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Cairo is the African
Continent’s largest city and is a unique blend of the old
and the new.
The city is spread out from east to west, from
north to south and serves as a crossroads for travelers from
Asia to Europe and vise versa. There are many types of
accommodations to choose from grand and luxurious hotels and
resorts to more low-key hostels and apartelles.
With each succession of Egyptian rulers, more cities were
built away from the old ones and the city of Cairo, when
viewed from the air, took on the shape of a question mark
starting from the oldest part of the city in the south.
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It
then takes a curving northward direction to Fustat,
turns east to Cairo’s Islamic population, and
terminates west to the Downtown District where it
stretched onto Liberation Square.The center of Cairo
is slated to change location as expansion within the
city is inevitable.
Yet despite modernization come
parts of the city maintain its nostalgic air.
Islamic Cairo has medieval precincts where families
go to eat and smoke during Ramadan after a whole day
of fasting.
The Citadel and Mohamed Ali’s Mosque are
some of the Islamic monuments found in this area.
The Hanging Church and Ben Ezra Synagogue are not to
be missed in Old Cairo. |
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For exotic shopping, visit
the Khan el-Khalili Bazaar. If shopping’s not your thing,
you might find the putting near the pyramids in any of the
many golf courses scattered in the area. There are also
places where you can dress up like the ancient Egyptians to
have your photos taken and such. There are also any number
of museums you can visit or factories where they show you
how to make those beautiful tapestries Egypt is famous for.
Winters in Cairo are mild while summers are hot and dry and
spring brings in sandstorms. But inclement weather is not a
big problem in a city such as Cairo as accommodations here
are numerous and customized to any budget. There are pension
houses with historical significance and antique ambience for
those with an eye on the dollar. For those with money to
burn, there are luxury hotels a-plenty fitted with
state-of-the-art modern amenities.
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Many of the 5-star
hotels in Cairo are reasonably priced and have
passed international standards. But for those
searching for authentic Egyptian settings, these
accommodations may be rather disappointing as most
of them are modernized and do not have an Old World
atmosphere.
But if you are looking for convenience, most of
these hotels are situated near areas of interest
such as museums and monuments.
Guided tours are
recommended as you can get quite overwhelmed with
everything there is to see.
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Nothing says luxury
more than a hotel that overlooks the River Nile, Egypt’s
most famous attraction. Most hotels near the Nile are just a
few minutes walk to the Opera House and the most popular
tourist occupation---shopping!
Don’t miss a chance to visit
the world famous Egyptian Museum and see King Tut himself
along with the artifacts found in his tomb.
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