Luxury Cairo Holidays

Cairo, the largest city in Africa and the Middle East, is acknowledged by Arabic peoples as Umm Dunya, the Mother of the World, and is home to nearly 20 million people. It is a vast and extraordinary megalopolis where medieval and modern ways of life collide in a mesmerising streetscape. Its chaotic, hectic and vibrant ambiance is tempered by the warm and friendly welcome extended to visitors by the best-natured and most easy-going city-dwellers you'll find anywhere in the world. Take a sense of humour, add some healthy respect for tradition, sprinkle it with tolerance and holidays to Cairo will be as enjoyable in reality as it may have been daunting in theory.

Modern and Medieval Cairo

Cairo holidays are a great way to delve into this traditional and contemporary city. Located where the Nile valley widens into its delta, Cairo was founded in AD641 and expanded in the 9th century to become the most powerful Islamic city of the medieval era. Central Cairo is the more modern part of town inspired by the boulevards of Paris with grand art deco and empire-style buildings designed by European architects. This downtown area boasts shopping streets, cafes and restaurants and it's a good idea for visitors to acquaint themselves with this part of the city before exploring the more traditional quarters.

Towering minarets, teeming markets, medieval lanes and congested streets abound in the older Islamic Cairo which is dominated by the Al Azhar Mosque and Kahn el-Khalili bazaar. When on holidays in Cairo we recommend you visit both the older and more modern parts of the city. Right at its heart is the huge Liberation Squre, Maydan at-Tahir, boasting Egypt's centre of bureaucracy and the old American University. And when the sights, sounds and smells begin to result in a disorientating sensory overload, visitors should take a moment to revive their senses by pausing at one of the city's coffee houses, tea rooms, patisseries or trendy juice bars, or indulge in the pleasures of a shisha pipe whose sweet scented smoke wafts through the narrow alleyways to a hypnotic soundtrack of gently bubbling water.

At Classic Collection Holidays we aim to create your perfect tailor made holidays to Cairo. We have a range of exclusive luxury 5 star accommodation located in and around the city. With a country that has so much to offer, we can also provide our customers with twin centre holidays to Cairo and Luxor amongst other fantastic Egypt destinations.

Pyramids and Sphinx of Giza

No trip to Cairo would be complete without seeing the world's oldest tourist attraction, the Pyramids of Giza and their Sphinx which is not surprisingly, the most visited monuments in Egypt.

There have been many wide ranging theories about why the pyramids were built: perhaps they were the astronomical markers to aid the quantifying of time, or built to concentrate natural energy sources? Some even believed that they were an alien sign from thousands of years ago!! It is now widely accepted that the pyramids were built within a few hundred years of each other around 2600BC as tombs for pharaohs in order to foil tomb robbers.

The largest, the Great Pyramid of Khufu, standing 137m high, is the last remaining wonder of the ancient world as described by Greek and Roman scholars. The Pyramid of Khafre is the second largest although its location on slightly higher ground makes it appear taller, and the third, Menkaure, adds a wonderful perspective to the alignment of all three.

The Sphinx is generally considered to be an enigmatic depiction of the Pharaoh Khafre, and in fact, it is situated at the base of an ancient sacred causeway the leads from the Pyramid of Khafre to the Nile. When looking for things to do in Cairo the Pyramids of Egypt are definitely within our top recommended places to visit.

The Egyptian Museum of Antiquities

Housing one of the world's major collections of Egypt's finest treasures, including Royal Mummies and objects from Tutankhamun's tomb, the Egyptian Museum is magnificent, slightly dated, and very often crowded. Without doubt, the best place to gain an appreciation of Ancient Egypt. If you are looking for things to do in Cairo and understand and learn more about Egypt then this museum is the perfect place to start.

Museum of Islamic Art

This fascinating museum consists of a series of rooms each depicting a separate technique or skill such as wood carving, ivory work, ceramic mosaics, plus the writing of manuscripts using traditional materials, motifs and patterns.

The Citadel and Muhammad Ali Mosque

This massive fortification was built in the early 13th century to protect the city from Crusaders and is located on high ground south of the Khan market. It is the size of a small village with museums, caf's and mosques, of which the Muhammad Ali Mosque is the most famous. This Ottoman Turkish style mosque is the largest in the city and its grand interior features smooth alabaster stone, painted domes and intricately sculpted marble, plus the tomb of Muhammad Ali, the founder of modern Egypt.

Coptic Museum

Situated in old Cairo, the Coptic Museum, housed in an old palace, features a wealth of artefacts covering Coptic art and worship including vestments, tapestries, painted icons, wood carved ceilings and early handwritten Bibles.

Cairo Tower

For those looking for a superb panoramic view of the city, then the Cairo Tower is one of the top things to do in Cairo. The tower has lifts that take you either straight to the top or to one of the other levels and with a revolving restaurant, gallery and a restaurant located at the tower’s highest point, it is a fabulous place to enjoy day and night.

Islamic Cairo

Islamic Cairo is a truly fascinating part of the city and a wonder to see. With many historic monuments and gorgeous Islamic architecture, it is the perfect location to explore the capital of Egypt.

Khan Al-Khalli

As a city there are plenty of places to shop, eat and drink – especially with the majority of places open what appears to be 24 hours. However, away from the mainstream shops is the amazing Khan Al-Khalli, a wonderful bustling bazaar located at the heart of Islamic Cairo. Filled with exotic and unique items on numerous stalls it is an excellent place for gifts and authentic souvenirs. The market is extremely busy so make sure you take care of your belongings and be sure to hold your ground when bartering.