Khan E-Khalili, known as the Turkish bazaar during the ottoman period, was built in 1382 by Amir Djaharks El-Khalili, in the heart of what was then Fatimid City. Until this day, the bazaar is a center of trade and communion in the city, and offers a wide array of antiques, handcrafts of gold, silver and copper as well as numerous old coffee shops and local restaurants which attract both Egyptians & tourists alike.

This historic area was the capital of Ancient Egypt during the First Dynasty and founded in 3100 BC. The legendary city of Menes was named after the king who united Upper and Lower Egypt. In its early years of existence, Memphis was the fortress from which Menes reigned over the land and its water routes connecting Upper Egypt to the Delta.

The mosque of Mohamed Ali stands within the walls of the citadel in Cairo. Built between l830 - 1857, it is the largest and grandest of the four mosques contained in the Citadel.

Old Cairo, the oldest district in the Egyptian capital, was settled as far back as the Sixth Century BC. In later centuries, Romans built the fortress Babylon in the area, remnants of which still exist. Old Cairo became the center of Christianity in Egypt, with as many as 20 churches built within an area of one square mile. Only five of these historic churches remain today, nestled between many other ancient monuments that decorate the quarter.

Sakkara is one section of the great necropolis of Memphis, capital of the Old Kingdom. Egyptian kings of the First and Second Dynasties are buried in Sakkara, located 12 miles southwest of Cairo. The famous Step Pyramid of King Zoser was the first pyramid to be erected in Ancient Egypt, preceding those at Giza by many centuries.

The Sound & Light Show, started in 1961, begins with the story of the Sphinx who has been the vigilant guardian of the City of the Dead for five thousand years. It depicts the story of building the pyramids of Cheops, Chephren, and Mycerinus and relates the history of great and famous figures of ancient Egypt such as Nefertiti, Tuthmosis IV, Akhenaton and Tutankhamen.

The Citadel, situated on a highly visible spur of the Muqattam Hills of Old Cairo, was the nerve center of Egypt for almost 700 years. Construction of the grand structure began in 1176 and was completed by Mohammad Ali Pasha, ruler of Egypt in the late 19th century. Mamluke sultans and Turkish governors resided in the Citadel, which is among the world’s most splendid monuments of medieval warfare.

The Egyptian Museum was built during the reign of Khedive Abbass Helmi II in 1897, and opened its doors on November 15, 1902. Today it contains the most important collection of Egyptian antiquities in the world. Exhibited are over 120,000 objects from the Pharaonic and Greco-Roman periods, including the celebrated mummies of ancient Egyptian kings and the treasures of King Tut Ankh Amun. A special Hidden Treasures’ Exhibit in the museum’s re-designed basement features more than 150 artifacts on display for the first time.

On the outskirts of Cairo stands one of the Seven Wonders of the World: the Pyramids. Built around 4,500 years ago, the three towering Pyramids are massive in size and contain enough stone to build a ten-foot high wall around France, according to calculations made by Napoleon. The Great Pyramid of Cheops alone was constructed from approximately 2,300,000 blocks, weighing an average of two-and-a half tons each. Within short walking distance of the Pyramids is the Great Sphinx of Giza, built in 2620 BC in the likeness of the King of Egypt Chephren (Khafre). The ancient monument - 187 feet long and 65 feet high - is a human-headed lion guarding the Great Pyramids and wearing a royal headdress.