It’s easy to forget just how much Cairo has to offer, but the city remains a Mecca of art and culture. Plunge into all the city has to offer with our walking tour.

Slip on your most comfortable (ideally very ragged) set of trainers, your oldest pair of jeans and head down to your chosen district for the culture and refinement that only Cairo can offer. The easiest way to see everything is to divide it into a district for a day. Most bookstores have specific maps for both the Zamalek and Downtown areas, which makes it infinitely more fun — and easy — to get around.

Important Note: Most galleries are closed on Sundays, as are most stores in Zamalek. Make certain to call ahead before you make plans.

Giza is not known as a cultural hotspot, but it does feature two don’t-miss cultural landmarks. The Mr. and Mrs. Mohammed Mahmoud Khalil Museum next to Maglis El-Dawla (Tel: +2 (02) 338-9860) is home to an impressive collection of impressionist art, including two incredible paintings by Van Gogh and Gaugin. The museum also has a plethora of antiques, from miniature paintings and towering vases to the huge stained-glass window leading up to the second floor.

A little bit farther down the road is the Giza Zoo (Mourad St. Tel: +2 (02) 570-8895). Although not exactly in its heyday, the zoo is huge and a historical landmark — it’s been around since 1891. Aside from the animals, the mosaic-tiled architecture is stunning. The zoo is always a perfect way to entertain the kids and also observe a museum of African animals.

Take it from the experts: The Fagnoon Art School is really cool.

One of the most culturally wealthy districts in the capital, Zamalek is a haven for tiny, tucked-away art galleries and boutiques selling silver jewelry and other pretty little things. It is also home to countless historic and architecturally beautiful buildings.

You won’t get bored walking around: Start on Twenty-Sixth of July Street at the Karim Francis Gallery (Tel: +2 (02) 736-2183), next to Cilantro — you might grab a cup of coffee beforehand. The gallery usually plays host to some of the more abstract Egyptian artists and always has something interesting on display. Walk down the rest of the street, making sure to stop for a few seconds to mock the gold stripper shoes on display in the shoe stores.

Brazil Street, the continuation of Hassan Sabry Street, is home to most of the galleries in Zamalek. Here you’ll find Safar Khan (Tel: +2 (02) 735-3314), Picasso (Tel: +2 (02) 736-7544) and the Zamalek Art Gallery (Tel: +2 (02) 735-1240), all a stone’s throw away from one another. These galleries regularly have the latest contemporary Egyptian artists on display. There are also various shops selling silver on the same street. Backtrack to the other side of Zamalek to visit the Italian Cultural Center (Tel: +2 (02) 735-8791), located behind the Marriott Hotel and in front of Beano’s Café, and the Gezira Art Center (Tel: +2 (02) 737-3298); the latter is also the Islamic Ceramic Museum and often hosts exhibitions of Egyptian jewelry and art from other galleries. You should also make it a point to visit the Khan El-Maghraby Gallery (Tel: +2 (02) 735-3349), which has exhibited the work of some of the most famous artists in Egypt.

Many art galleries close from 2–5pm, a perfect time to have a bit to eat somewhere a little less culturally refined. Try the Omar Khayyam gardens in the Marriot Hotel or the Blue Nile for Lebanese delicacies at Dar El-Amar or Abu El-Sid, all within walking distance of most of the galleries. After lunch turn back to the other side of Twenty-Sixth of July and visit the Sawy Cultural Center (Tel: +2 (02) 736-6178) — also known as the Culture Wheel, among other names. Although more popular for its concerts, there are also photographic, artistic and cultural exhibitions. You can pick up a program of the month’s events to make sure you don’t miss anything interesting in it’s Zamalak and recently opened Masr El-Gedida location.

Dana Smillie Take it from the experts: The Fagnoon Art School is really cool.

Saving the best for last, Downtown is one of the most beautiful areas in Cairo (if you take away the pollution and seemingly never-ending stream of people walking, talking and shoving you out of the way). Go on a weekend morning and you won’t know where you are; with various little pedestrian walkways reminiscent of Egypt’s glory days, you’re surrounded by a variety of galleries and cultural centers.

You’ll find Townhouse Gallery on Hussein Pasha Street, off Mahmoud Bassiouni, (Tel: +2 (02) 576-8086) popular among young artists and showcasing the contemporary art scene in Egypt. You will also find the Cairo Atelier, Akhenaton Gallery and the Goethe Cultural Center (5 Adb El-Salam Arif Street Tel: +2 (02) 748-4500). Make sure you have comfortable shoes on to discover hidden delights such as the Indian Cultural Center, located at 3 Talaat Harb St. (look for the big brown door and a bunch of posters), which usually shows films and has some interesting classes.

The Beit El-Omma Museum on Saad Zaghloul Street in Mounira was built in 1901 and holds all of Saad Zaghloul’s documents, furniture, rugs, photographs and paintings (Tel: +2 (02) 794-5399). The museum is a good place to see a number of original works by Egyptian pioneer artists including Ragheb Ayyad and Youssef Kamel. Just buy a map and enjoy walking through downtown when it’s empty.

Finally, take a load off and indulge in ice cream at the infamous Groppi Patisserie in Talaat Harb Square, have some shisha at the Le Grillon Café on Qasr Al-Nil Street, or catch up on all the show business gossip in Swissair’s La Chesa on Adly Street. et

Dana Smillie Isn’t this better than having them jump on the bed?

The Classics

The museum in Tahrir is home to over 100,000 ancient Egyptian artifacts and every time you visit you will discover something new (Mariette Pasha St., next to the Nile Hilton Hotel +2 (02) 578-2452). If you haven’t visited before, purchase a map at the door, which usually ranges from LE 30–40 and outline the various rooms, exhibits and displays.

