Monday, 5 March 2012

Holidays in Cairo Means Connoisseur of Traditional Egyptian Dishes

If you want to taste traditional Egyptian holiday, book Cairo holiday deals as the city is home to some of the best restaurants in the entire country.

Do you think Cairo is only about rich ancient history? If you are nodding your head in yes, you’re slightly wrong. The city has much more than intriguing past. While enjoying Cairo holidays, you can be a part of unique culture and traditions. The city hosts numerous festivities all through the year. Folklore of these festivities is incomplete without delicious food. Egyptian food is another thing that creates an urge in people visit Cairo again and again.

Capital city of Cairo is home to some of the best restaurants in the country. Some of the best restaurants are located in Mohandeseen and Zamalek. If you want to taste traditional Egyptian dishes, there are several options. There are several stalls and restaurants that are known for serving traditional dishes. Some of the best places to taste such dishes are Foul, taamiyya and Muzagga’a. If you really want to taste traditional Egyptian dishes, make sure you are not ignoring Kushari. It consists of lentils, macaroni and chickpeas. Numerous people are browsing through Cairo holiday packages especially to taste kushari prepared in typical Egyptian way.

Fatayeer is also quite famous among tourists visiting Cairo to taste the Egyptian dishes. The dish is a pancake with variety of fillings. Another conventional yet notable dish is shawarama. It consists of roasted meat suffed or wrapped in bread. Shawarma hailed from Syria and Lebanon but it is quite famous in this part of the Egypt. Budget travelers planning holidays to Cairo prefer to dine at less expensive restaurants. In such dining areas, you can easily find delicious food items made from fresh vegetables. For non-vegetarians, the menu is quite vast. You can choose from wide range of hot dogs with stuffing of beef and meat. Corned beef is also quite famous in Cairo. Menu would also consist of fried potatoes, eggs and salads.

Hygiene is the first preference of every diner. If you don’t want to compromise on the hygiene factor, you should prefer restaurants that are famous among other tourists. Moreover, you should avoid empty food outlets. To taste the best Kushari, downtown is the best area. Most notable restaurants and eateries that have become an integral part of Cairo holiday deals are Abou sid, al-Gahsh, Kushari Tahrir and Felfela. Zamalek is home to numerous restaurants that serve delicious traditional food. Some of the most important ones are Euro Deli, Maison Thomas, Soqaia and La Bodega.

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Thursday, 1 March 2012

Egyptian Museum is an Integral Part of Cairo Holiday Packages

If you want to take a look at the rarest and most popular artifacts of Egypt, plan holidays to Cairo and visit Egyptian Museum.
Cairo is an integral part of Egypt not only because it is the capital city but also for the presence of some of the most prominent attractions in the country. The Citadel, Great Pyramids of Giza, Heliopolis and Sphinx are few attractions that keep people booking Cairo holiday packages. Apart from these attractions, there are several other attractions that you can visit to peep into the rich ancient history of Cairo.

One of the best attractions in the capital city is Cairo Museum of Egyptian Antiquities which is also known as the Egyptian Museum. This is among the largest museums in country. People interested in exploring the artifacts of Egypt, should not miss on visiting the museum while enjoying holidays in Cairo. The museum exhibits over 120,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts. The collection of antiquities was started in 1830s by Auguste Mariette in order to save the country’s treasure from thieves. However, the museum was officially started in 1902.

The museum has two floors i.e., the ground and the first. Former has 42 rooms and 47 are there on the latter one. You would also come across few annexes at the entrance. On the ground floor, there is a large atrium that exhibits some of the most important statues such as the statue pair of Amenhotep III and his wife Tiye and the Colossal Statue of Rameses II. Since the museum features most important collection of statues and artifacts in the world, it creates an urge in history and art lovers to plan holidays to Cairo. Other important statues that are exhibited on the ground floor are Gilded Mask of Yuya and Schist statue of Khasekhem.

