Old Cairo: Full-Day Islamic and Coptic Cairo Private Tour

What's included

What you'll see and do

1. Citadel of Saladin

   The Citadel of Cairo or Citadel of Saladin is a medieval Islamic-era fortification in Cairo, Egypt, built by Salah ad-Din (Saladin) and further developed by subsequent Egyptian rulers. It was the seat of government in Egypt and the residence of its rulers for nearly 700 years from the 13th to the 19th centuries. Its location on a promontory of the Mokattam hills near the center of Cairo commands a strategic position overlooking the city and dominating its skyline. At the time of its construction, it was among the most impressive and ambitious military fortification projects of its time.[1] It is now a preserved historic site, including mosques and museums.

   60 minutes here · Admission not included

2. The Hanging Church

   The Hanging Church is named for its location above a gatehouse of Babylon Fortress, the Roman fortress in Coptic Cairo (Old Cairo); its nave is suspended over a passage. The church is approached by twenty-nine steps; early travelers to Cairo dubbed it "the Staircase Church".[1] The land surface has risen by some six metres since the Roman period[why?] so the Roman tower is mostly buried below ground, reducing the visual impact of the church's elevated position. The entrance from the street is through iron gates under a pointed stone arch. The nineteenth-century facade with twin bell towers is then seen beyond a narrow courtyard decorated with modern art biblical designs. Up the steps and through the entrance is a further small courtyard leading to the eleventh-century outer porch

   30 minutes here · Admission not included

3. Mosque and Madrasa of Sultan Hassan

   The Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan is a monumental mosque and madrassa located in the historic district of Cairo, Egypt. It was built between 1356 and 1363 during the Bahri Mamluk period, commissioned by Sultan an-Nasir Hasan. The mosque was considered remarkable for its massive size and innovative architectural components, and is still considered one of the most impressive historic monuments in Cairo today

   60 minutes here · Admission not included

4. Coptic Cairo

   Coptic Cairo is a part of Old Cairo which encompasses the Babylon Fortress, the Coptic Museum, the Hanging Church, the Greek Church of St. George and many other Coptic churches and historical sites. It is believed in Christian tradition that the Holy Family visited this area and stayed at the site of Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church (Abu Serga).[1] Coptic Cairo was a stronghold for Christianity in Egypt until the Islamic era, though most of the current buildings of the churches in Coptic Cairo were built after the Muslim conquest of Egypt in the 7th century

   60 minutes here · Admission not included

5. Synagogue Ben Ezra

   The Ben Ezra Synagogue (Hebrew: בית כנסת בן עזרא‎, Arabic: معبد بن عزرا‎), sometimes referred to as the El-Geniza Synagogue (Hebrew: בית כנסת אל גניזה‎) or the Synagogue of the Levantines (al-Shamiyin),[1] is situated in Old Cairo, Egypt. According to local folklore, it is located on the site where baby Moses was found.[2] This was the synagogue whose geniza or store room was found in the 19th century to contain a treasure of abandoned Hebrew, Aramaic and Judeo-Arabic secular and sacred manuscripts. The collection, known as the Cairo Geniza, was brought to the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England at the instigation of Solomon Schechter. It is now divided between several academic libraries, with the majority being kept at the Cambridge University Library.

   30 minutes here · Admission not included

6. Al Rifai Mosque

   Al-Rifa'i Mosque (Arabic: مسجد الرفاعي‎, transliterated also as Al-Rifai, Al-Refai, Al-Refa'i, and named in English the Royal Mosque) is located in Midan al-Qal'a, adjacent to the Cairo Citadel. It is the Khedival Mausoleum of the Royal Family of Muhammad Ali Pasha. The building is located opposite the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan,[1] which dates from around 1361, and was architecturally conceived as a complement to the older structure. This was part of a vast campaign by the 19th century rulers of Egypt to both associate themselves with the perceived glory of earlier periods in Egypt's Islamic history and modernize the city. The mosque was constructed next to two large public squares and off of several European style boulevards constructed around the same time

   60 minutes here · Admission not included

7. Mosque of Muhammad Ali

   The Citadel is sometimes referred to as the "Citadel of Muhammad Ali" (Arabic: قلعة محمد علي‎ Qalaʿat Muḥammad ʿAlī). It contains the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, which he built between 1828 and 1848, perched on the summit of the citadel. This Ottoman-style mosque was built in memory of Tusun Pasha, Muhammad Ali's second son who died in 1816. However, it also represents Muhammad Ali's efforts to erase symbols of the Mamluk legacy that he sought to replace. Many of the former Mamluk structures, including the Great Iwan and the Ablaq Palace of al-Nasir Muhammad, were demolished in 1825 to make way for his new mosque and its renovated surroundings.[7]:246 Muhammad Ali himself was eventually buried in the mosque.[5] His mosque also replaced the nearby Mosque of al-Nasir Muhammad as the Citadel's official main mosque. Muhammad Ali's mosque, with its large dome and tall pencil-like Ottoman minarets, is one of the most prominent monuments on Cairo's skyline to this day.

   60 minutes here · Admission not included

Where it starts and ends

Before you book

Cancellation

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Languages

de, en, it, fr, es

Ticket

Mobile Only

Runs on

Every day

Group size

Up to 15 travelers per booking

Operated by

Wow Travel Egypt

Know before you go

• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Photos

Traveler reviews

2 verified traveler reviews for Old Cairo: Full-Day Islamic and Coptic Cairo Private Tour. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.