World Travel https://www.youtube.com/user/World1Tube Cairo - Egypt Travel Guide http://bit.ly/1gcTosP Cairo travel guide, Cairo Attractions, Cairo Hotels,Cairo Restaurants,Tourism in Egypt, Vacation Egypt, Giza, Pyramids, Cairo Museum From the Pyramids of Giza and traders' banter at Khan al-Khalili bazaar to sailing on the Nile, it's no surprise that Cairo is dubbed the Mother of All Cities by Egyptians. Egypt's capital, and Africa's largest city, boasts attractions of biblical proportions -- literally. Giza's Sphinx and pyramids are iconic as to be beyond description. Add to this the astonishing gold of Tutankhamun buried in the dusty corridors of the Cairo Museum, the Islamic treasures of bejewelled mosques, labyrinthine medieval alleyways lined with tempting spices and colourful textiles and the daily shrill calls to prayer rising above the cacophony of car horns and crowded streets. Escape from the city's bustle by ordering a mint tea in a traditional ahwa (coffeehouse) or taking a felucca ride on the river Nile, Cairo's lifeblood and Africa's most significant waterway. ============================== Cairo History Cairo has been ruled by Persians, Pharaohs, Romans, Arabian caliphs, British colonials and more, and nurtured the establishment of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic religions. Not surprisingly, for today's visitor, the beauty is seeing those centuries unfold in layers, often juxtaposed into modern-day living. The original ancient city was actually Memphis, now 24km (15 miles) southwest of Cairo, founded in 2,000 BC and ruled by King Menes who united Upper and Lower Egypt. Fustat, as 'modern-day' Cairo was known, was founded some 3,000 years later and was one of the world's greatest, and largest cities and home to Egypt's first mosque. There embarked a period of huge construction of some of the city's most prominent landmarks. The Fatimids established the Al-Azhar mosque (one of the world's oldest Islamic universities) located in Islamic Cairo, the medieval quarter also home to the sprawling market streets of Khan el-Khalili. Once the Mamaluk Sultanate was captured by the Ottoman Empire, they shifted most of the trading back to Constantinople and Cairo became little more than a provincial town. The mkedieval curse, the Black Death, struck the city countless times reducing the population by hundreds of thousands. Cairo's place on the spice route was all but diminished. The Ottomans were soon unseated by Napoleonic troops who occupied Cairo in the late 18th century, later falling to British troops. Muhammad Ali Pasha was considered to be the founder of modern Egypt, with social and economic reforms and huge construction in the early 19th century. His grandson Ismail Pasha continued that modernization process, inspired by the broad boulevards of Paris, and his legacy can still be seen around today's Downtown Cairo. Debt let to British occupation lasting well into the 20th century, but huge demonstrations led to Egypt's independence declared in 1922 and Sultan Ahmad Fuad became King Fuad I. His son King Farouk I later married Queen Farida Zulficar. Since World War II, Cairo's development has been intense, its huge and fast-growing population leading to its current status as the largest city in Africa and the Muslim world. ====================== Weather in Cairo Best time to visit: Spring (Mar-Apr) and autumn (mid Sep-Oct) are most comfortable, when daytime temperatures reach 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit). Sultry summer (Jun-Aug) reach the high 30s. For those who hate the heat, winter (Dec-Jan) December and January are pleasantly cool (20 deg C / 68 deg F). Ramadan shifts ten days back annually -- in 2011 will begin in early August. During the month, many eateries will close during daylight hours, and some bars close for the entire month, but the city is festooned in decorative lights with traditional music at nights in Islamic Cairo. During the major festivals of Eid ul fitr and Eid ul Adha, many locals travel so flights, trains and buses could well be booked up in advance.

• published: 13 Oct 2013
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