Cairo Tips

Connectivity:

• In case you need mobile service, Airalo offers e-Sims with fixed data plans

Cairo has a very different bacterial flora compared to the US or Poland. To avoid getting an upset stomach (with these tips, we have been fine in our recent trips):

• • • Always drink bottled water. Do not drink tap water and avoid ice beverages unless the establishment uses filtered water (most hotels do). Brush teeth with bottled water as well

    • Make sure you wash your hands often and try to avoid touching your face when out. We would recommend having a hand sanitizer.

    • Avoid washed fresh vegetables/fruits unless it's from an establishment that uses filtered water

    • Some recommend the pro-biotic S.Boulardii prior to travel

Exploring Cairo/Egypt:

• In general, Egypt is a predominantly Muslim country, so best to be mindful and respectful of culture / customs

• There are many sites worth visiting in Cairo and outside of Cairo, if you plan on staying longer. We have listed some of the attractions below. To make your visit more comfortable to these sites, we recommend booking a personal tour guide who will not only share with you the history of Egypt, but also deal with any hassle with regards to tickets, transportation and lines. They can also guide you to great food spots and stores

• If you go to tourist markets for souvenirs, expect to haggle, generally prices can be reduced by about half, but also you can just pay a bit more and be happy as well haha. If that's not your vibe, more and more souvenir places in Cairo have fixed prices (see below)

• If you are approached and offered anything you're not interested in - just say "No" or "Laat shukran" (no thanks in Arabic)

• Unfortunately, being cat-called or having awkward stares can occur, especially in less touristy areas

Heat/Weather:

• The weather in May gets hot during the day with temperatures around 31C-34C (87F-93F). At night it gets chillier - 18C-19C (64F-66F). Wear light, breathable clothes. Bring a hat and don't forget sunscreen! At night, a shawl or light over-shirt would be wise

Mosques: 

• There are many beautiful mosques in Cairo we recommend visiting; when visiting mosques, shoulders/hair/up to knees should be covered for women

There is a lot of fun shopping in Cairo, here are some of our favorites (Google maps link)

• Cairopolitan: modern / artsy souvenir shop downtown, all designed by local artists, fixed prices

• Fair Trade: more traditional souvenir shop but focused on crafts and all made within Egypt, few locations, fixed price

• A thousand and one nights bazaar: good place to buy real papyrus art of all sizes, still have to haggle a bit though, they can draw on them for you at the store too

• Azza Fahmy: contemporary jewelry designed by the first woman to train in Egypt's jewellery quarter, expensive but beautiful designs mixing both silver and gold, few locations, fixed price

• Fathy Ibrahim: jewelry store specializing in silver jewelry, reasonable and fixed prices, downtown

• Sale Sucre: very nice sweets shop with a few locations around Cairo, great for bringing back sweets as gifts

• Abo Auf: sweets shop they have at the airport as well that have nice sweet boxes for gifts

We have some good food in store for our wedding events but here are some other places to try (Google maps link):

• Koshary El-Tahrir (Pawel's favorite food): they have a few different locations, but they serve a nice version of a classic street food. Koshary Abou Tarek is nice as well and very popular

• Zooba: modern-ish street food in Zamalek, nice shopping/residential district, close to the Sofitel, great for trying all the different street-food sandwiches, dips, etc., few locations

• Kebabgy: nice restaurant in the Sofitel known for grilled meats

• Roof Cafe at Khan el-Khalili: a bit hidden lunch place on a roof within Khan el-Khalili, have to walk up stairs to enter

• 30 North: fancy coffee shop in Zamalek and many other locations

• Bahary Fish Restaurant: traditional Egyptian seafood restaurant, you pick your own fish and order at the counter

• A lot of typical Egyptian food will be found at the hotel breakfast (which some people may have already tried in Fort Lee, aka the Abdelrahman residence): ful (slow cooked fava beans), falafel, bid w basterma (eggs with beef 'pastrami'), baladi bread (similar to pita bread but even better)

• Street food: koshary, falafel sandwiches, shawarma sandwiches, kofta sandwiches, kibdeh sandwich (Alexandrian beef liver), hawawshi (ground beef patty sandwich, a flatter burger if you will), sugot (delish beef sausage, usually in sandwiches), feteer (egyptian 'pizza' with fillings such a basterma, sugot, cheese, veggies)

• Dinner food: macarona bechamel (baked pasta with ground beef and bechamel), mahshi (stuffed peppers and eggplant with rice), hamam (stuffed pigeon with rice or freekeh), molokhia (green leaf soup), fatteh (layers of rice, flatbreads, meat and tomato sauce)

• Desserts: om ali (baked bread pudding), kunafeh (shredded phyllo dough pastry), basbousa (semolina cake), mille feuille at the Baron Hotel

• The weekend in Egypt is Friday and Saturday

• Ola's Mom and Dad had their first date at the Baron Hotel (ask them about the story)

• Falafel is made with fava beans, unlike chickpeas in most other countries

• Jerry's favorite food order is Shish Taouk (grilled chicken)

• Magda was born in Cairo