There are several galleries in the museum but the most important one is Tutankamun gallery. While visiting this gallery, you get an opportunity to take a look at 3000 artifacts. Some of them are the shrines, tomb furniture and gold funerary mask and coffin. Besides sculptures and statues, the gallery also features numerous photographs. Another worth mentioning exhibition in the museum is related to the royal and private statuary. People enjoying Cairo holidays, visit this museum especially to take a look at the royal life of the ancient Egyptian kings.

You cannot resist from visiting Royal Mummy Room which is home to 27 royal mummies. It was closed in 1981 by the order of then-President Anwar Sadat. But reopened in 1985 and today, it features only 9 mummies. Mummy of Queen Hatshepsut is the most recent addition to this collection.

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Monday, 27 February 2012

Explore Egyptian Coptic History with Old Cairo Holidays

If you are holidays in Cairo, don’t miss on visiting the Old Cairo as this is the place where you can explore the intriguing history of Christianity in Egypt.
If you want to feel the exuberant Egyptian streak, plan holidays to Cairo. The capital city of Egypt is one of the top notch tourist destinations in the country. The city is famous for its pyramids and rich ancient history. However, these are not the only attractions in the city. To explore more of Egypt, you should visit the Old Cairo. This part of the city is home to Coptic Cairo where you would find numerous churches and ruins of Roman fortifications.

Besides Coptic Cairo, other attractions in this part of the city are Coptic Museum, Ben Ezra Synagogue, Mosque of Amr ibn al-‘As and Babylon Fortress. These are the major attraction that make Old Cairo an integral part of plan Cairo holiday packages. Fortress of Babylon is the most prominent attraction in Old Cairo. In Egyptian language, it is pronounced as Babalog. This fortress was built by the Romans to protect the city of Memphis. Original fortress was founded around 30 BC, the year when Augustus entered Alexandria. The fortress became centre of the new religion i.e., Christianity in 1 AD. Within the fortress, you would come across a convent, several churches and Coptic Museum.

Coptic Museum is famous for exhibiting the world’s largest collection of Egyptian Christian artifacts. Therefore, every year several tourists interested in exploring history of Christianity in Egypt add this museum to their Cairo holiday deals . This museum was founded in 1910 by Marcus Simaika Pasha. It covers an area of 8,000 square meters. While walking around the alleys the museums, you would also come across some of the best examples of Coptic art.

There are several churches in the Old Cairo. Hanging Church is among the most important ones. It is also known as El-Moallaqua. Its nickname is Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church. It was built in 3rd century AD which makes it one of the oldest churches in the entire country. According to the experts, this was one of the first churches that hosted Coptic rituals. The church has gone through several renovations. During the renovation of 19th century fourth aisle was added to the structure.

Another attraction in this part of the city is Al-Azhar Mosque. It entices large number of people to plan Cairo holidays. This museum was established by Fatimid conqueror of Egypt- Jawhar al-Siqilly in 1970. The are area where this mosque is located, you would come across alluring Islamic gravestones from 10th century.

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Wednesday, 22 February 2012

How Can You Enjoy Holidays in Cairo Without These Attractions

Cairo holidays are the easiest way to take a look at the rich ancient history. Today, Cairo is not about its past but for its contemporary culture and modernized and luxurious lifestyle.
Visit to Cairo is the best way to spend some time amidst ancient atmosphere. While enjoying holidays in Cairo, you would find an incredible blend of medieval, cosmopolitan and ancient cultures. The capital city of Egypt is home to some of the finest hotels in Africa, delicious gastronomy and most notable monuments and historical structures.

The city of Cairo is one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. Therefore, you would never find yourself deprived of luxury. If you are planning cheap holidays to Cairo for the first time, consider finding accommodation in the Downtown. It is one of the best lodging districts. There are several hotels located by the Nile River. In other words, you won’t find dearth of refreshing nature and stunning natural view while staying in downtown hotels.

Croniche el-Nil is the main thoroughfare where you would find best five star hotels and dining options. For party animals, this thoroughfare is nothing less than a paradise. Hotels located by the Nile River are not only famous for the spectacular view but also for their proximity to top notch attractions of the city. Some of them are Egyptian Museum, Nilometer, Cairo Opera House and Gezira Promenade. Downtown Cairo is home to several eateries, restaurants and fast food corners.

