Ibn Tulun Mosque, built in 876 AD, is the oldest and most beautiful mosque in Egypt which you might recognise as its scenes from the Bond movie The Spy Who Loved Me were shot. Built between 876 and 878, it’s the oldest mosque in Egypt and one of the standout monuments dedicated to Islamic architecture. Wander through its vast open courtyard towards the minaret and climb up its narrow winding staircase, and imagine living in another time.

Gayer Anderson Museum, is a 16th-century Islamic house which was restored in the 1930s by the British civil servant, Robert Gayer Anderson Pasha who worked as a military doctor and lived there between 1935-1942. It is a treasure trove of antiquities, ancient literary works and textiles and tiles. But above all, it’s a fascinating insight into domestic living and oddities of the time, such as the covered portal from which women were allowed to observe what men got up to in the salon below.

As one of the largest mosques in the world and home to the finest example of Mamluk architecture in Cairo, this is a beautiful sight to behold. 

Kebabgy Oriental Grill is a bustling and luxurious five-star restaurant which is considered one of the best in the city. It’s on the Nile (part of the Sofitel Hotel) and serves traditional Egyptian cuisine, such as mezze of humus, labneh and tabbouleh for starters, followed by charcoal-grilled meats (go for the pigeon) and light-as-air flatbreads cooked in special clay ovens by artisan bakers in front of you. Local bands play nightly as the city sparkles all around.