Surrounded by desert, the eternally vibrant city of Cairo, is as spectacular in its creation as the historical foundations on which it sits. Little prepares you for the labyrinth of roads and arteries of traffic that cross the desert and the Nile, a sheer sea of cars and people.
On the banks of the Nile farmers still today depend on the produce grown with the aid of water from the great river.
Cairo holiday highlights
• Old Cairo or Al-Fustat was founded in AD 648 near other Egyptian cities and villages, including the old Egyptian capital Memphis, Heliopolis, Giza and the Byzantine fortress of Babylon-in-Egypt.
• Today, Cairo attracts visitors to the spectacular sights on the Giza plateau, the sights at Memphis, Fayhoum, Sakara and some of the oases in the surrounding desert including Siwa and Baharaiya.
• Despite the mass of traffic reminders of the country’s ancient civilisations are visible throughout the city.
• An incredible amount of bars and restaurants create a very cosmopolitan atmosphere making Cairo a great venue for a long weekend away.