For non vegetarians, dining at KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken) is a must. KFC is located in Dokki. It hires deaf people exclusively. This feature discerns KFC in Dokki from other outlets in the world. Besides KFC, there are several other places that would enhance your dining experience. You can find sophisticated restaurants at Sharia Baghdad and Loqqany. If you are fond of European dishes, make sure Chantilly is there in your Cairo holiday packages. At Chantilly, you can also order Mediterranean and Arabic cuisine.

Cairo holidays are incomplete without visiting the Heliopolis, an upscale neighborhood located in the northern side of the downtown. Heliopolis is 5000 years old metropolis. If you want to add incredible experience of sophisticated dining and world class night entertainment, you cannot afford to miss on visiting Heliopolis. This upscale area is also famous among shopaholics. You can shop your style at City Stars Mall. This is Africa’s largest indoor retail complex. On the six floors of the mall, you would come across two indoor theme parks, cinemas, sophisticated restaurants and large number of shopping outlets. Three five star hotels are located at just a walk away from the mall.

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Tuesday, 21 February 2012

Hotels You can Consider While Planning Holidays to Cairo

There are several hotels in Cairo. While looking for Cairo holiday deals, you would have lot of options in terms of accommodation.
Cairo the capital city of Egypt entices large number of people with its variety of historical attractions. While planning holidays to Cairo, you should not overlook the hotels you are booking. The city is home to some of the best boutique hotels in the country. Apart from boutique hotels, you can also choose from wide variety of budget hotels.

Talisman Hotel de Charme is one of the best hotels in the city. The hotel is strategically located in Central Cairo. This boutique hotel has 24 rooms. Every room has its own identity. No matter which room you are picking, authentic feel and captivating décor is guaranteed. Best part of staying in this majestic hotel is that several popular sites and monuments are just a walk away. You can reach Islamic Cairo, Egyptian Museum and bazaars in not more than 20 minutes. Therefore, it is gradually becoming rage among people planning Cairo holidays.

Internet service and breakfast are complementary. People who are fed up of chaos and mayhem of city life prefer to stay in this hotel as it is quieter than others. It is housed in an old building in a small street. Another worth staying hotel in Central Cairo is Windsor hotel. This mid-range hotel is among the oldest ones in and around the city. It was built in 1899 as Royal Baths. During Second World War it served as a British Officers Club. The bar is preserved in same condition with original décor. You can choose from 55 beautiful rooms.

For budget travelers there are unlimited options in terms of accommodation. One of the popular budget hotels in the city is Isis Hotel. The hotel is located nearby Midan Talaat Harb. To visit the hotel, you need to reach at 15th floor. It allows you to get rid of the heat and bustling atmosphere. Without Le Meridian Pyramids Hotel in Giza, list of hotels in Cairo is incomplete. This is the largest hotel in the area and Pyramids of Giza can be seen from its windows. The luxurious resort hotel always remains in the top priorities of people browsing through Cairo holiday deals.

Le Meridian Pyramids Hotel features themed restaurants, tennis courts, sauna, shopping arcade and swimming pools. If you are booking Cairo holidays packages especially to spend incredible time with your family, consider staying in this hotel. Excellent service, delicious gastronomy and view of Pyramids of Giza are few things that make this hotel one of the best in entire Cairo. In Central Cairo, you would come across several hotels.

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Thursday, 16 February 2012

Museums that should be a Part of Cairo Holiday Packages

Holidays in Cairo are incomplete without visiting its museums. Visit the city’s museums to peep into the rich history and explore spectacular arts.
Are you interested in exploring ancient history? If your answer is yes, you cannot miss on visiting Cairo. This is the city where you can explore some of the most important chapters of ancient history. So, plan cheap holidays to Cairo to spend time at the pyramids and peep into the intriguing the past of the region. The Egyptian city is also famous for its spectacular arts and religious richness. Visiting museums in the city is the best option to experience every bit of this charming city.

Cairo is home to several museums. One of the most important museums in the city is the Museum of Islamic Art and Islamic Ceramics. If you are an art lover, you should refrain from plan Cairo holiday packages that don’t have this museum in the list of attractions. While walking around the museum, you would come across extensive collection of spectacular antiquities. These antiquities allows you to take a look at the different periods that city/country has gone through.

