The Egyptian Museum
A visit to the Egyptian Museum at Tahrir square is an absolute must on any visit to Cairo. It was built during the reign of Khedive Abbass Helmi II in 1897, and opened in 1902. With 107 halls you can explore the history of Pharaonic Egypt through the 120,000 artifacts exhibited, from Narmer to Ramses. On the upper floor is the famous collection of King Tutankhamon treasures. The pharaoh is indeed gone, but his treasures and life still fascinate us today.

Khan el-Khalili Bazaars
Not just any market, but one of the most historic markets in the world. Founded by the Emir Djaharks el-Khalili in 1382, the khan was responsible for developing such a stranglehold on goods moving from the Eastern world to the West, that it is indirectly responsible for the discovery of the American continent. The spice markets in the Khan, a monopoly controlled by the ruling Mamluks of Egypt, forced explorers such as Columbus to find alternate routes for goods coming from the East.

Citadel of Salah el-Din with Alabaster Mosque
One of Cairo's most popular tourist attractions is the Citadel, located on a spur of limestone that had been detached from its parent Moqattam Hills by quarrying. The Citadel is one of the world's greatest monuments to medieval warfare, as well as a highly visible landmark on Cairo's eastern skyline. Particularly when viewed from the back side (from the north), the Citadel reveals a medieval character.

Legend has it that Salah ad-Din chose the site for its healthy air. The story goes that he hung pieces of meat up all around Cairo. The meat spoilt within a day everywhere except in the Citadel area, where it remained fresh for several days. But in reality this location provides a strategic advantage both to dominate Cairo and to defend outside attackers.?Salah ad-Din had come from Syria where each town had some sort of fortress to act as a stronghold for the local ruler.

Originally named Crocodilopolis, then Arsinoe, Medinet El-Fayoum was the main place of worship of the crocodile god, Sobek. Apparently, during ancient Medinet, crocodiles were adorned with gold and fed honey cakes and meat by the priests.

Of interest are the huge wooden waterwheels, another incredible engineering feat by the ancient Egyptians, though less known than the mighty Pyramids. The waters of the Bahr Yusef are distributed throughout the oasis from Medinet, the capital of the Fayoum. Approximately 200 of the great waterwheels are located throughout the oasis. The Seven Waterwheels, a Fayoum landmark, are surrounded by mangos, palms and willows.

A great stone obelisk was erected in honor of Senwosret I in Abgig during the 12th Dynasty. It was discovered on the ground in two pieces during the 18th century and was recently reconstructed and erected in Medinet. Click here for more information and Booking Details

Enjoy a camel ride (approximately 15 minutes), which is how these ruins, located some three quarters of a mile (1,200 meters) from the west bank opposite the southern tip of the island of Elephantine, are usually accessed.

The monastery was given the name St Simeon by archaeologists and travelers, but earlier Arabic and Coptic sources called it Anba Hatre (Hidra, Hadri, Hadra), after an anchorite who was consecrated a bishop of Syene (now Aswan) by Patriarch Theophilus (385-412 AD).

Anba Hatre married at the age of eighteen. Tradition says that just after the wedding, he encountered a funeral procession which inspired him to preserve his chastity and later become a disciple of Saint Baiman.

After eight years of ascetic practices under the supervision of his teacher, he retired to the desert and applied himself to the study of the life of Saint Antony. He died during the time of Theodosius I.