1. The Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx - The Egyptian pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure was constructed between 2589 BC and 2504 BC. The Egyptian used the pyramids as burial grounds for their respective Pharaohs. It is also wise to go to the Pyramids the moment they open to avoid huge crowds and to avoid the intense heat which sometimes makes the attractions difficult to enjoy.
2. Egyptian Museum – Officially known as Museum of Egyptian Antiquities but popularly known as Egyptian Museum the place is located in Midan Tahrir area. The museum exhibits a lot of collections of Egyptian artefacts and a must place to visit to learn more about Egypt’s culture and history.
3. Citadel and Mosque of Mohamed Ali Pasha – A castle built by Salah Al-Din in the Ottoman style the mosque was intended to showcase the great imperial mosques of the Ottoman Empire. The site is open daily.
4. Al-Azhar Park - A 30 hectare park that was opened around 2005 and is located in Islamic Cairo. The area used to be a municipal dump for around hundreds of years and was transformed into a beautiful green park. The place has a lot of people to socialize to and it is also near to a lot of historical monuments.
5. Mosque of Al-Azhar – The mosque was established around 972 AD and also the oldest university in the world was built around it. It is also the most celebrated mosque in all of Cairo because of its religious and historic importance to the Islam faith.
These are just some of the popular destinations and historical monuments that are visited by most tourists and locals alike. If you have travelled already to Cairo, feel free to share to us your tips and recommendations.
Photo Credits (Flickr Creative Commons): Sphinx by upyernoz/ Egyptian Museum by zoonabar/ Al-Azhar Park by anaru/ Mosque of Al-Azhar by upyernoz