Objects that have been exhibited in the museum are collected from various mosques in the country. Today, it has emerged as one of the most important Islamic museums in the world. Collection that you would find in this museum was housed in National Library. The objects are displayed in chronological order. The collection consists of tapestries, glassware, textiles, mosque lamps Iranian and Turkish carpets, pulpits and ceramics. Main attraction in the museum is the depiction of calligraphy which is being used all through the Muslim world.

Another museum that cannot be missed while enjoying Cairo holidays is the Coptic Museum. This beautiful museum is located in the old city. It is a just a walk away from St. George metro station. Morkos Smeika Pasha founded this museum in 1910. While walking around the museum, you would come across magnificent examples of tapestries, and textiles. The museum is situated between lush gardens and courtyards. Exhibitions in the museum focus on history of Christianity in Egypt. The museum is surrounded by six churches. The church of St Sergius and Hanging Church’ of the Virgin Mary are two of them.

If you are planning cheap Cairo holidays with your kids, you cannot afford to miss on visiting The Child Museum. Kids can learn a lot about culture, history and civilization of Egypt. The museum is divided into halls namely Discovery Hall, the Hall of Deserts, the River Nile Hall and Red Sea Hall. If your kids are interested in their own research, take them to the Information Hall where they can explore through variety of books and CD ROMs.

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Saturday, 4 February 2012

Explore Seventh Wonder of World in Cairo Holidays

Plan your holidays to Cairo and include Pyramids in your package. This is beautiful and one of the seven wonders of the world. Most of the Egyptian tourists visit this place with family and friends.
Are you looking for good Cairo holidays deals? You won't want to miss one of top attraction of Egypt, the last existing member of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Great Pyramid of Giza. In fact three main pyramids in Giza are available The Pyramid of Kafhre, the Great Pyramid of Khufu (or Cheops) and the smaller Pyramid of Menkaura. Each Pyramid is a mausoleum to a special King of Egypt.

In facade of the pyramids lies the Sphinx or Abu al-Hol in Arabic, "Father of Terror". Engraved out of a solitary block of stone, this huge quiet and stealthy sculpture has awestruck millions of travelers. Book your holidays to Cairo and visit this fascinating wonder of the world. Giza's three pyramids and the Sphinx were deliberation to have been built in the fourth empire of Egypt's Old Kingdom perhaps the first immense evolution on earth.

For most of us that interprets in to about 5000 years ago. Although there is still debate about how the pyramids at Giza were built, most are in conformity it wasn't by aliens. You can visit this place while enjoying holidays in Cairo. It is believed about 20,000 employees used and about 2 million blocks of stone, each weighing up 2.5 tons, just to construct the Pyramid of Khufu. For an in profundity account of how they were constructed and a practical tour within the Great Pyramid (Khufu) discover the Pyramids with Nova and PBS. Visiting this Pyramid from inside is not that tough and you can walk their or take a buggy, horse or camel ride.

Use few tips while booking camel rides such as don't take a photograph of the camel except you are ready to pay. If you are feeling harassed at this place ask local policeman to help you out.Enjoy the ride this ride in your Cairo holidays it is a one time in a life occurrence and worth a few bucks. Climbing up to the sides of the Pyramids is not allowed but some of the travelers try this and it is not worth trying just an action of ruining this wonderful wonder.

Tourists who are suffering from claustrophobia are not advised to enter the Pyramids. The climbs are really vertical and insignificant so your knees have to be in good form. Most of the popular Cairo holiday packages include these Pyramids. Only limited tickets are sold everyday to enter the Pyramids so you must book your entry early.

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Wednesday, 1 February 2012

Experience Egyptian Bazaars and Bargaining in Cairo Holidays

Cairo holidays are popular among the history and cultural lovers. But those who love shopping can also book their holidays to Cairo now. Visit well-known bazaars of this city located in different places.
Cairo is the capital of Egypt which is known for its popular historical attractions. This is also known as the cultural city of Egypt where you can see world-famous churches and mosques. The pleasures of Cairo holidays is to gone astray in the bazaars also known as the souqs and take in the places of interest, sounds and smells of life in all its pandemonium and grandeur.

