Festival

Flora Egypt Fair

Flora Eypt Fair is an annual international exhibition of fresh cut flowers and ornamaental plants. The fair provides a meeting ground for those interested in all aspects of horticulture, from marketing to future trends. It is a gateway for exhibitors to introduce their products in the European and Middle East market. Some additional activities during the Fair include seminars, field visits to some model farms, 'Best booth presentation' competition, and flower arrangement courses by Dutch experts. This fair is organized by the Egyptian Flower Council under the patronage of various Ministries.

City guide

Overview & visitor information

11 - 14 January (annual)

Cairo Fair Grounds

10 am - 6 pm

Website: www.floraegyptfair.com

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Cairo Book Fair

Activity

Book lovers are in for a treat at the Cairo Book Fair. Considered the largest event of its kind in the Middle East, this fair is held at the Nasr City International Fair Grounds, usually in late January. Millions of books covering every conceivable topic are featured and many are sold at substantial discounts. Though most books are in Arabic, there are also pavilions featuring English, French and Italian titles, as well as computer software. The fair is also considered a platform for prominent Arab writers and thinkers who give lectures and hold discussions.

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Ashura

Activity

Taking place on the 10th day of Muharram in the Islamic calendar at El-Hussein Mosque, Ashura celebrates the martyrdom of Hussein, the grandson of Prophet Mohammed who was killed in 680AD during the battle of Karbala.

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Festival at Abu Simbel

Activity

Twice a year, on February 22 and October 22, thousands gather to watch as the sun passes over the face of the Ramsis II statue at the Pharaonic temples of Abu Simbel.

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Al Nitaq Festival

Activity

Held every year at venues throughout Cairo, Al Nitaq is a popular cultural festival that celebrates a huge variety of artistic disciplines, from poetry to music and art.

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Prophet's Birthday

Activity

The celebration of the birthday of the Prophet, Mawlid un-Nabi is one of the most spectacular festivals to experience in Cairo. Homes, stores, and mosques are floridly and intricately decorated, stories of the Prophet are frequently narrated, and food is in abundance.

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Moulid of Sayeda Zeinab

Activity

This is one of the several religious festivals in the city. It is celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm. The celebrations include great street parties involving colorful street performances, markets, music, dancing, fireworks and processions.

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Coptic Easter

Activity

Coptic Easter is a fast-breaking celebration, and the most important Coptic event of the year. The exact date of Coptic Easter varies according to the Coptic solar calendar, but always falls sometime between late March and the end of April. Mass is held on the eve to mark the end of Lent - 40 days of fasting, during which Copts follow a vegan diet. Coptics spend their Easter going to church, visiting relatives and having a picnic. One of the most popular places for picnics is Urman Gardens.

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Moulid of El- Hussein

Activity

This is one of the most popular and colourful festivals of the year, gathering pace over a week and culminating in a leyla kebira (big night) on the last Wednesday of the Islamic month of Rabi el-Tani (between May and June). Pilgrims from all over the country come to El-Hussein Mosque to honour the Prophet's grandson, who was killed in Iraq in AD 680. Tents are erected around the mosque for poets, entertainers and zikr (religious dances). Sufis attending the festivities parade through the streets, each sect with its own banners and musical instruments.

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Wafaa al-Nil

Activity

The Wafaa Al Nil festival (which means “Fidelity of the Nile") celebrates Egypt's iconic symbol, the Nile River, since ancient times. In Pharaonic times, beautiful girls were sacrificed by being thrown into the Nile River as a way to guarantee a good harvest. Nowadays such activities are no longer pursued, but people of Egypt continue to honor this river through painting competitions for children, poetry readings, concerts, and discussions about pollution.

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Cairo International Film Festival

Activity

Held for three decades, the Cairo International Film Festival is about celebrating all that is the best in cinema, worldwide. It is a forum for exchange of ideas between nations, for promoting films in the Arab world, the Middle East and all over the world, for creating artistic links between nations and for recognizing and honoring talent in diverse fields related to films and film making.

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What to do in Cairo with Children in Tow

Activity

Some of the major tourist sites tend not to be child-friendly because of its large crowds. Yet, do not be turned off if the Pyramids of Giza is not the best place for a child, because with a little digging we have found some alternative options that include parks and playgrounds. Also, some hotels have begun catering to families by offering facilities specifically geared at children.

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Child-Friendly Hotels

Family-friendly

This hotel offers a petting zoo with a staff trained to make sure that the children have fun in a safe and friendly environment. Children can play with monkeys, a deer, a camel, a pony, flamingoes, and ducks. There is also a “Children's Garden" that has toys, swings, a trampoline, and a junior pool.

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Le Meridien Pyramids

Family-friendly

The Le Meridien Pyramids's children's area offers pint-sized chairs and tables along with a children's paddling pool, a special children's menu, and coloring books and crayons. These facilities are available for both hotel guests and non-guests.

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Cataract Pyramids Resort

Resort

The Cataract Pyramids Resort's has both an indoor and outdoor children's area. The indoor children's area includes a children's club with rocking horses, toys, and paddling pool (good for children under four years of age). The outdoor children's area includes a playground with swings, slides, a trampoline, fiberglass funhouses, and a pool for children older than four-years-old.

