Cairo
The Middle East’s largest city isn’t an instant enchantment. It’s incredibly noisy, always busy and sometimes looks as if the entire Egyptian population’s descended on Downtown at once. But, if you let yourself acclimatise, get to know the districts, identify quiet breathing spaces and exercise a bit of patience, Cairo’s one of the most rewarding cities in the world. Teenagers and older kids tend to get the hang of things much quicker than adults. Start younger children off somewhere gentle like Zamalek on Gezira Island, ease them into the ancient medieval quarter and, by the time you visit the Egyptian Museum in Downtown, they’ll be ready for anything.
- If you want to stay close to the historic districts but not right in the city centre, the Nile Corniche is best for major international hotels and Gezira Island is lovely and green, home to Cairo Opera House and an excellent area for families.
- Known for big, broad boulevards, elegant houses and its cool Korba district, Heliopolis is another area for family resorts, about half-an-hour from Downtown.
- Old Cairo is remarkable and sprawling. If time’s tight, arrange a guided tour of highlights like the Coptic quarter and Hanging Church, Bab Zuwella, Salah El Din Al Ayouby Citadel and Ib Tulun Mosque.
- Don’t leave without seeing the Egyptian Museum. The collection includes all the contents and mummies from the Pyramids at Giza and the tomb of Tutankhamun. Give it at least half-a-day – some exhibits like the mummified monkey can be a little disconcerting for younger children.
- Don’t miss the legendary souks at Khan el-Khalili in the city centre. They date back to the 16th century and, apart from Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar or Marrakech Medina, few others even come close for sheer spectacle.
- Downtown’s good for cafés and traditional restaurants. Zamalek, on Gezira Island, is where to find Cairo’s cool places to eat.
- If you’re exploring the city with kids and it all gets too hectic, escape for an hour into the Garden district. It’s a little pocket of leafy, green peace just 20 minutes walk south of Downtown.
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