egypt.

1. The Coptic Museum. The Ministry says that it has the largest collection of Coptic (Egyptian Christian) objects in the world. It opened in 1910. See manuscripts, icons, carved wood and wall paintings from old monasteries. A foreign adult pays EGP 280.
2. The Hanging Church. The Ministry says that it has this name because builders made it over the ruins of the Roman fort. It is near the Coptic Museum. Its oldest icon is from the 15th century.
3. Ben Ezra Synagogue. The Ministry says that it is the oldest synagogue in Egypt. It is no longer in use for prayer. A very large collection of old documents, the Cairo Geniza, came from this building.
4. The Mosque of Amr ibn al-As. The Ministry says that it was the first building of Fustat. It is near the churches of Old Cairo.

The NMEC is approximately 5 km by road from the Coptic Museum. You can see both on the same day.

The Nile and modern Cairo

1. A felucca on the Nile. A felucca is a traditional wooden sailing boat. Some travel lists for Cairo include a felucca ride. Wikipedia says that tourists like these boats because they are quieter than motorboats. Agree the price and the length of the ride before you get in.
2. Cairo Tower. It is on Gezira Island in the Nile, approximately 2 km by road from the Egyptian Museum. Wikipedia says that it is 187 m high. Builders made it from 1956 to 1961. It has an observation deck at the top.

We did not find an official source for felucca prices or Cairo Tower tickets. Ask at the site.

How to group the sights by area

Cairo traffic is slow. Visit one area each day. The table shows which sights are close together.

The distances were calculated on 2 November 2026 (open-source route engine, no traffic data).

An example 3-day plan

This plan is an example only. A travel blog used 3 days in Cairo with a guide and a driver. It says that the highlights of Islamic Cairo take a full day.

The Ministry tells visitors to arrive at least one hour before a site closes. In summer, the Citadel opens later. You can enter from 09:00, last entry 16:00. The Ministry pages do not give the dates of the summer and winter hours.

Visit the city sights with a guide

A Cairo city tour can visit the Egyptian Museum, the Citadel and the Coptic Museum. Compare it with the other day tours on the Cairo day tours page.

Ask each tour company these questions before you pay:

1. Does the price include the entry tickets? Which ones?
2. Which sights does the tour visit, and in which order?
3. Does a licensed guide go into each museum with you?
4. Does the tour stop at shops? Can you refuse these stops?
5. What is the total price for your group, in which currency?