Transport yourself through time and space to a completely different dimension and lose yourself in the narrow, winding streets of Islamic Cairo.

Admittedly, the whole city is predominantly Muslim; however, the term ‘Islamic Cairo’ is used primarily to refer to the historic part of Cairo, which existed long before the city’s monumental expansion during the 19th century.

Book the cheapest apartments in Cairo

Islamic Cairo welcomes you with dozens of mosques and minarets, bustling markets, a veritable jumble of activity, yet also quiet nooks and the mysterious atmosphere of an exotic world.

The district of bazaars and mosques

The history of Islamic Cairo stretches back to ancient times. The oldest monuments still standing today date back roughly to the 9th and 10th centuries. And in some parts of the Islamic Quarter, you really will feel as though you’ve stepped back in time.

You can look forward to beautiful mosques and other monuments. Among the most significant are:

• Al-Azhar Mosque
• Saladin’s Citadel
• Hussein Mosque
• The Blue Mosque

Virtually the entire main thoroughfare stretching from north to south is one huge souq, which is simply another word for a bazaar or, quite simply, a market.

Whilst to the north of the Al-Azhar Mosque, Islamic Cairo is more touristy, with numerous clothes and souvenir shops, to the south of the main mosque, the Islamic Quarter is much more authentic.

The main souq begins at a monumental wooden gate (known as the Ghuriya) about 100 metres south of the Al-Azhar Mosque and continues for approximately 2 km southwards towards Saladin’s Citadel.

In this part, you’ll take in a mixture of thousands of scents, stinks and unfamiliar odours, and listen to hundreds of different sounds, from the constant honking of mopeds to the squawking of live chickens. You’ll be weaving your way through crowds of local shoppers, occasionally tripping over stray cats or dogs, and you’ll see stalls with raw meat hanging openly, live chickens or pigeons, and the ubiquitous bakeries and fishmongers.

Take a stroll through Islamic Cairo, criss-crossing its streets, and soak up the sensations of its exotic past and vibrant present.

Accommodation in the Islamic Quarter

If you’d like to experience a truly authentic atmosphere in every sense and are hoping to stay in Islamic Cairo, you’ll unfortunately have to give up on that idea. You’ll find practically no hotels in the whole quarter, and private accommodation isn’t particularly common here either.

One of the very few accommodation options is a stylish Le Riad Hotel de Charme *** on the northern edge of the quarter.

How to get to Islamic Cairo

The neighbourhood lies to the east of the city centre, and the easiest way to get there is on foot (about 35–40 minutes from Tahrir Square) or by Uber ( 80 egp).

Buses run along the main road past the Al-Azhar Mosque, but for tourists, the system and route network are so confusing that they are practically unusable.

The best way to start your walk is at the historic Bab al-Futuh Gate in the north (google.com/maps) and walk through the entire neighbourhood to Saladin’s Citadel in the south (google.com/maps).

What to see around

Discover all the places to see in Cairo.