Nonetheless, when it does finally open, it will be a world-class landmark – the sort of foundations upon which you could definitely construct a long weekend in Cairo (and Giza). The question is whether Wizz Air and easyJet passengers will take up the offer.
They should. Viewed as a lone destination, Cairo can be daunting; a mega-city in whose maze one might become lost. It is certainly big; the biggest city in Africa by population, the 12th biggest city on the planet by the same metric, its wider metropolitan area home to 22 million souls. It seethes and it sprawls, every corner a crowd scene; its roads a river of traffic that, at times, can seem as uncrossable on foot as the Nile which flows nearby.
Nonetheless, Cairo is rather more accessible than many believe. It has what was the first major metro system in Africa – a fast-moving modern rail network, inaugurated in 1987, which now extends to three lines, 74 stations, and a daily ridership of 3.6 million people.
If this sounds a step too intrepid, a taxi is rarely more than a raised hand away, ready to take you to the main sights. Of which there are many. The Pyramids and the Sphinx need no introduction; the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM), once finished, will be within a two-mile cab ride. The fabled Egyptian Museum (egyptianmuseumcairo.eg) will lose its place as the country’s premier historical institution as soon as the GEM is up and running, but, for now, it is still in play on Tahrir Square – even if it has lost its greatest celebrities to a relative newcomer. In April 2019, to considerable fanfare (the event was broadcast live on Egyptian television), the mummies of 22 ancient pharaohs were transferred four miles across the centre – to the freshly minted National Museum of Civilisation (nmec.gov.eg).
With so much top-tier heritage, it is inevitable that Egypt’s ancient era defines its capital.
But other centuries are available, and worth exploring. “Old Cairo” sings sweetly of the first millennium AD – from deep-dug Roman fortifications to the “Christian period” which came after. Within it, the churches of “Coptic Cairo” linger in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth centuries. Deemed the city’s oldest, Saint Virgin Mary’s Coptic Orthodox Church – better known as The Hanging Church – is particularly evocative, its twin white-painted towers still pushing symmetrically into the sky, its interior decorated with icons.
Some three miles to the north-east, Cairo Citadel ushers in the Islamic and Ottoman eras; a medieval labyrinth which stood as Egypt’s seat of power for 700 years. The Alabaster Mosque, built by the Ottoman governor Muhammad Ali Pasha between 1830 and 1848, is a kindred spirit of the multi-minareted jewels of Istanbul. Adjacent, the Al-Gawhara Palace was the same ruler’s official residence – a marvel of gilded salons and chandeliers.
So, could Cairo soon take its place as a rival to Lisbon or Istanbul in the UK-traveller city-break stakes? Only time will tell – but if ease of access, history, culture and affordability are the hallmarks of a successful candidate, Egypt’s capital certainly auditions well.
How to do it
A five-night stay at the Waldorf Astoria Cairo, flying from Luton on November 23, starts at £1,084 per person, including checked bags and transfers, via easyJet Holidays (0330 551 5165; easyjet.com/holidays) (Wizz Air does not sell packages).
Alternatively, if you would prefer something more structured, Steppes Travel (01285 402 163; steppestravel.com) and Kirker Holidays (020 7593 2288; kirkerholidays.com) both sell Cairo breaks where a guide can be added.
Have you visited Cairo? Would you consider a DIY budget break to this city? Let us know below