Top 5 Hidden Gems in Cairo Holding Egypt's Secrets

From small museums and scenic parks to hip galleries and quirky bookshops, hidden gems in Cairo have beautiful tales of Egypt, one of the top three most visited African countries. Exploring Cairo’s busiest neighbourhoods without a rush broadens your mind and paints a clear image of why this Egyptian city is special.

History pours everywhere in Cairo, and you can never get enough of it. Forget about the Great Pyramids of Giza; there are tens of amazingly beautiful historical attractions. Well, if you’re not into historical sightings, the city has so much that guarantees a unique and memorable vacation.

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Hidden Gems in Cairo

See Africa Todaa takes a look at some of the best-kept secrets in this city and what you should expect.

1. The Animal Museum

The Animal Museum in the Giza Zoological Garden is one of the hidden gems in Cairo worth exploring whenever you’re in Egypt. From the moment you enter the museum, you’ll be amazed by the sheer diversity and the number of displays you’ll see. The museum was established in 1914 and has three big halls with various animal species on display.

The Animal Museum. Photo/ Smithsonian Magazine.

It holds many rare mummified animals as well as skulls and skeletons. Among the mummified animals, you’ll see a crocodile which is about 3,000 years old and a humongous whale. The Animal Museum works perfectly for entertainment and as a scientific reference for students in the taxonomy field. Visitors are free to take as many photographs as they want at the museum.

2. Lehnert And Landrock Bookshop

Lehnert and Landrock is a book and photography museum founded over 90 years ago by Rudolf Lehnert and Ernst Landrock. The two celebrated travel writers and photographers were from Austria and Germany. They travelled around North Africa before World War I taking photographs and glass plates showing images of ancient North Africa. The books at Lehnert and Landrock bookshop exhibit the wonderful workouts of the founders. They are written in French, English, German and Arabic.

3. Orman Botanical Garden

Orman Botanical Garden is one of the hidden gems in Cairo that are taken for granted by most travellers. It’s among the largest botanical gardens in the world, full of a regular patch of greenery and plants.

Orman Botanical Garden. Photo/ Daily News Egypt.

The main aim of establishing the garden in 1873 was to ensure a continuous supply of citrus fruits and vegetables. But the garden, just a few miles from Cairo University, is now full of vegetation and plant life that tell a tale of history. Orman Botanical Garden embraces different forms of plant life, such as climbers, palms, shrubs, cacti and succulents.

4. Coptic Museum

The Coptic Museum, one of the hidden gems in Cairo you should explore, has the world’s largest collection of Coptic Christian artefacts. This museum was built by Semika Pasha in 1910, consists of two wings and includes 26 halls in addition to The Hall of Old Cairo.

It traces the history of Egypt from its beginning to the present day. The history of Coptic Christianity records the interaction of several different religions and cultures, such as the ancient gods of Egypt, early Christianity and Islam, and the Pagan faiths of Greece and Rome.

5. The City of the Dead

The City of the Dead is located at the foot of Mokattam Mountain and it’s an awry historical piece among the hidden gems of Cairo. It’s an astonishing graveyard turned makeshift city, where tombs and mausoleums are full of life. The people living in the area, which is popularly known as El’arafa, are proud to share accommodation with the graves of their relatives.

El’arafa neighbourhood is full of architectural gems and splendid mosques amid modern apartment blocks. Although it’s strange due to the graves, it’s a great place to shop for authentic and handmade crafts, such as cups and glass-blown vases.

City of the Dead. Photo/ Flickr.

What is Unique in Cairo?

The Museum of Egyptian amenities
Nile River
Coptic Cairo
Khan El-Khalili
Cairo Citadel

Are 3 Days Enough For Cairo?

Three days aren’t enough to visit Cairo. You need at least a week to explore the width and breadth of all the hidden gems in Cairo. So huge is Egypt’s capital city – which measures 1,056 square miles or 2,734 km²– that it’s home to 22.6 million people. A week’s visit is kind to your exploration diary. Visit all historical mosques within the city and understand some of their architectural and religious intrigues. Egypt is a Muslim-dominated country; 90% of its population practice Islam meaning mosques carry a lot of religious history for this community.