The pyramids of Giza against the setting sun
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Luxury in Egypt

Cairo

The great city of Africa and the Nile: the Pyramids of Giza beyond Mena House’s gardens, the Grand Egyptian Museum and the minarets of Islamic Cairo.

The pyramids of Giza at sunset, CairoPhotograph: Diego F. Parra

Ahlan wa sahlan

The city of a thousand minarets

Cairo stands on the Nile just south of where the river opens into its delta, and on the desert edge to the west rise the Pyramids of Giza, the last of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world still standing, built some four and a half thousand years ago.

The city itself was founded in 969 by the Fatimids, and Islamic Cairo, with its mosques, madrasas and the great bazaar of Khan el-Khalili, is World Heritage. Its skyline of domes and minarets earned it the name of the city of a thousand minarets.

The Grand Egyptian Museum, beside the Pyramids, holds the treasures of Tutankhamun. Mena House, a royal hunting lodge that became a hotel in 1886, faces the Pyramids from its gardens, and from Cairo the Nile leads south to Luxor and Aswan.

A few words of Egyptian Arabic
EnglishEgyptian ArabicSay it
Helloالسلام عليكمas-SA-laam a-LAY-kum
Pleaseلو سمحتlaw sa-MAHT (to a woman: law sa-MAH-ti)
Thank youشكراًSHUK-ran
Good eveningمساء الخيرma-SAA el-KHEYR
The bill, pleaseالحساب لو سمحتel-hi-SAAB, law sa-MAHT

Where to go

Cairo at a glance

When to go.

Giza and Cairo

The pyramids of Giza, including the Great Pyramid, the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing, sit on the edge of Cairo beside the new Grand Egyptian Museum; the medieval city of Historic Cairo lies across the Nile. Memphis and its Necropolis, the pyramid fields from Giza to Dahshur, was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

Best time to visitOctober to April.

  • Stay
    No hotel here yet meets our standard; plan a short stay with a private guide, and pair it with a Nile cruise from Luxor or Aswan.

Dine

The best restaurants in Cairo

The finest tables of Cairo and around.

The finest tables

  • Khufu'sGiza

    Mostafa Seif's contemporary Egyptian cooking on the Giza plateau, facing the Pyramids; named the best restaurant in the Middle East and North Africa in 2026, the first Egyptian restaurant to take the top place. Visit website ↗

Cruises

Cairo by sea

How the ships arrive in Cairo, and the luxury lines that call.

Ships call at Alexandria or Port Said, each about three hours by road from Cairo and the Pyramids.

The luxury lines that call here

From the lines' own 2026 and 2027 voyages. Ports change from season to season, so check the voyage before you reserve.

Luxury Cruise LinesSuites at Sea

Shop

Luxury shopping in Cairo

The car showrooms of Cairo.

The great marques

Official showrooms, most by appointment.

The Great Marques: showrooms, factories and cars to hire ›

Experience

Events and things to do in Cairo

The Cairo year: the great events, month by month; each event's own website gives this year's dates.

The great museums

Opera houses, concert halls and festivals

  • Cairo Opera House

    Opened in 1988 on Gezira Island as a gift from Japan, successor to the Khedivial Opera House of 1869, which burned in 1971; it is home to most of Egypt's finest musical companies. Visit website ↗

Live

Luxury real estate in Cairo

A home in Cairo: the agencies and advisers at our standard, for the purchase and for life after it.

Prime real estate

All the leading agencies in Egypt ›

Looking for a home in Cairo? Write to travel@TheMediterranean.com and we will introduce you, in confidence, to the right agency.

International schools

  • Cairo American CollegeMaadi (Cairo)

    The only US State Department-sponsored school in Cairo, it offers the IB Diploma and is dual-accredited by the Middle States Association and CIS. Visit website ↗

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Cairo and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

Plan your journey to Cairo

Where is Cairo?

In northern Egypt on the Nile, about 200 kilometres south of the Mediterranean coast. Cairo International and the new Sphinx airport near Giza take private jets.

What is Cairo famous for?

The Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx, the Grand Egyptian Museum and Tutankhamun, Islamic Cairo and the Khan el-Khalili, Mena House, and its place on the Nile.

Which are the best restaurants in Cairo?

The finest table on our list: Khufu's (Giza).

Do you tip in Cairo?

Restaurants and bars generally add a 12% service charge, and VAT of 14% may be added on top of listed prices, yet a small extra tip for the waiter is still expected. Tipping (baksheesh) is a normal part of daily life: carry small notes for drivers, guides and attendants at sites. Luxury hotels: porters the equivalent of €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, in Egyptian pounds.

What should you wear in Cairo?

Western clothing is fine in hotels, restaurants and tourist venues. For mosques and churches, cover shoulders and wear skirts or trousers below the knee; women should bring a headscarf for mosques, and shoes are removed at the entrance. Modest dress in town avoids unwanted attention; keep swimwear to the beach, pool or boat. On yachts and dahabiyas, no hard-soled shoes on deck. Fine dining is smart-casual.

Beyond Cairo

More in Egypt

Alexandria and the North Coast, and the Mediterranean beyond.

EgyptLuxury Egypt Holidays: Cairo, the Pyramids & the NileExplore EgyptThe MediterraneanTwenty-two countries and Gibraltar, first class onlyExplore the MediterraneanPlan your journeyFrom your home to Cairo, with the costsOpen the trip planner

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Cairo

How Egypt does things.

Language
Arabic is the official language; the Egyptian dialect is understood across the Arab world. English, and to a lesser extent French, are widely spoken among the educated and throughout luxury hotels, Nile cruises and upscale restaurants.
Greetings
A handshake is standard, usually offered with warmth and unhurried conversation, often over tea or coffee. Close friends of the same sex may kiss on the cheek. A man should let a woman offer her hand first.
Dress
Western clothing is fine in hotels, restaurants and tourist venues. For mosques and churches, cover shoulders and wear skirts or trousers below the knee; women should bring a headscarf for mosques, and shoes are removed at the entrance. Modest dress in town avoids unwanted attention; keep swimwear to the beach, pool or boat. On yachts and dahabiyas, no hard-soled shoes on deck. Fine dining is smart-casual.
Dining
Lunch is often the main meal and is taken in mid-afternoon; dinner is late, commonly 9 pm or after. Reservations are wise at leading restaurants in Cairo, Alexandria and the North Coast.
Tipping
Restaurants and bars generally add a 12% service charge, and VAT of 14% may be added on top of listed prices, yet a small extra tip for the waiter is still expected. Tipping (baksheesh) is a normal part of daily life: carry small notes for drivers, guides and attendants at sites. Luxury hotels: porters the equivalent of €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day, in Egyptian pounds.
Good to know
During Ramadan, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public in daylight; hotels and tourist restaurants continue to serve visitors. The working week runs Sunday to Thursday.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

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