Ah, Cairo. Although we all love to hate it, hunkering down in the city for any period of time without a break will definitely diminish even those lingering feelings of affection for the urban metropolis. Let’s be completely honest: a lot of days you would rather shoot yourself in the face than venture out into dirty and frustrating Cairo with its massive throngs of people. But it’s also a good idea to remind yourself why you’ve decided to live here. Despite the 5 million things that could go wrong when you step out the door — did I mention the city’s some 20 million people? ­— it’s still a magnificent city. If you catch Cairo on the right day, and do the right things, the hectic surroundings of Egypt’s capital transform from exasperatingly manic to pleasantly busy.

Veto your regular hangouts — how many times can you really have coffee? — and grab a reluctant friend for a day of culture and refinement, or the closest thing to it. The first rule is to avoid driving and take cabs instead. The second is to buy yourself a little map and go by foot when you get to your chosen area. Most bookstores have specific maps for both the Zamalek and Downtown areas. Cairo Maps, published by the American University in Cairo Press, covers the city from Heliopolis to Maadi.

Remebmer that most galleries are closed on Sundays, as are most stores in Zamalek — be sure to call ahead before you make plans.

Instead of going to the Four Seasons, take some time to check out some of the worthwhile sites in Giza. Not necessarily known as an arts hotspot, Giza does feature two must-see cultural landmarks: The Mr. and Mrs. Mohammed Mahmoud Khalil Museum next to Maglis El-Dawla (Tel: +2 (02) 3338-9860) is home to an impressive collection of impressionist art, including two incredible paintings by Van Gogh and Gaugin, each with its own viewing room. 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. Further down the road is the Giza Zoo (Mourad St. Tel: (02) 2570-8895). Although not exactly in its heyday, the zoo is huge and is a historical landmark, having been around since 1891. Aside from the animals, the mosaic-tiled architecture is stunning. The zoo is always a perfect way to entertain children and observe a bevy of African animals.

Zamalek is one of the most culturally wealthy districts in the capital, and therefore a haven for tiny, tucked-away art galleries and boutiques. It is also home to countless historic and architecturally beautiful buildings. You won’t get bored walking around: Start on 26th of July Street at the Karim Francis Gallery (Tel: +2 (02) 736-2183), right next to Cilantro. The gallery has recently merged with Ikan3 to create Cairo’s first ‘concept gallery,’ featuring handcrafted furniture, original textiles and South Asian-inspired trinkets in addition to the art. This street is also home to the Diwan bookstore, as well as Maghrabi and Baraka glasses boutiques. If you’re having a hard time keeping your day completely cultural, nobody will know you bought a pair of sunglasses in the meantime.

Brazil Street, which intersects 26th of July Street, is home to most of the galleries in Zamalek. Here you’ll find Safar Khan (Tel: (02) 2735-3314), Picasso (Tel: +2 (02) 2736-7544) and the Zamalek Art Gallery (Tel: +2 (02) 2735-1240) — all showcasing the latest in contemporary Egyptian art and just a stone’s throw from one another. The street is also home to a number of silver shops, as well as Baraka, the popular shwarma vendor.

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, then check out the Gezira Art Center (Tel: +2 (02) 737-3298); the latter also fronts as the Islamic Ceramic Museum and often hosts exhibits of Egyptian jewelry and art. You should also make it a point to visit the Khan El-Maghraby Gallery (Tel: +2 (02) 735-3349), which has displayed the work of some of the most famous artists in Egypt.

Many art galleries close from 2–5pm, a perfect time to have a bite to eat somewhere equally refined. For Lebanese delicacies, try the Omar Khayyam gardens at the Marriot Hotel, Dar El-Mar at the Blue Nile or Abu El-Sid, all within walking distance of most of the galleries. After lunch, head back to the other side of 26th of July Street and visit the Sawy Cultural Center (Tel: +2 (02) 2736-6178), also known as the Culture Wheel. Although more popular for its concerts, it usually hosts photographic, artistic and cultural exhibits. You can pick up a program of the month’s events to make sure you don’t miss anything.

Saving the best for last, head to Downtown, one of the most beautiful areas of Cairo (barring the pollution, traffic and never-ending stream of people). Go on a weekend morning and you won’t even realize where you are. Make sure you wear comfortable shoes to traverse the pedestrian walkways reminiscent of Egypt’s glory days, and you’ll be surrounded by a variety of galleries and cultural centers. You’ll find Townhouse Gallery on Hussein Pasha Street, off Mahmoud Bassiouni Street, (Tel: +2 (02) 2576-8086) 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) 2748-4500). Look for hidden delights such as the Indian Cultural Center, located at 3 Talaat Harb Street and recognizable by its big, brown door decorated with posters. The Beit El-Omma Museum on Saad Zaghloul Street in Mounira was built in 1901 and holds all of Saad Zaghloul’s documents, furniture, photographs and paintings (Tel: +2 (02) 2794-5399). The museum is also a good place to see original works by Egyptian pioneer artists, including Ragheb Ayyad and Youssef Kamel.

Finally, take a load off and indulge in ice cream at the famous Groppi Patisserie in Talaat Harb Square; then 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. Horeya is probably one of the most famous bars in Downtown, known for its dirty décor and dirt-cheap beer. Another place to check out is Ragab, for excellent kofta and kebab dishes. et

While discovering new areas of the city is always refreshing, a trip to the city’s classic cultural havens can be just as rewarding. So take some time out to enjoy some of Egypt’s ‘old school’ culture, even if it attracts flocks of tourists.

