Guide to Cairo

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WHEN TO GO

Winter is the peak season in Cairo and also the most comfortable time to visit. Summer can bring unbearable heat.

GETTING THERE

United Airlines flies from major U.S. cities to Cairo with connections in Frankfurt. Delta flights connect in Paris. Due to the region’s uncertain political situation, travelers should visit www.state.gov for advisories when planning a trip to Cairo.

WHERE TO STAY

Four Seasons Hotel at Nile Plaza
Offers breathtaking views of the Nile and the sprawling city. Ideal central location for business travelers.
1089 Corniche El Nil, Garden City; 800/332-3442 or 20-2/791-7000; www.fourseasons.com; doubles from $270.

Mena House Oberoi
Luxury property with views of the Great Pyramids.
Pyramids Rd., Giza; 20-2/ 377-3222; www.oberoimenahouse.com; doubles from $190.

Talisman Hotel de Charme
Boutique hotel downtown with 24 individually decorated rooms.
39 Talaat Harb St.; 20-2/ 393-9431; doubles from $102.

WHERE TO EAT

Felfela
15 Hoda Sharawi St.; 20-2/ 392-2833; dinner for two $25.

La Bodega
157 26th of July St., Zamalek; 20-2/735-0543; dinner for two $36.

WHAT TO DO

Medieval Cairo
Located east of downtown, this old quarter of narrow alleys and soaring minarets (which dates to the Fatimid period) is the city’s traditional center of culture and commerce. Don’t miss the thousand-year-old Al-Azhar Mosque or the 14th-century Khan el-Khalili market, a humming labyrinth where vendors sell perfume, carpets, precious stones, and just about anything else out of 1,001 Nights.

Cairo Opera House
El Borg, Gezira; 20-2/739-8144; www.cairooperahouse.org.

Diwan Bookshop
Best in Cairo for English books.
158 26th of July St., Zamalek; 20-2/736-2578.

ART IN CAIRO

Cairo Atelier
2 Karim el-Dawla St.; 20-2/574-6730.

Karim Francis
1 El Sherifein St.; 20-2/391-6357; www.karimfrancis.com.

Mashrabia Gallery
8 Champollion St.; 20-2/578-4494; www.mashrabiagallery.com.

Museum of Egyptian Modern Art
An often-overlooked gem in Cairo, with an impressive collection that reflects modern Egyptian culture. El Borg, Gezira; 20-2/736-6665.

Townhouse Gallery
10 Nabrawy St.; 20-2/576-8086; www.thetownhousegallery.com.

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