24 Hours in Cairo: Squeezing 5000 years of history into one day!

Ever wonder what you’d do if you only had one day in a city with a 5000 year history and a 25 million person population? Recently Far From Local had a chance to experience just that as we tried to squeeze 5000 years of history into a single day….

This first thing you notice about Cairo is the amount of people. It takes forever to get anywhere in Cairo, so if you only have a day make sure to plan that day when things are slightly calmer, a weekend or holiday. Secondly plan to be there in the off season or shoulder season as all of the sites will be jammed with people during the high season. So here we go… one day and 5000 years of history.

Arriving late the night before, we were whisked to the hotel and arrived around 1am. Sleeping until 6 we met our driver at 7am to begin what would be one epic day. First up the Great Pyramids of Giza. Entering this place can be a circus on it’s own. The volume of people that enter this place every single day is staggering. So get there early. Visiting the pyramids should be high up on every world travelers list. The Eiffel tower, Great wall of China, Taj Mahal, and Great Pyramids are the four most recognizable places in the world. Climbing on them and being around them is an amazing experience. But truth be told the first pyramid is full of tourists, The second is much better and easier to enter. They are the same inside, both with a long hallway leading to a tomb. One do not miss moment is riding the camels. Remember this: DO NOT RIDE THE CAMELS IN THE FRONT. Take the road all the way to the back and ride the camel that takes you around to the front. It’s the best way to get amazing pictures of the pyramids. You’ll also want a few moments to visit the sphinx (its smaller than you think its going to be) and the temple there. Lucky for you the camel ride ends right there!

Next on the list is lunch. There are a few fun local places located on the road that leads you to the pyramids. One place that is serves local fair and is very inexpensive is FelFela. Its a local chain that is quite good! After lunch head straight to the Cairo Museum. You’re only going to have time to see the major parts here. Get the mummy ticket, you’ll be amazed at these guys. There will be a lot of people around Tutanjhamun’s mask as it’s beautiful and worth the wait to see. This place is massive and you could spend days here but limit yourself to a few hours as there are more places to go.

After the museum head off to the Hanging Church. There are many places to stop and see along the way, like the Jewish temple, Mosque, and the Coptic (Christian) area. There is plenty to see and take pictures of as you pass along narrow streets full of historical significance. The Hanging Church is really cool. Make sure when you are there to go into the side branches and look down the holes at the ancient palm trees that hold up this massive church. Its pretty impressive to know how long these things have been supporting all that weight. Be respectful as there will be people there worshiping.

Next head off to the Cairo market. It’s probably late afternoon now. At the old Cairo market you’ll find the oldest coffee house in Cairo (established over 240 years ago!) Most likely the oldest coffee house you’ve ever been to. El Fishawi is located in the busy narrow alleys of the market. Strolling by the small shops you arrive at a small restaurant where you can try a very strong and very popular Turkish coffee. Keep in mind that this coffee is going to get you recharged as it as a massive amount of caffeine and sugar in it! (remember: don’t drink it all as the bottom will have fine coffee grounds in it) After enjoying the coffee, continue to explore the market. You can get all of your souvenirs here. Bargaining is expected here so don’t pay the price offered. You can spend several hours looking for the right souvenir at the right price here. Night fall as beset you and its time to head for dinner.

Dinner is important here as the day begins to wind down. We recommend you find a place that will give you a nice relaxing atmosphere with a great view. Shakra has a great view and has very good food. You will find yourself close to your hotel again (if its near the pyramids). Take this time to sit, enjoy the food. Relax from a very long day and take in the view. This is your one opportunity to really take a breath and enjoy where you are. Remember all the things you’ve learned today. Think about the millions of people that have come before you to make this happen. Think about the history that the cradle of civilization has to offer. Smile, be happy, relax and enjoy!

At this point head back to the hotel, or to the airport. If you have a little more time you can go and see the light presentation at the pyramids, but taking a moment to enjoy where you are seems to be a better choice. You had a big day and crammed Cairo into a single day! Good Job!