You can shop for camels, carpets, shoes, veils and books or whatsoever else takes your visualization. Leave your valuables in your Cairo hotels and engross yourself in a world that has altered a bit in hundreds of years.

For souvenirs many travelers move to Khan Al-Khalili one of the oldest bazaars of world. If you like quibbling, this Bazaar is perfect place for you. To get far from the souvenir shops move towards the west and you will get a more reliable souq experience. The major goods sold are silver, gold, copper, spices, perfume and cloth. Another place that gets good crowds and reviews for shopping of souvenirs is the Khan Misr Touloun it is located in medieval Cairo, just in facade of the popular Mosque Ibn Touloun. While enjoying holidays in Cairo you may not be really considering buying a camel or ‘ship of the desert’ but wait a minute your journey is incomplete until you see these interesting beasts at the camel bazaar. This market is also known as the souq al-gamal.

This market takes place every Friday ahead of Sharia Sudan in the west side of the city these creatures have passed through a long way to reach this city. So while enjoying holidays to Cairo give them a tap on the head in order to appreciate their hard work. Visit this market early in the morning to get the majority out of this bazaar. Try traveling around in the Wekalet al-Balah, in market you can get good fabrics, including Egyptian cotton. The Tent makers' Bazaar is recognized for applique-work, Mohammed Ali Street is popular for the musical instruments, and Mahmoud Abd El Ghaffar bazaar located in the Khan Al-Khalili is famous for dance costumes especially for the belly-dancers.

After reading and knowing about the specific bazaars you must got an idea that Cairo is a kinds of a shopper’s paradise. Now just book your Cairo holiday packages and include these bazaars in it to experience the cultural and traditional markets of Egypt. Not only you can buy different things here but also you can see most of it gets made.

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Thursday, 26 January 2012

Peep into the Soul of Egypt with Cairo Holiday Deals

Plan holidays to Cairo and spend your vacation in one of the richest historical regions in the world. Pyramids of Giza, Sphinx and the Citadel are some of the “must visit” attractions in the city.
Cairo, the capital city of Egypt is the largest city not only the country but in the entire Africa. Every year millions of tourists plan cheap Cairo holidays especially to visit Pyramids of Giza. Besides the pyramids, there are several other attractions that make Cairo one of the most popular tourist regions in Africa.

There are several monuments in the capital city of Cairo. The Citadel is among the most important ones. Complete name of the site is Saladin Citadel of Cairo. This is the best place to capture picturesque view of the city. This site has witnessed several battles. While visiting the citadel, you would come across a mosque, a medieval palace and four museums. Most poplar museum in the citadel is Al-Gawhara Palace museum and other three are the National Military Museum, the Police museum and Carriage Museum. Since the citadel is home to some of the most important attractions in the city, it has become an integral part of Cairo Tours.

Another attraction in Cairo that creates urge in tourist to visit the city again and again is the Great Sphinx of Giza which is commonly known as Sphinx. Its length, breadth and height are 241 feet, 20 feet and 66.34 feet respectively. Another unique fact about this monument is that this is the oldest known monumental structure in the world. According to experts, this monument is more than 4000 years old.

Holidays to Cairo are incomplete without visiting the Cairo Tower. Colloquially, this contemporary structure is known as burg al-qahira. Its construction was started in 1956 and completed in 1961. This 187 meters high building was tallest building in Africa until 1971. At the top of the building, you would find a restaurant where you can dine while enjoying beautiful view of the city. The tower has unique attraction for kids which is known a Pharaonic Personal Analysis. The personality analysis is available in Arabic as well as English.

If you are visiting the Old City of Cairo, you should not compromise on visiting Bab Al Futuh. This is an impressive gate in the walls of the old city which was built in 1087. This extensive arch is carved from single block of massive stone. If you want to know about the Christianity in Egypt, adding St. Mercurius Church to Cairo holiday packages is a must. This historic church was built in sixth century AD. It is also known as the Saint of the two swords.

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