Cairo/East
The eastern districts of Cairo are a series of planned communities which have been built away from the congestion of historic Cairo. The most prominent communities are Heliopolis, Nasr City, and New Cairo. Cairo International Airport is also located in this area, just to the east of Heliopolis.
Heliopolis (مصر الجديدة Masr el-Gedida, lit. "New Egypt" or "New Cairo") is the oldest district, established in 1905 not far from the ancient city of Heliopolis (which is located to the northwest). The ancient city was dedicated to the god Atum, but it declined after the Persians took over control of Egypt in 525 BC. Modern Heliopolis was established in 1907 by the Belgian Baron Empain, with a streetcar line running between Heliopolis and central Cairo. It's one of the nicest places to live in Cairo, but there isn't much to visit as a tourist. The main reason to stay here is the proximity to the airport.
Nasr City was established by Gamal Abdel Nasser in the 1960s. It was intended to be a new capital city, but never developed as planned. It now has a socially mixed population including many immigrants, and is an economic center containing many shopping malls.
New Cairo (القاهرة الجديدة El Qāhera El Gedīda), established in 2000, covers a vast area in the far east of the city. Its current population is around 200,000, but it's planned for an eventual population of 5 million.
Get in
By car
Eastern Cairo is very car dependent and traffic jams are common. Using the Ring road is the best option of arriving here.
By public transport
Heliopolis is located between Cairo International Airport and central Cairo and is reachable from downtown by the metro's line 3. Other parts of eastern Cairo is undeserved by public transport. A monorail system is under construction and is expected to open in 2024. Until then, crammed and unreliable buses is the only option.
The new high-speed railway line between Alexandria and Ain Sokhna will have a station serving eastern Cairo when it opens in 2024.
The historic tram system that once ran to Heliopolis was removed in 2015.
- 1 Adly Mansour Transportation Hub. Eastern terminus of Metro Line 3, connections are made here for commuter rail from the New Administrative Capital, intercity passenger trains from Port Suez and regional BRT.
- 2 Mohamed Naguib railway station. Located far south of New Cairo this will be the gateway to eastern Cairo on the new high-speed line.
See
- 1 Korba area. The old center of Heliopolis, with beautiful Andalusian style architecture and lots of old churches and cultural centres from the days of cosmopolitan, multicultural Cairo.
- 2 Baron Empain Palace, al-Uruba St (Near Koleyet El Banat metro stop (line 3)). Erected by Baron Empain, this utterly bizarre structure was inspired by Angkor Wat and the Hindu temples of Odisha, and looks thoroughly out of place in Cairo. You can take a peek from the road, but alas, the interior has been off limits for years.
- Basilica of Notre Dame, at the end of Al-Ahram Street. A miniature version of Istanbul's Ayasofya, dubbed the "jelly mold" by expats. Especially worth a look.
- 3 Uruba Presidential Palace (10 minute walk west on the big road from Koleyet El Banat metro stop (line 3)). Not open to the public. Once a grand hotel that opened in 1910, the Uruba Palace is now the official residence of the Egyptian President. The hotel fell into disuse in the 1960s, and for a brief period, the palace was home to the Federation of Arab Republics. In the 1980s, the palace was restored and became the official residence.
- 4 6th of October Panorama. A museum dedicated to the 1973 war against Israel. Airplanes, tanks, and other hardware from both sides are on display. Inside the building, there are videos and murals. This museum is very similar to the one in Damascus, Syria, but of course Cairo is safer to visit these days. Both museums were built with the help of North Korean architects, and the influence shows.
- 5 Unknown Soldier Memorial. A striking-looking pyramid-shaped monument, standing 36 meters high. President Anwar Sadat is also buried here.
- 6 Statue of Ramses II, 137 El-Ouruba Avenue, El Nozha (beside Al-Galaa Club). A small replica of the colossal statue now inside the entrance to the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, twin to the one still inside the Memphis open-air museum. It's positioned to bid bon voyage to travellers going to the airport. Free.
Do
Buy
- 1 City Stars, Nasr City. 11AM-1AM. A modern shopping mall, with seven levels of shops and restaurants, such as the Virgin Megastore. A large multiplex cinema and indoor amusement center are also located at City Stars, along with a number of hotels including the Intercontinental and a Holiday Inn.
Eat
Budget
- Shabrawai's (just off Midan Korba). It's one of the best foul and tamiyya joints in town.
