The eastern neighborhood of Heliopolis (also known as Masr el Gedida) is not known as the epicenter of Cairo nightlife, but it’s been slowly and quietly picking up over the years, as locals in the know can attest to. So whether you’re a Heliopolis resident looking for an ambient place to get dinner and drinks, or a visitor who wants to be close to Cairo International Airport but still go out and have a good time, these are our 10 favorite Heliopolis nightspots. Read also: 12 Chill Places in Maadi to Get Dinner & Drinks Read also: 9 Best Restaurant & Bars for Dinner & Drinks in N ..read more

It seems like everywhere you turn in New Cairo, there’s a new commercial center with a slew of different restaurants, cafes and bars opening up. And considering how many people now live and work in New Cairo, that’s a good thing in our opinion! 5A by The Waterway is one of the biggest and most well-known commercial centers, so it begs the question – which of its many restaurants and cafes should we go to? In no particular order, here are our local favorites at 5A: Babel There’s no other restaurant in Cairo with the same striking interior design that Babel has – from its dramatic pendan ..read more

Summer is no joke in Cairo; the city seems to almost bake in the heat and we all daydream about throwing ourselves in the nearest cool body of water. Some locals flee the city for the North Coast’s bluer pastures (Egypt’s Mediterranean beaches are some of the best in the world - read more about our world-class beaches here), but what about those who don’t have the option of heading to the beach? Well, that’s where pools come in. If you’re lucky enough to live or be staying in a compound with a great pool, then what are you reading this for? Go swimming! But if you don’t have access to a po ..read more

Egypt’s Red Sea Riviera is immensely popular with both tourists and locals alike for several reasons: a) its year-round warm weather, b) its white sand beaches, c) its awesome diving and d) the fact that it’s away from all the hustle and bustle of city life (especially if you live in Cairo, the difference is night and day). Most tourists usually book an all-inclusive trip to Hurghada or Sharm el Sheikh through a tour agency, and while that obviously is a guaranteed great time, it’d be a shame to think that’s the extent of what the Red Sea Riviera has to offer. What exactly is Egypt’s Red ..read more

If you’ve ever decided to go eat or grab a coffee at Arkan Plaza in Sheikh Zayed, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. This commercial center on the west side of Cairo is full to the brim with dozens of restaurants, cafes, restobars, shops and booths – and what seems to be something new opening every day.  So if you find yourself in Arkan Plaza and are unsure of what’s a hit and what you can miss, here are ten of the best restaurants and cafes there (in no particular order).  1. Mayrig This Armenian restaurant (yes, Armenian - the first Armenian restaurant in Egypt!) is on the roo ..read more

Alexandria may be the second-biggest city in Egypt today, but that’s the least of its claims to fame. The namesake city of Alexander the Great, the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt, the once largest city in the world, the battleground of Cleopatra and the Romans, the home of two ancient wonders of the world and a leading center of learning… those are just a few things that make Alexandria a city worth visiting. And we haven’t even gotten started on its modern history! Alexandria today is a faded version of what was once called ‘the jewel of the Mediterranean’, and the modern city sometimes impo ..read more

When you think of palaces, European cities probably come to mind… and not Cairo per se. But it’s true, Cairo is home to quite a few beautiful palaces, ranging from medieval Islamic to Ottoman Baroque, French Rococo and even Hindu-inspired. So if you’re looking for something different to explore in Cairo and love the architecture, art and history of palaces of the past, look no further than these seven palaces open to the public. Abdeen Palace Location: Abdeen, Old Cairo This palace turned museum was first built by Khedive Ismail in 1863, with the function of being governmental headqua ..read more

When thinking of Egypt and pyramids, most people automatically think of the Giza Pyramids. But what most people fail to realize is that they’re not the sole pyramids in Egypt, and not even the oldest! Read more: 9 Different Egyptian Pyramids (That AREN’T The Giza Pyramids!) That You Need To See One of the things that makes the Pyramids of Giza so fascinating is their sheer size, plus the neighboring Great Sphinx. But not too far from the Giza Plateau is the necropolis of Saqqara, which is home to the Step Pyramid of Djoser, the oldest pyramid in the world (and also the oldest complete stone b ..read more

Whether you’re a local Cairene strapped for cash at the end of the month, or a visitor to Cairo on a backpacker’s budget, never fear -- there’s a lot of fun, interesting things you can do in Cairo without paying a bomb. Here's ten ways to enjoy some of the best sights in the city, for cheap. 1. Have a world-class view of the Pyramids over lunch or dinner at… Pizza Hut Strange, but true. If you want to have an open-air, world-class view of the Pyramids over lunch/dinner but want to avoid the exorbitant prices at hotel restaurants, then look no further than the nearest Pizza Hut to the Pyramids ..read more

When it comes to museums in Egypt, everyone is on pins and needles for the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum -- right next to the Great Pyramids of Giza, it’s going to be the biggest archaeological museum in the world. But while we wait, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other museums of interest in Cairo; far from it. From the world-famous Cairo Museum to the newly-renovated National Museum of Egyptian Civilization to the lesser-known but still very interesting Museum of Textiles, there are a bunch of museums worth checking out at least once, whether you’re an Egyptian local or a visitor ..read more