Cairo 3-day itinerary
- Best for
- A long weekend walking Cairo.
- Pace
- Three full walking days.
- Base
- City
- Estimated budget
- $240–$840
Day-by-day plan
Follow the stops in order. Walk times are estimates between nearby places.
- Day 1
City
Walk City in Cairo. Start at Grand Egyptian Museum, then Egyptian Museum and National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. Stay on foot.
Stop 1
Grand Egyptian Museum
The Grand Egyptian Museum is the primary replacement for the venerable Egyptian Museum in Midan Tahrir, with much bigger exhibition, storage and workplace areas. Not to be confused with the Egyptian Museum or the Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. The main galleries cover Egyptian history from prehistory to the Greco-Roman period. The highlight is the Tutenkhamun gallery. At least four hours are needed to see the whole museum at a comfortable pace.
Stop 2 · 166 min walk
Egyptian Museum
The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, commonly known as the Egyptian Museum and also called the Cairo Museum or the Egyptian Museum in Cairo (EMC), is a national history museum in Cairo, Egypt.
Stop 3 · 62 min walk
National Museum of Egyptian Civilization
A relatively small museum, with a main hall, a textile hall, and a Royal Mummies Hall. The main hall covers Egyptian culture including prehistory, the dynastic period, Greco-Roman period, Islamic period, the modern and contemporary era, as well as exhibits of Coptic art and traditional art. The highlight is the underground hall of mummies.
Stop 4
Ibn Tulun
Arguably the oldest mosque in Cairo, built between 868-884.
Stop 5
Al-Azhar Park
Al-Azhar Park is a public park located in qism al-Darb al-Ahmar, in Historic Cairo, Egypt.
Stop 6 · 11 min walk
Khan El Khalily
Cairo's souk area where visitors will find many merchants selling perfume, spices, gold, Egyptian handicrafts.
Eat · Al Horreya Cafe: Al Horreya Cafe listed on OpenStreetMap near the walking centre.
Browse Cairo tours - Day 2
City
Walk City in Cairo. Start at Abdeen Palace, then Pharaonic Village and Dahshur Pyramids. Stay on foot.
Stop 1
Abdeen Palace
About 1 km east of Midan El-Tahrir, it was the royal residence until the Egyptian monarchy was deposed in 1952.
Stop 2
Pharaonic Village
Welcome to Egyptland! Especially if you've kids in tow, this showground and retail park will give you an instant Egypt-in-miniature. In Giza about 20 minutes drive from Downtown.
Stop 3
Dahshur Pyramids
For a contrast to touristy Pyramids of Giza, head south to the oldest known pyramid, the Red Pyramid. The neglected Dahshur Pyramids are interesting and worth a visit, considering its history and the hassle-free atmosphere. Also, see the weird Bent Pyramid there and hike around the area to the Black Pyramid. The Red Pyramid has an entrance to the inside, which you can climb down.
Stop 4
Mar Youssef
Mar Youssef on OpenStreetMap within walking or short-transit range.
Stop 5 · 4 min walk
Saint Mercurius Church in Coptic Cairo
Saint Mercurius Church in Coptic Cairo is a Coptic Orthodox church situated just to the north of the Babylon Fortress in Old Cairo among a group of important churches, and within the area known as the Abu Sayfayn Cloister is to be found three churches and a convent. One of these churches, dedicated to Saint Mercurius, and is the largest in the district of ancient Babylon.
Stop 6 · 35 min walk
Gayer-Anderson Museum
The Gayer-Anderson Museum is an art museum located in Cairo, Egypt. It is situated adjacent to the Mosque of Ahmad ibn Tulun in the Sayyida Zeinab neighborhood. The building takes its name from Major Robert Grenville Gayer-Anderson Pasha, who resided in the house between 1935 and 1942 with special permission from the Egyptian Government. The museum is noted for being one of examples of 17th-century domestic architecture left in Cairo, and also for its collection of furniture, carpets, curio, and other objects.
Eat · Cilantro: Cilantro listed on OpenStreetMap near the walking centre.
- Day 3
City
Walk City in Cairo. Start at Al-Sayyeda Fatema Al-Nabaweya Mosque, then Al-Amir Sorghotmosh Al-Nassery and El Sayyeda Sekina Mosque. Stay on foot.
Stop 1
Al-Sayyeda Fatema Al-Nabaweya Mosque
Al-Sayyeda Fatema Al-Nabaweya Mosque on OpenStreetMap within walking or short-transit range.
Stop 2 · 20 min walk
Al-Amir Sorghotmosh Al-Nassery
Al-Amir Sorghotmosh Al-Nassery on OpenStreetMap within walking or short-transit range.
Stop 3 · 5 min walk
El Sayyeda Sekina Mosque
El Sayyeda Sekina Mosque on OpenStreetMap within walking or short-transit range.
Stop 4 · 51 min walk
Al-Keyamah Church
Al-Keyamah Church on OpenStreetMap within walking or short-transit range.
