Giza
Giza is complicated! Technically, the whole of the city west of the Nile is actually Giza, rather than Cairo, and is administered by a different governorate than Cairo itself. Giza therefore includes all the relatively modern residential neighbourhoods of Imbaba, Mohandiseen, Agouza and
Dokki. To confuse matters further, there is actually a neighbourhood called Giza, too!
This neighbourhood effectively begins below
Dokki, round about the area of Cairo University and
Cairo Zoo. It stretches west from the Nile for about 10 km, along Pyramids Road (Al Haram) towards the
Pyramids of Giza.
This region has actually been important since Pharaonic times, as it was the site of the ancient capital,
Memphis, as well as the burial grounds of
Giza (the Pyramids), Abu Sir,
North Saqqara,
South Saqqara, and
Dahshur.
Even after the decline of
Memphis during the Greek, Roman and Christian eras, Giza remained an important area, presumably because it was just over the river from the Roman fortress,
Babylon on the Nile. It continued to flourish well into Islamic times, before flooding and neglect eventually began to take their toll. It wasn't until Khedive Ismail turned his attention to the area in the 19th Century, draining the swamps and developing infrastructure, that Giza began to recover.
Since Nasser took power in the 1950's, the whole of the west bank of the Nile has been developed into a concrete hell of tower blocks, flyovers and other residential and shopping areas. Giza itself has stretched so far that it has actually swallowed up the villages that used to sit at the foot of the
Pyramids – meaning that these 4,500 year structures now loom up from the very edge of the city. Thankfully, the desert beyond them is still preserved… for now!
The inner section of Giza, nearest the Nile, contains such sites as the
Cairo Zoo,
Dr Ragab's Pharaonic Village, and the
Museum of Ahmed Shawki. There are also a few hotels in this area, such as the
El Gezirah Sheraton Hotel, and the
Four Seasons Cairo at the First Residence. These hotels contain numerous posh restaurants and bars. The
Four Seasons Hotel and the attached Giza First Mall contain some of the best, such as
Indigo,
Steaks, and
Gourmandise.
Out towards the
Pyramids,
Memphis,
Saqqara and
Dahshur are where some of Cairo's most exclusive hotel resorts are located, such as the
Mena House Oberoi,
Le Meridien Pyramids, and the
Cataract Pyramids Resort. These contain a wealth of restaurants and bars.
The Moghul Room is one of the most famous, and
Andrea is one of the best restaurants that isn't actually inside a hotel.
Nightlife
Africana
Casino d'Egypt (Mena House Oberoi Hotel)
Al Rubayyat
Moghul Room (The)
Oasis (The)
T.G.I. Friday's
Tea Lounge
Library Bar
Sham el-Nessim
Attractions
Dreamland Golf and Tennis Resort
Taha Hussein Museum
Golf at the Mena House Oberoi
Citadel View Restaurant
The Sphinx
Four Seasons Cairo at The First Residence Spa and Wellness Centre
Saqqara: Mastaba of Ankh-Mahor
Colossus of Ramses II
Step Pyramid of Saqqara
Memphis: Alabaster Sphinx
Saqqara: Mastaba of Ti
Saqqara: Mastaba of Mereruka
Saqqara: Mastaba of Kagemni
Saqqara: Pyramid of Unas
Giza Pyramids: Sound and Light Show
El-Urman Gardens
Museum of Ahmed Shawki
The Great Pyramid
Dr. Ragab's Pharaonic Village
Pyramid of Khafre (Chephren)
Pyramid of Menkaure (Mycerinus)
Cairo Zoo
Pyramids Sound and Light Show with Private Transport
Camel Ride by the Pyramids
Saqqara Country Club
Giza Plateau
Mohamed Mahmoud Khalil & His Wife Museum
Memphis: Sun Temples of Abu Ghurab
Horse ride by the Pyramids
Mastaba of Ptah-Hotep and Akhti-Hotep
Solar Boat Museum
Dahshur
Restaurants
The Moghul Room
Tea Lounge
Seasons
Fish Market
Al Rubayyat
Spice
Al Fanous
Steaks
Gourmandise (La)
Le Chateau
Andrea
Indigo
Aura
Oasis (The)
Bella
Lai Thai
Zitouni
Hotels
Hotel Amarante
Mena House Oberoi Hotel
Hormoheb Hotel
Concorde El Salam Hotel Cairo
Mövenpick Resort Pyramids
El Gezirah Sheraton Hotel, Towers & Casino
Four Seasons Cairo at The First Residence
Siag Pyramids Hotel