Cairo , the capital of Egypt, is situated on both banks of the River Nile, in the northern part of the country. A city seeped in history, Cairo is also a modern, bustling metropolis, with a population of over 12 million inhabitants. The city has a complex and fascinating history, dating back to around 3000 B.C. when the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis was built about 24 km to the south of Cairo.
There are hundreds of historical sites to visit inside and around Cairo, including the Pyramids of
Giza and the Sphinx, about a half hour by taxi from the city centre, the Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, the 12th century Citadel of Salah Al-Din, several mosques representing the best of Islamic architecture, and of course Old Cairo where the oldest Coptic Christian churches, the oldest Egyptian synagogue and the oldest Egyptian mosque are located. Going on your
holidays to Cairo is certainly not limited to historical sightseeing however. Visitors to this unique and vibrant city will find that a Cairo holiday offers remarkable shopping opportunities and a wide range of leisure, cultural and nightlife activities, suitable for all ages. The best time to go on a Cairo holiday is from October to May, when daytime temperatures are not excessively high. For western tourist, the peak season is during Christmas and the New Year. Hotels in Cairo cater to all budgets and there are many to choose from. If you are looking for budget Cairo hotel, you will find several decent options in the city centre. Visitors planning to spend their Cairo holidays in style and luxury may choose among the many four and five-star Cairo hotels located all over the city. There are also a number of Cairo resorts on the outskirts of the city, along the Cairo – Alexandria desert road. The largest city in the Arab world, Cairo is a city in which the old and the new merge seamlessly – and you should try to sample at least a little of both worlds while on holiday in Cairo.