A cultural shopping trip
Do a little shopping against a historic background. Just across the street from Bab Zuweila, – one of the few gates of 11th century Fatimid-era Cairo still standing – is the Street of the Tentmakers. Here you’ll find colorful, decorative tents lined up, all for sale. These are what families purchase around Ramadan, and break their fast in. The mini ones for children are particularly adorable.
Now, shopping for you
If you want to take home some items you can use in your world, check out the trendy boutiques and antique stores located all along the back lanes of the fun Zamalek district, hidden on an island in the middle of the Nile accessible via bridges.
A little Bible study
When you’re done with the material world and ready for some spiritual contemplation, L’Orientaliste has tomes packed with out-of-print titles, ancient maps and all the musty smells you’d want from such a place.
A midday meal
Shopping and reading can work up an appetite, so next is the perfect time to head to the buzzing and aromatic stalls of Cairo’s Islamic quarter. You’ll see shop fronts where people are cooking up kushari in giant metal pots—this is a traditional Cairene item made with pasta, lentils, chickpeas, spicy tomato sauce and fried onions. For something a little off the Cairene culinary beaten path, stop in at Zizo, across from Bab al Futuh—the northern gate of Fatimid Cairo—and grab a spicy sausage sandwich.
For a longer lunch…
If meals are the main event of your travels and you set aside a chunk of time for them, you can dine with the true foodies at downtown Alfi Bey Restaurant. The establishment has been around since 1938 and has been serving its signature slow-cooked braised stew in its wood-paneled dining room for just as long. Or, for a lighter meal, dine at Mediterranean eatery Maison Thomas in Zamalek—a popular spot for sun-dried tomato pizzas, Italian cheese paninis and perfect cappuccinos.
Immerse yourself in history
If you want a historical afternoon but don’t want the crowds that come with the mosques and labyrinths, wander over to the even older streets of Coptic Cairo, sometimes called Mari Girgis. The Coptic Museum holds one of the most comprehensive collections of Coptic Christian artwork. The museum is far less frequented than the Egyptian Museum downtown, so you have room to roam and read plaques quietly.
Some living art
If you’d like to be an exhibit after checking some out, the residents of the tranquil Convent of St. George can wrap you up in chains to demonstrate a cleansing ritual said to represent the torture of St. George by the Romans.
Pay your respects
Behind the Church of St. Barbara is a peaceful cemetery and if the groundskeeper is in a good mood, he might open one of the family chapels for you to take a quick look. Make the religious rounds by next visiting the Ben Ezra Synagogue, which is still regularly visited by the approximately 50 local Jewish families. In it you’ll find the gorgeous pavilion-like Tomb of Sulayman al-Faransawi, a Frenchman who was a part of Napoleon’s army and converted to Islam before dying in Cairo in 1860.
Watch the sunset
Later in the day, make your way up to al-Azhar Park—the largest open natural area in Cairo—and from there you can see most of the city and from a distance hear calls to prayer from mosques in all directions.
The nightlife
There’s plenty of Cairene nightlife to keep you busy. For a contemplative drink, stop in at the bohemian Al-Horreya Café—a humble bar where artists and philosophers like to hang out, drink beer and get into intellectual debates. For a faster pace, go underground to electronic music club Le Tabasco. For a posh vibe, go upstairs to La Bodega, a restaurant and bar that recalls the Moulin Rouge French burlesque club. And of course, after that drinking has you hungry again, pick up a skewer at Abou Shakra—a famous late night snack spot.