The museum is overwhelming, but don’t be put off by the cacophony of tourists, children and mixture of languages coming from each direction. Make it a point to go into the Mummy Room on the second floor and the Roman displays on the ground floor (a personal favorite). Try to get there early, by noon at least, to give yourself ample time to peruse the wealth of exhibits.

The Azhar precinct is where over 800 years of Islamic monuments and history reside. The streets are usually quite busy, but the view is without a doubt worth it. Along this strip you will be privy to up-close views of mosques such as Al-Hakim bin Amr Allah and Darb El-Asfar.

Azhar Park holds breathtaking views and has two restaurants, Alain Le Notre and Studio Misr, and is the perfect blend of nostalgia and contemporary Cairo, with the ancient mosques nestled on one side and the insanity of the seemingly perpetually congested Salah Salem on the other. After lunch or dinner, head down for some shopping at Khan El-Khalili, with jewelry, clothes, shishas and books all for sale. Get ready for cat calling and bargaining and a true Egyptian experience.

Nestled by Al-Ahly Club in Gezira, the Cairo Opera House is a cultural haven that is undisputed in Cairo (Gezira Opera Grounds Gabalaya St. Zamalek +2 (02) 739-8144). Home to the Museum of Modern Art, the Hanager Art Center, the Arts Center and the Creativity Center, the Opera House does not lack exhibitions and performances from around the world. There is always something going on here, from Russian performers to circus acts.

An EntertainedChild is a Quiet Child

Iam not a fan of children, but for the sake of research I allowed them into my childless and infinitely less stressful world for one lone weekend. I have two cousins, one is nine and the other is six or seven; after spending the day with them, I understood why their mother was so willing to give them up for a day.

The first stop on my itinerary was the Ceramic Café, which has branches in both Heliopolis (Tel: +2 (02) 241-7603) and Mohandiseen (Tel: +2 (02) 303-8696). Inside, aspiring artists peruse shelves of white ceramic objects begging for color and flair. With wide eyes, the two kids selected a ceramic elephant, a turtle, a pig and a mug for their mother. They then chose from a variety of colors. The perfect part for me: Delicious sandwiches and excellent coffee, making it an ideal refuge as they unleashed their creative demons. The green elephant and the multicolored tortoise kept them busy for a decent block of time; we then handed over the colorful creations to be heated and dried, ready to be picked up in a few days’ time.

Kids and animals are a match made in heaven. Surprise them by going to Giza’s Sun Bird Culture Gardens, run by Layla Seddik. The gardens are a perfect place for children to enjoy fun in clean air while learning about native Egyptian vegetables, fruits and trees — all grown without chemical fertilizers. Children are invited to pet farm animals, weave baskets and, of course, enjoy the freshly baked fatir. Signs in Arabic, English, French and German abound (25 Mansouriya Road, about 4 km past the sign for Kerdasa Giza Tel: +2 (02) 795-4817 open by appointment).

After the museum, the tinier child decided to inform me that the Fagnoon Art School was ‘really cool,’ and told me around 340 stories about how much fun he had had there. The kids start off their day with introductions to Khokha the Docile Donkey and are given a variety of arts-and-crafts options to enjoy. The schedule starts with painting, followed by pottery, carpentry, iron bending and silk painting. All this happens while the parents deposit themselves in a shady spot (or not so shady — I actually got a little bit of a tan) and do their own thing. The more advernturous among them help the children unleash their inner Picassos. (Fagnoon Art School: Saqqara Road Sabil Umm Hashim 12 kilometers east of Al-Haram St. Tel: +2 (02) 815-1633).

For a more academic approach to entertainment, check out the Suzanne Mubarak Science Exploration Center, the only facility of its kind in Egypt. The center gives children the chance to grapple with elusive scientific concepts that they may not be able to comprehend in textbooks, including how the ear works, how a baby is born, etc. One popular exhibit allows children to try to work a blood pump — even the strongest of them cannot match the strength of their own hearts. Entrance is free, although adults have to leave their IDs with security. Open every day 9am–7pm (Al-Wafa and Al-Safa wal Marwa streets Hadayek El-Kobba Tel: +2 (02) 259-7277 / 256-6035).

Classics for the academically inclined child include the Egyptian Museum and the Pharaonic Village. The latter includes a boat trip that leaves every 30 minutes for a tour back to Ancient Egypt. Younger kids enjoy the Ancient Egypt museums, but if your kids are older, be sure not to miss the Nasser and Sadat museums (the latter opened this past February). The restaurant and playground offer a nice respite from all the sightseeing (Pharonic Village: 3 Al-Bahr Al-Aazam St. Tel: +2 (02) 571-8675/6/7 open 10am–6pm LE 44 for Egyptians, LE 119 for foreigners)

The countless malls popping up around Cairo are also a good way to pass a few hours with the kiddies. The City Center in Maadi boasts a Magic Planet amusement park, which is a favorite of most kids. CityStars also offers a Magic Planet. And heck, some kids actually enjoy consumerism and are happy to go shopping themselves.

Other options include the countless efforts from hotels to cater to kids. The Marriott Hotel in Zamalek has an amusement park throughout the summer months, as well as a brunch on Fridays with specific themes to entertain kids (Tel: +2 (02) 728-3000). The InterContinental CityStars has face painting with live entertainment and a children’s corner at its weekly weekend brunches (Tel: +2 (02) 480-0100).

For a less formal weekend getaway, pack the family into your four-wheel drive vehicle and head to Wadi Degla, where you can picnic or barbecue a meal for the whole family to enjoy. Entrance is free but you have to bring your own food and equipment — and set a good example for the kids by properly disposing of the trash. Take a bunch of fun toys, good food and spend the day relaxing in the sun (Tel: +2 (02) 521-8140).  et