inside the Al-Azhar Mosque in Cairo

We spent several days exploring Egypt’s magnificent capitol: Cairo!

Cairo is situated at the point where the Nile River opens into the vast Nile River Delta and has a population of ca. 10 million people! Most tourists come here to visit the majestic pyramids and do not step into the city centre at all – a big mistake in my opinion! We spent some time along the Nile River itself, which can be visited during a felucca ride, but which offers a particularly fantastic scenery at night. We also visited the superb, yet somewhat overwhelming collections at the Egyptian Museum and spent an evening at a brilliant dervish show:

Although Islam is the major religion in Egypt, Coptic Christianity has been present in the region since the 1st century AD as evident by many beautiful churches:

The most impressive monuments can be found in the old city centre. Dozens of mosques with an unbelievable architecture and tender minarets are scattered throughout Cairo and can be entered by visitors outside of praying times. The simple and very old Mosque of Ibn Tulun was my favourite! The hustle and bustle of the megacity is strongest in the markets – such as the colourful Khan Al Khalili Market. If you are lucky with the weather and there is not too much smog, you can also enjoy superb views from the Citadel:

I was pleasantly surprised by Cairo and its nice atmosphere! I would love to go back some day and wander its alleys again!