The Egyptian Museum in Tahrir Square is home to over 100,000 Ancient Egyptian artifacts, and you’re guaranteed to discover something new almost every time you visit. If you haven’t been before, purchase a map (LE 30-40) at the door; the museum can be overwhelming. Don’t let the cacophony of tourists, children, and plethora of languages coming from each direction put you off. Make it a point to see the mummy room on the second floor, as well as the Roman displays on the ground floor. Try to get there early to give yourself ample time to peruse the exhibits.

The Al-Azhar precinct is the site of over 800 years of Islamic monuments and history, and consequently the streets are usually quite busy. Along this strip you will be privy to up-close views of mosques such as Al-Hakim bi Amr Allah, and Darb El-Asfar, now used as the local office of the Egyptian Antiquities Authority.

For a bird’s-eye angle, Al-Azhar Park offers breathtaking views of Islamic Cairo, plus two restaurants (Alain Le Notre and Studio Misr). With the ancient mosques nestled against one side of the park and the insanity of Salah Salem Street butting against the other, it is the perfect blend of both traditional and contemporary Cairo.

After lunch or dinner, head down to the Khan El Khalili souq for some serious shopping. There you can buy everything from jewelry, clothes, water pipes and books to food, spices, trinkets and perfume. Get ready for some cat calling and bargaining, though — a true Egyptian experience.

Mohamed Shady Mohamed Farid

Near Al-Ahly Club in Gezira, the Opera House is host to a number of Cairo’s most important cultural spots. Housing the Museum of Modern Art, the Hanager Art Center and the Creativity Center, the Opera House offers exhibits and performances from around the world. From Russian performers to circus acts, it is truly the epicenter of high culture in Cairo.

Although today’s Downtown Cairo is a modern bustle of people, cars, banks, and theaters, underneath all that is a tribute to some of Egypt’s earliest and most prominent nationalist leaders. From Midan Saad Zaghloul at the Qasr El-Nil Bridge to Mohammed Farid’s statue at Ezbekiah Gardens, Egypt Today gives you a list of historical statues to follow through Downtown Cairo, commemorating the men who challenged the British Empire in the early twentieth century.

Mohamed Shady Mustafa Kamil

Prime Minister and founder of the Wafd Party; leader of the nationalist movement. Arrested and jailed several times for fomenting protests against the British Protectorate, Zaghloul and several others were exiled to Malta in March 1919. In events now known as the 1919 Revolution, an outraged populace rioted against his exile, forcing the British to let him return. He continued to lead protests and was deported once more in 1921, but the nationalists had gained momentum and the protectorate officially ended in 1922. Zaghloul was elected prime minister in 1924, but held the post for just 11 months, resigning in protest of British demands on the government.

Statue: The government contracted sculptor Mahmoud Mokhtar (1891 – March 1934) in 1930 to construct two statues of Saad Zaghloul, one in Alexandria and the other in front of Cairo’s Opera House Complex at the end of Qasr El-Nil Bridge.

Economist, nationalist, lawyer, and founder of Banque Misr (The Bank of Egypt) and its group of companies. An ardent nationalist, Harb called for economic freedom from colonial investments and was a major force behind the nation’s industrialization in the twentieth-century, writing extensively on the issue of economic reform. His brainchild was Banque Misr, created to foster Egyptian economic independence, which by the 1952 Revolution had grown to be one of the leading financial establishments. In 1980, then-President Anwar Sadat celebrated the sixtieth anniversary of Banque Misr by awarding Talaat Harb a posthumous Nile Collar – the highest Egyptian civilian decoration.

Statue: The five-meter bronze statue in Midan Talaat Harb, on the street of the same name, was sculpted by Fathi Mahmoud and erected in March 1964.

Nationalist leader, writer, and lawyer. Farid first worked as a lawyer for the Egyptian government but was dismissed after backing Sheikh Ali Yusuf, a popular newspaper editor who was tried for publishing secret telegrams taken from the War Ministry. Farid was the main political and financial supporter of Mustafa Kamil, and after a falling out with Yusuf, Farid used his own funds to launch Kamil’s newspaper, Al-Liwa. After Kamil’s death in 1908, Farid became head of the Nationalist Party despite opposition from Kamil’s family; his popularity dwindled with his attacks on the Copts and his support for Turkey. The 1910 assassination of the Coptic Prime Minister Boutros Ghali by Nationalist Party member Ibrahim Wardani turned the public against the party; in 1912, Farid left the country after being sentenced to six months imprisonment for ‘publishing seditious material.’ His support of the Axis cause during World War I was not a popular stance, and when Saad Zaghloul revived the nationalist cause with the Wafd Party in 1918, Farid was deliberately uninvited. He died in exile in Berlin the following year.

Statue: Located in Ezbekiah Garden, the statue of Mohammed Farid Pasha was sculpted by Mansour Farag.

Journalist and leader of the modern nationalist movement. Kamil was the most charismatic nationalist figure until Saad Zaghloul’s rise post-World War One. Anti-British from the start, Kamil was originally pro-Palace, working closely with Khedive Abbas and Ali Yusuf, editor of the newspaper Al-Muayyad (The Supported One). Relations turned sour, and Kamil founded his own paper, Al-Liwa (The Standard) with Mohamed Farid. Kamil also founded the Nationalist Party in December 1907, two months before his death.

Statue: Sculpted by Leopold Savine with atelier Rene Fulda, the 2.8 meter tall bronze statue of Mustafa Kamil was first displayed at the May 1910 Paris exhibition of Fine Arts. It wasn’t unveiled in Egypt until May 1940, after professors at Cairo and Al-Azhar universities rallied the government. King Farouk himself unveiled the statue, which now stands in Mustafa Kamil Square off of Qasr El-Nil and Mohammed Farid Street.