Cairo, Egypt Hotels and City Guide

Cairo is the capital of Egypt and, with a total population in excess of 16 million people, one of the largest cities in both Africa and the Middle East (which regions it conveniently straddles) - it is also the 13th largest city in the world. Situated on the River Nile, Cairo is famous for its own history - preserved in the fabulous medieval Islamic city and in Old Cairo - and for the ancient, Pharaonic history of the country it represents. No trip to Cairo would be complete, for example, without a visit to the Giza Pyramids, to nearby Saqqara, or to the Egyptian Museum in the center of town. Though firmly attached to the past (Cairo is the only city in the world to host antiquities of four civilizations: Pharaonic, Romanian, Christian and Islamic), it is also home to a vibrant modern society.

Originally, Cairo was the designated name of the city on the eastern bank of the Nile, and this is where you'll find both the modern Downtown, built under influence of French architecture, today the center of commerce and popular life, as well as historical Islamic and Coptic sights. Outside the core on the eastern bank, you'll find the modern, more affluent suburbs of Heliopolis and Nasr City near the airport, and Ma'adi to the south. In the middle of the Nile is the island of Gezira and Zamalek, more Western and tranquil than the rest of the city. On the western bank is lots of modern concrete and business, but also the great Giza pyramids and, further to the south, Memphis and Saqqara.

Cairo City Facts
Cairo Population: 11,146,000 (Source: UN Population Estimate Revision 2003)
Egypt Population: 74,878,000 (Source: UN Population Estimate Revision 2003)
Currency: Egyptian Pound (EGP)
Time Zone: GMT +2, Eastern Standard Time +7, Pacific Standard Time +10
Language: Arabic
Electricity: Electrical current is 220 volts, 50Hz. European-style two-pin plugs are standard.
Telephone country code: 20.

Hotels in Cairo, Egypt