Khan el-Khalili and Old Cairo

Khan el-Khalili - Not a monument - but a great way to spend a wonderful evening browsing or shopping in the hundreds of shops and stalls that sell everything you can imagine. The original building of this famous bazaar was erected in 1382 by Amir Garkas el-Khalili, and later became a caravanserai (inn) in the centre of Cairo, a city of wealth and trade, for travelling merchants from all over the world. Khan el-Khalili today is a maze of narrow streets and passages with many craftsmen working in gold, silver, brass, leather, and glass and stone wares. There are shops that will make a shirt or galabeya while you wait, shops selling perfumes and incense, and many, many cafes where you can watch the world go by. If you are looking for souvenirs you will find plenty, and the fierce competition makes it worth practising your bargaining skills. Khan el-Khalili is considered one of the largest bazaars in the world.
It lies a little north of the Citadel and seems to be open from morning until the last tourist goes home to sleep. Some shops, however, may be closed on Friday or Sunday for religious reasons.

Old Cairo
Cairo today is a modern city with practically nothing to recall the times of the ancient pharaohs. It was founded on the site of a Roman fortress city called Babylon, but it represents diverse cultures and histories since that time. The area known as "Old Cairo" is a relatively small part of the huge city; it is the oldest part of Cairo and has several interesting churches and museums, as well as the remains of Babylon.