Conjure ancient Egypt in your mind and you’re deep into childhood imaginings of one of the cradles of civilisation. Majestic pharaohs, hieroglyphic writing as if created by visiting aliens and those colossal pyramids, unfathomably constructed almost 5,000 years ago.
As a barely toilet-trained young boy, the pyramids of Cairo were probably the first thing I knew about the world beyond the borders of Britain. Ah, they’ll always be there, I’d say when putting off yet another potential trip to actually go see them up-close and personal.
It’s rather ironic then, half a century (a drop in the pyramidic ocean of time) after my first inklings of these mysterious giants, that what eventually drew me to Cairo was the newest wonder of the world: the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Now I had an irresistible double whammy of ancient and modern to marvel at. As well as the daunting allure of negotiating the Egyptian capital – a megalopolis of 23 million people and counting.
Cairo’s prime hotel location
You might opt to stay in one of the five-star hotels near the pyramids, but you’d be on the far edge of the city, pretty much in a desert, and a far cry (not to mention battling through the notorious traffic) from Cairo’s other delights.
On the other hand, the Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza is bang in the centre, within striking distance of ancient bazaars, buzzing neighbourhoods, mosques, churches and synagogues (yes, all religions are available here). And forget parched dust and sand – this 30-storey grande dame of trusted opulence is right on the mighty Nile river, which stretches a full half mile across here despite being 200km from the Mediterranean.
The view from my expansive upper-floor balcony at the Four Seasons was quite staggering. Traditional felucca sailboats gently tacked zig-zags across the water, neon-lit pleasure boats joining them at dusk (all backdropped by smoky sunsets and the city’s silhouetted towers and minarets).
Even for a Londoner, Cairo is immense, seemingly stretching forever into the distance. And yes, I could see a pyramid from my room, too. I could have easily lingered for hours there, sipping one of the hotel’s particularly good (and punchy) margaritas and soaking up this intoxicating vista.
Get your concierge on to see the sights
However tempting it was to lounge in my enormous suite (a refined, toned-down take on traditional glamour, complete with huge marbled bathroom, lounge, walk-in wardrobe), or explore the hotel’s vast and impressive collection of contemporary Egyptian art, there were things to see. Plenty of them.
Luckily for guests at the Four Seasons, you don’t need to plan what to experience, or how. The amiable concierge (in fact, all the staff here greet you like an old friend without overstepping familiarity) will suggest itineraries and arrange everything.
Most importantly, the hotel has guides who are a bona fide Egyptologists (we’re talking university degrees), in my case the delightfully knowledgeable Khalid – he displayed this amusingly one time by correcting another guide he’d overheard giving out erroneous historical facts.
And so, whoosh, off to see the pyramids at 9 in the morning. Why so early? Well, Khalid has smarts and knows the traffic is quieter and the tourist crowds are fewer. It’s also rather pleasant being driven in one of Four Seasons’ limousines.
Think what you like, that all they are is giant lumps of stone piled on top of each other, but as you stroll slowly closer and closer to the Great Pyramid of Giza, the awe is palpable. I never considered this one of my bucket list sites, but I stand corrected; these ancient pharaohs’ tombs are the OGs of wonder.
And don’t forgo a camel ride (they’re taller and more wobbly than you’d imagine) and those iconic pictures that – yes, they’re cheesy – you’ll treasure forever. The nearby Great Sphinx of Giza statue (that gigantic, elegantly reclining feline with a human head) is monumentally impressive, too.
Rightly proud of a history so deep and storied, the Egyptians have never really had anywhere large enough to show it all off. That was until last November, when the Grand Egyptian Museum finally opened its doors. And “grand” is no hyperbole; it’s the largest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilisation, covering an area the size of 70 football pitches.
Before viewing any of the 100,000 artefacts inside, take a moment to gawp at the distinctly 21st-century, quite un-Egyptian design of the building; by an Irish woman no less, Róisín Heneghan. It’s a masterpiece of stone and steel, with a vast central atrium that ingeniously works as a natural air vent to keep the place cool.
The treasures of Tutankhamun
Inside, besides all the millennia-old statues of pharaohs and queens you could ever wish to see, the undoubted highlight is the complete collection of Tutankhamun. People queue to marvel at his funerary mask, but the series of golden caskets and sarcophagi that encased his mummified body like a Russian matryoshka doll is truly mesmerising.
Talking of mummies, whatever you do, don’t miss the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization and its preserved bodies of ancient Egypt’s great and good. As macabre as it sounds, to gaze at the face and skin (and teeth!) of Ramesses II, the mightiest and most celebrated pharaoh of them all, is an extraordinary experience.
Once you’ve done these big-hitters, ignore any fool who tells you that’s all Cairo has to offer. Perched commandingly above the city is the Citadel, a vast medieval complex complete with the Muhammad Ali Mosque, built later in the 19th century in the Turkish style with elaborate interiors that will make any interior designer weep with envy.
Or tour evocative Coptic Cairo and the Hanging Church, so named as it was constructed above the ancient Roman Babylon Fortress. Nearby is the well deep beneath the Church of St Sergius and Bacchus which Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus are said to have drank from during their travels in Egypt.
Before you’re done with ancient Cairo, try not to get lost in the labyrinth of 1,000-year-old Khan el-Khalili bazaar. Here, a zillion fascinating trinkets for any budget can be found (and your haggling prowess may also bring down some of the prices unbelievable).
Four Seasons of feasts
Luckily, after a jam-packed day in the city, you needn’t stray far from your room to kick back in style. After a dip in the extremely tranquil rooftop pool (with another cheeky margarita on the sunlounger), I could take my pick from Four Seasons’ 10 different dining spots, all of them offering some the finest dishes in the city.
Don’t miss the stuffed pigeons at Zitouni, where authentic Egyptian cuisine and incredible Nile views are served, or a plate of Cantonese dim sum at 8. My personal favourite, though, was their Italian restaurant, Riviera, where the vitello tonnato (veal with tuna sauce, rocket and capers) was the best I’ve ever tasted.
The encore for this trip? A night boat in Cairo, of course. A one-minute walk the hotel, Four Seasons had a private felucca waiting for me, bobbing on the water and laden with Egyptian buffet snacks. Drifting idly down the Nile, there couldn’t have been a dreamier end to what was a true feast for my now grown-up imagination.
A superior room including breakfast at Four Seasons Cairo at Nile Plaza starts from $361 (£273) per night; fourseasons.com
