Islamic & Coptic Cairo Full-Day Tour

Saladin Citadel and the Mosque of Muhammad Ali

The citadel towers over the Mokattam Hills and is one of Cairo’s symbols. Salah ad-Din (Saladin) built it in the 12th century to defend the city. At its heart stands the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, also called the Alabaster Mosque because of its white alabaster cladding. What’s more, the courtyard offers an exceptional view over all of Cairo, and in clear weather you can even see the pyramids.

Lunch

Next, there is a lunch break at a local restaurant, included in the price.

Coptic Cairo: the Hanging Church and Surroundings

Coptic Cairo is one of the oldest inhabited parts of the city and home to several of Egypt’s oldest Christian churches. The Hanging Church (Al-Muallaqa, dedicated to the Virgin Mary) was built in the 4th–5th century on the ruins of the Roman fortress of Babylon. That is why it is considered one of the most important Coptic churches in the world. Above all, its wooden carvings and medieval icons are well worth seeing.

Al-Muizz Street and Khan el-Khalili Bazaar

At the end of the day, you reach the bustling heart of the old Islamic city. Al-Muizz Street is considered the best-preserved medieval Islamic street in the world. It is lined with mosques, minarets, caravanserais and historic buildings dating back to the 10th century. At its end lies Khan el-Khalili, a maze of hundreds of shops trading since the 14th century. Here you can buy spices, copperware, papyrus, perfumes and plenty of souvenirs. This is what the Islamic and Coptic Cairo tour looks like with a private English-speaking Egyptologist guide. See more Cairo tours.