Dear traveller.
This list of the most important things to do, or places to visit, is from my point of view and experience, but every traveller has a different taste, shorter or longer staying time. You can be travelling for work or on vacation, which makes different visiting times at different hotels, which might be closer or farther away from sight. Hence I have provided short descriptions of all the places to choose from, to clarify what is more convenient and suitable for your travelling plans.
1- Giza Pyramids and the Sphinx
The most famous and visited place by travellers from all over the world, it still exists as the only monument remaining from the ancient seven wonders of the world. The Koufou Pyramid was pronounced Cheops by the Greek's old travellers, and his son and grandson pyramids, "Kha-Ef-RA" and "Men-Khao-RA", pronounced Chephren and Mekyrinos. Also, it's a cemetery that dates back From 2600B.C, where other smaller pyramids for the queens and tombs named Mastaba were built for the high officials who were close to the royal families; all are guarded by the Sphinx, the guardian of the cemetery.
2- The Grand Museum in Giza
Not opened yet, but for sure, once opened, it would be marvellous to visit the grand museum in Giza. All treasures found in the tomb of the golden king TOT ANCK AMON will be moved and displayed there. It is located only one kilometre from the Giza pyramids and 3 times bigger in size than the museum.
3- Sakkara Step Pyramid
The Step Pyramid of Sakkara is 20 Km from the Giza pyramids, the oldest stone monument on earth, around 2800 B.C. It is also a big and significant cemetery with other pyramids for other pharaohs, mastabas for high officials and tombs for mummified animals.
4- Dahshour Pyramids
Located 30 km from the Giza pyramids; and 10 km from the Sakkara Step Pyramid, we find the Bent Pyramid and the Red Pyramid built by king Snefrou, the father of King Koufou, the builder of the great Giza Pyramid. Few tourist visits that site, so it's much quieter than the Giza pyramids, and both the two pyramids are accessible from the inside for adventurous travellers.
5- Memphis
The old capital of Egypt and not the place of birth of Elvis Presley, only five Km from Sakkara, its main attraction today is a colossal for king Ramesses the great or Ramesses the second and the second biggest Sphinx after Giza. Memphis is today a tiny open-air museum.
6- Egyptian Museum in Cairo
Built in 1901 and located in the centre of Cairo, it is the most important museum in the world containing pieces from pharaonic history. More than 120 thousand artefacts are exhibited there. The treasures of king Tot are to be removed from the Egyptian museum towards the Gran Museum.
7-Civilization Museum.
This is where about 22 of the royal mummies had been finally moved to be resting in a huge celebration in 2021: the parade of the royal mummies. The museum contains 7 halls; some are temporary exhibitions, and some are permanent. The pieces exhibited are from all the time of the cavemen, some 2300000 years ago to modern history.
8- Citadel and Alabaster Mosque of Mohamed Ali
The citadel is the fortress that Saladin started to build in 1176 to defend Cairo from any possible attack from the crusaders; inside the Citadel of Mohamed Ali, not the famous boxer built his mosque between 1830 till 1848. Mohamed Ali founded a monarchy in Egypt, which started with him and ended with king Farouk in 1952.
9- Bazaar of Khan El Khalili and Sharia Al Moez Mosques (Islamic Cairo)
The market also called the Bazar of Kan El Khalili, is located in the heart of the ancient city of Cairo.AL Moez was the founder of the city of Cairo in 971 A.D; hence the name of the famous street is named after him. An old market, medieval palaces and mosques are along the streets; even an old church and an old synagogue could also be found there.
10- Coptic old Misr
A Roman fortress was built there by the roman emperor Trajan called Babylon. Many early churches, like the hanging church built on the top of that fortress, also old Misr, had been blessed with the visit of the Holy Family when they escaped from king Herod and resided in a cave under the church of Abi Sarga for a few months.
11- Coptic Museum
Built in 1908 by Marcus Sameika, it is located in old Coptic Misr with the largest collection of Coptic artifacts in the world, surrounded by Babylon fortress and the old churches of the area.
12- Mosque of Ibn Toulon and Gayer Anderson Museum
The mosque of Ibn Toulon is the oldest in Egypt and the whole of Africa, built with mud bricks in 879 A.D., surviving in its full original form. Adjacent to the mosque is the Gayer Anderson Museum, two houses from the 17th century built in domestic Islamic architecture. The two houses take their names from Major R.G.Gayer Anderson Pasha, who resided there from 1935 till 1942 with special Egyptian government permission.
13- Manial Palace
Built on an island called Al Rodda by prince Mohamed Ali between 1899 and 1929, it was designed by the prince himself in style integrating European Art Nouveau and Rococo with traditional Islamic Architecture styles including Ottoman, Andalusian Persian and others.
14- Museum of Art's Mahmoud Khalil and his Wife
Dedicated to the memory of Mahmoud Khalil and his French wife Emiline Lock, who built and lived in the house, which was built between 1915 and 1920, Mahmoud Khalil died in 1953, and his wife in 1960.
In 1962 the house was converted into a museum exhibiting the artists' works that Mahmoud Khalil and his wife used to collect. The museum house a fine collection of impressionist painters like Claude Monet, Van Gogh, Renoir, Rodin and others collected before 1928.
15- Mosque of Sultan Hassan and Refai
The mosque -Madrasa of Sultan Hassan, was built between 1356 and 1363 during the Mamluk period, and just in front is Al Refai Mosque, built in two phases over the period between 1869 and 1912. Al Refai is the resting place of some members of Egypt's royal family. Also, the last Shah of Iran, who died in Cairo in 1980, is buried in the same mosque.
16- Church of the Cave St. Simon
The cave church is built inside the limestone caves of the Mokattam mountain in commemoration of St Simon, who died in the 10th century in the area of garbage collectors. Reaching the monastery is not accessible due to having to wind through the Zabbaleen village.
17- Felucca on the Nile
Enjoy a ride on the NILE with the traditional Egyptian sailboat called felucca and see the sights of Cairo from the water.
18- Sound and light show at Giza Pyramids
The show starts at night and lasts almost one hour. The narration is broadcasted on speakers in the language of most spectators visiting that night, but headsets with all major languages are provided. Great experience if you love history. The night scene of the pyramids and the Sphinx enchants the eyes and makes it memorable forever.
19- Full-day Alexandria
An over-day trip to visit the major sightseeing of Alexandria should start early, by 6:30 in the morning. The distance of 220 km could be done in almost 3 hours. The Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, Alexandria National Museum, the Serapeum, the ancient Roman theatre, and the Cavafy Museum are some of the main attractions to visit. You could have a nice lunch at a seaside restaurant before return back to Cairo before sunset.