With its cobbled streets and peaceful ambience, it's all too easy to forget where you are. Coptic Cairo, or the stronghold of Christianity in Old Cairo, feels like an oasis away from the buzz of the city. It also happens to be home to some of the oldest churches in Egypt. Arrive early to avoid the crowds, and to jam pack the itinerary as much as possible!

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.

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.

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.