- Quick Sandwich. A pioneer in the Egyptian based chains offers some of the best Shawerma rolls and Shish-Kebab sandwiches, excellent value meals and great taste- delivery is an option by calling 16013. relatively cheap. You'll find a restaurant in the middle of the Merghani street and another in front of the Merryland Gardens.
Splurge
- Mei Shi, Mövenpick Heliopolis Hotel (Cairo International Airport Road). 6PM-1AM. Chinese cuisine served in an elegant setting.
- Petit Palmyra, 27 al-Ahram Street, ☏ +20 24171720.
- Rainforest Cafe, City Stars, 5th Floor, Phase 1 (Nasr City). American theme restaurant, located at City Stars Mall.
- The Veranda, 65 Abdel Hamid Badawi (Concorde El Salam Hotel, Heliopolis). Offers buffet or a la carte, including buffet breakfast and international menu for lunch and dinner.
Drink
- 1 L'Amphitryon, 18 Ibrahim al-Laqqani St (At al-Ahram Street), ☏ +20 2581379. Amphitrion is an open air cafe and pub, providing a place to sit outdoors on the terrace with a beer. As old as Heliopolis itself, soldiers used to come here to unwind during World War II.
- Christo Liquors, 92 Osman Ibn Affan St (Triumph Square Heliopolis), ☏ +20226331518. Beer shop offering chilled beers delivered right to your door.
Sleep
- Pension Zamalek, 6 Salah el-Din St. (Despite the name it’s not in Zamalek district, but several km east, almost into Heliopolis), ☏ +20 2 2735 9318. Run-down and a bit basic, but not without charm, run by an Egyptian family, in a quiet and very safe embassy neighbourhood. A basic breakfast is provided. Discounts on longer stays, unmarried couples might face problems at this location and teenagers tend to get harassed by the manager's wife. single LE 150.
- 1 Waldorf Astoria Cairo Heliopolis (formerly Heliopolis Towers Hotel), El-Orouba, Cairo, Cairo Governorate, 11736, Egypt, ☏ +20 2 26960000, caiwe.hotel@waldorfastoria.com. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Stunning hotel built around a giant glass atrium. US$330.
- 2 Le Méridien Heliopolis, 51 El Orouba Street, ☏ +20 2-22905055. Somewhat dated but comfortable hotel within striking distance to the airport, with a free shuttle service. Little of interest in the vicinity, but near the Cairo Conference Center. US$130 overnight, $100 day use.
- 3 Novotel Cairo Airport (next to airport), ☏ +20 2-22918520. Closest hotel to the airport. The lobby and public areas have been given a facelift and are now bright, modern, and airy, but the rooms still look and feel like a cheap motel with lumpy beds, and noisy air conditioning. Adequate for a one-night transit, but you wouldn't want to spend your whole vacation here. Free half-hourly shuttle bus from/to airport. US$90.
- 4 InterContinental Cairo Citystars, Omar Ibn El Khattab st., ☏ +20 2 24800100. A 790-room property. US$280.
- 5 Holiday Inn Cairo Citystars, Ali Rashed St. Heliopolis, ☏ +20 2 24803000. US$150.
- Staybridge Suites Cairo Citystars, Emtedad Makram Ebeid St. Heliopolis, ☏ +20 2 2480333. US$175.
- 6 Radisson Blu Heliopolis, Abdel Hamid Badawy St, 114 Rawda Al Sheraton, ☏ +20 (2) 26 96 5656.
- 7 The Baron Hotel Heliopolis, P.O. Box 2531 P.C. 11361, 4 Ma'ahad Al Sahary St, ☏ +20 2 22915757. Overlooks Baron Empain Palace. 126 rooms & suites, several restaurants & bars and conference facilities.
Splurge
- 8 Hilton Cairo Heliopolis, El-Orouba, Qism El-Nozha, ☏ +20-222677730, caihe_hotel@hilton.com. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. A 5-star hotel close to the airport. It has 589 rooms and suites, 18 restaurants and lounges, outdoor pools, meeting rooms and business centre.
- 9 Sonesta Hotel and Casino Cairo, 3 El Tayaran Street, ☏ +20 2-22628111. A 257-room 5-star hotel with a pool, casino, and full service spa.
- 10 The Westin Cairo Golf Resort & Spa Katameya Dunes, Road 90, New Cairo. Upscale golf resort.