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Funfairs, Parks, and Playgrounds

Activity

Cairo Land 1, Salah Salem St

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Tahrir Square (Liberation Square)

road

Midan Tahrir is the center of modern Cairo. It's a place where several popular landmarks (the Egyptian Museum, the American University in Cairo, the Arab League and the Hilton and Intercontinental Hotels) are located and where congested traffic and un-pedestrian-friendly drivers may alarm the timid tourist. Yet, the hustle and bustle of the square is still interesting and soulful enough because of its authentic mix of ancient culture and local flavor. Hint: to avoid Midan Tahrir's traffic it is best to use the reliable and efficient Sadat Metro station.

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Antiquities Museum

Museum

The Egyptian Museum holds one of the top attractions in Cairo, the Tutankhamun Galleries. The Tutankhamun Galleries is where the treasures of the boy-pharaoh Tutankhamun are held. King Tut (as he is referred to in popular culture) had no great historical significance prior to 1922, when the British Egyptologist Howard Carter found his tomb almost entirely intact in the Valley of the Kings (on the West Bank on Luxor in Egypt). In fact, even today, not much is known of this young pharaoh, who when in power at age nine was directed by others to rule the kingdom. Yet, his fame today outshines his little known past because of the mystery he provokes and because of what little damage Tut's tomb and his treasures have undergone (which has provided massive historical insight into Pharaonic burials).

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Islamic Cairo

city

If you want to take a trip to the ancient past, then simply stroll down Islamic Cairo and you will soon find yourself surrounded by remnant buildings of medieval Cairo. Tourists are mainly attracted to this area because it is rich in historically Islamic monuments such as ancient mosques, 1,500-year-old markets, and medieval forts.

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Bab Zuwayla

Sight

The Bab Zuwayla is a gate that was built in 1087 by three Armenian monks to protect the then Fatimid city from invasion. The name Fatimid is given to the ancient Shia Dynasty which ruled North Africa from about 900-1200.

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Bayt el-Suhaymi

House

Though this site rarely makes it to the top places to visit list, it is well worth seeing this Ottoman-era house if you want to be taken off the beaten path. The Bayt el-Suhaymi enables visitors to glimpse into the lives of wealthy merchants from the 16th and 17th centuries.

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Aqua

This upscale surf and turf restaurant offers a fusion cuisine that includes dishes ranging anywhere from pan-seared salmon pagoda to the traditional lobster thermidor to steak and to the finger-licking Buffalo wings. Vegetarian dishes are also served.

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Moghul Room

Famed as the best Indian restaurant in Cairo, the Moghul Room offers quality food with a serene dining atmosphere that is backed with soft, live Indian music. The food offered is North Indian cuisine that emphasizes tandoori and vegetarian dishes. The Moghul Room is located in the Mena House Oberoi Hotel located across from the pyramids.

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Abu el-Sid

The Abu el-Sid is Cairo's best Egyptian restaurant and bar. The food is traditional and appetizing and brings in a mixed crowd of locals, tourists, and travelers on business. The decor is stylish mix of hanging lamps, large cushions, and brass tables. If you want to taste local food, this is the one place that will have you coming back for more.

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Revolving Restaurant

The Grand Hyatt hotel's Revolving Restaurant is the tallest restaurant in Cairo and the only dining venue which offers a rotating 360 degree of the city (it makes a full circle every 75 minutes) that includes catching sights of the pyramids and Nile River. Besides its superb decor, the restaurant also offers delicious French dishes.

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Da Mario

If you want to escape Egyptian cuisine for a moment, then head over to Da Mario (located in the Hilton) and try its fabulously authentic Italian cuisine. Dishes are delicious and served in a generous quantity. The service is also very efficient. Located near the Egyptian,Museum, Da Mario is also a good choice you are feeling hungry after seeing some Islamic art.

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Khan El-Khalili Restaurant & Naguib Mahfouz Coffee Shop

The Khan El-Khali Restaurant & Naguib Mahfouz Coffee Shop offers its diners something most restaurants lack; personality. This restaurant has a distinct and charming local attitude that is matched with sumptuous Egyptian food. The coffee shop, which is named after Egypt's Nobel prize-winning novelist, is great for a quick snack if you want to take a mini-break from shopping at the bazaar. The clientele at this inexpensive hot spot includes local artists and intellectuals.

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Andrea

Andrea restaurant is a family-oriented restaurant that specializes in grilled Egyptian dishes. There is a lovely garden from where to dine and a bar that offers some local beer and wine. Though this restaurant is near the pyramids, be careful when driving to this restaurant as it is a bit secluded and some other restaurants carry its name. Reservations are a must.

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L'Aubergine

The L' Aubergine restaurant is Cairo's self-proclaimed only vegetarian restaurant in the city (though it does offer some meat dishes). Its stylish decor and friendly staff make this restaurant a treat to visit. The subdued jazz-style bar is also very inviting.