- The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
We’ll begin our day tour with a visit to the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Old Cairo. The museum features hundreds of pieces organized chronologically to tell the history of Egypt across different eras. Besides, there is a uniquely designed gallery in which 20 royal mummies are displayed, which assimilates the Valley of the Kings, where the New Kingdom royal tombs were found.
After finishing our tour in the NMEC, we’ll visit the nearby Coptic attractions and the Sultan Hassan Mosque and Al-Rifa’i Mosque before transferring to Muizz Street. We'll dedicate about 30 minutes to each site.
- The Hanging Church (Saint Virgin Mary’s Church)
It is the most famous Coptic church in Cairo, and it is also one of the oldest churches in Egypt. Its name refers to its location above the southern gate of the Roman fortress.
- The Church of St. Sergius and Bacchus
Locals called it “Abu Serga church”, and it is also a very famous Coptic church because it dates back to the 4th century, and it is believed to be built where the holy family rested during their journey into Egypt.
Our next tour will be at the Ben Ezra Synagogue, the most significant Jewish attraction in Egypt due to its status as the oldest synagogue in the country, dating back to the 9th century. Besides the discovery of a huge genizah there in the 19th century.
- Sultan Hassan Mosque and Al-Rifa’i Mosque
Then we’ll head to the two twin mosques of Sultan Hassan and Al-Rifa’i. At first glance, you may think that the two mosques were built at the same time. Still, the mosque of Sultan Hassan is about 500 years older than the mosque of Elrefa’i, because it was constructed during the Mamluk period, while the Refa’i mosque was built in the reign of Khedive Ismail following the same architectural style as the Sultan Hassan mosque.
Our next destination won’t be another mosque, but instead a great open-air museum of monumental Islamic mosques, schools, houses, and hospitals, it is Muizz Street, which is a long historical street packed with Islamic monuments ranging from the Fatimid period to the 19th century. You will be impressed by the monuments’ state of preservation, which evokes the magnificence of Islamic architecture and makes you feel like you are stepping into the medieval age.
We’ll end our trip at one of the iconic bazaars of Egypt, “Khan El-Khalili”. Here you can touch the local vibes, speak with locals, taste the delicious Egyptian food, and buy gifts.