Stop 5 · 4 min walk
Saint Mary Church Faggalah
Saint Mary Church Faggalah on OpenStreetMap within walking or short-transit range.
Stop 6 · 5 min walk
Roassa' Al-Malaeka Church
Roassa' Al-Malaeka Church on OpenStreetMap within walking or short-transit range.
Eat · Didos Al Dente: Didos Al Dente listed on OpenStreetMap near the walking centre.
Where to stay
Sleep near the walking base. Pick an area, then search hotels by neighborhood.
The centre
First-time visitors
Stay inside walking range of the first-day stops in Cairo.
Things to book
Tours and tickets that match this plan. Book anything that needs timed entry.
Budget
Rough mid-range spend for 3 days in Cairo, excluding long-haul flights. Hotel nights drive most of the range.
- Budget: about $240 (hostel/budget hotel, transit, street food)
- Mid-range: about $420 (3★ hotel, sit-down meals, a tour or two)
- Comfort: about $840 (nicer hotel, taxis, paid attractions)
Transportation
Get in
* ( ), in Heliopolis, to the northeast of the city around 15 km from Cairo's city centre – The busiest airport in Africa with more than 16 million passengers per year, it is also the largest in Egypt and is the main hub for the flag carrier EgyptAir and Nile Air as well as several other airlines and the primary entry point to the country. * Borg el Arab ( ) near Alexandria has far fewer flights and poor ground connections. * | url= | email= | address= | lat= | long= | directions= | phone= | tollfree= | hours= | price= | wikidata=Q28716932 | lastedit=2024-06-01 | content=As of 2025 it is served mainly by budget airlines, including Air Arabia, Air Cairo, Condor, EasyJet, Edelweiss Air, Flydubai, Flynas, Jazeera Airways, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Pegasus Airlines, SalamAir and Wizz Air. }} * | url= | email= | address= | lat=30.075833 | long=31.833333 | directions= | phone= | tollfree= | hours= | price= | wikidata= | lastedit=2025-06-03 | content=The airport in the New Administrative Capital sees very limited flights.
Get around
You will find that it's useful to have several maps handy if you are looking to get around Cairo on your own. Spellings of street and place names can vary from map to map and from map to actual location, and not every street will appear on every map. thumb|Cairo's metro, LRT and monorail network. Line 4 (purple) is still under construction.
Where to eat
Simple meal ideas near the day’s walking route.
Al Horreya Cafe
Al Horreya Cafe listed on OpenStreetMap near the walking centre.
Cilantro
Cilantro listed on OpenStreetMap near the walking centre.
Didos Al Dente
Didos Al Dente listed on OpenStreetMap near the walking centre.
Maison Thomas
Cuisine: french.
Simonds
Simonds listed on OpenStreetMap near the walking centre.
Blue Nile Boat
Blue Nile Boat listed on OpenStreetMap near the walking centre.
Casino Italian Food Restaurant
Cuisine: italian.
Oriental Restaurant & Caffe
Oriental Restaurant & Caffe listed on OpenStreetMap near the walking centre.
Optional alternatives
Add one if a walking day finishes early. Don’t stack them onto the same afternoon.
The Culture Wheel
The largest independent cultural centre in Cairo, offers concerts almost every night.
The Garden Theater
In Al-Azhar Park offers a range of musical performances. The venue is also a great place for an evening stroll.
Cairo Opera House
It hosted the Cairo International Film Festival in 2012 and screened some international films with very cheap subsidized ticket prices.
Egyptian Centre for Culture & Art
Egyptian Traditional music.
The Townhouse Gallery of Contemporary Art
The Townhouse Gallery of Contemporary Art is a listed stop in this neighborhood.
Cairo Jazz Club
Live entertainment from local and international musicians, a great food and beverage menu (happy hour from 7-9PM) and a relaxed atmosphere. 7 nights a week.
Before you go
Questions
- Do I need a car in Cairo?
- No for this plan. The days stay inside walking range, then local transit to CAI. You will find that it's useful to have several maps handy if you are looking to get around Cairo on your own. Spellings of street and place names can vary from map to map and from map to actual location, and not every street will appear on every map. thumb|Cairo's metro, LRT and monorail network. Line 4 (purple) is still under construction.
- Is 3 days enough?
- Yes for the core around City. Switch to 5 days if you want a trip outside Cairo.
- Where should I stay?
- Base near City so the first walking day starts at the hotel. Hotel Longchamps is a listed option, not a ranking.
- Where do I eat?
- Each day names one sit-down stop. Al Horreya Cafe is on the list. Keep the rest as bakeries and market counters.
Other Cairo trip lengths
- Where to stay in Cairo
- Best time to visit Cairo
- eSIM for Egypt
- Travel insurance for Egypt
- Airport transfers
Daily stops compiled from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA), Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, and OpenTripMap. Updated 2026-08-25. Edited by Lina Varela.