Halal Cairo

The Cairo Metro (three lines, with a new monorail and LRT expanding the network) is fast and beats the city's heavy traffic; buses and microbuses fill the gaps but are harder for visitors to navigate.

Uber and Careem are the simplest and most transparent option; with street taxis, agree the fare first as meters are often not used.

Egyptian Pound · EGP

Cards are accepted in hotels, malls and larger restaurants, but cash is essential for taxis, markets and small cafés; carry small notes.

Tipping (baksheesh) is customary — small tips for service, porters and drivers are expected.

Vodafone, Orange, Etisalat and WE tourist SIMs at CAI arrivals (passport required)

Plug: Type C / F (European 2-pin) · 220V / 50Hz

General: 122

Fire: 180

Al-Azhar Mosque: The 10th-century mosque and seat of Al-Azhar, one of the most important centres of Sunni learning in the world.

Mosque of Muhammad Ali (Alabaster Mosque): The landmark Ottoman-style mosque crowning the Citadel, with sweeping views over the city.

Mosques citywide: Cairo has thousands of mosques — one is never far, and hotels, malls and the airport all have prayer rooms (musalla).