Islamic Cairo

We start the day with a visit to the Souk el-Fustat - a new shopping complex specialising in hand-made products made by the artists and artisans of Egypt, including goods produced by students from the Association of Upper Egypt for Education and Development.

The Islamic monuments of Cairo can come as a surprise to some, especially after our focus on the ancient monuments of Egypt. Nevertheless their majestic grandeur and their beauty of design and architecture, along with the significant insights they give to the real nature of Islam make them a must see. We will tour the Citadel of Cairo, begun in 1176 by Salah al-Din, and visit the: Mosque of Mohammed Ali (1830); the Mosque of an-Nasir Mohammed (1318); and the pleasant gardens of the Northern Enclosure. There are great views over the whole of Cairo - on a good day one can even see the pyramids at Giza (see The Citadel page).

We next visit the Mosque of Ibn Tulun (876 CE) - the oldest functioning mosque in Cairo which has recently been restored. ¢ Marvel at the architectural beauty of the Mosque of Sayyidna al-Hussein (1870) which houses the head of Al-Hussein, grandson of the Prophet (no entry to non-Muslims).

Next it is off to the famous Khan al-Khalili Bazaar before watching the the al-Tannoura Egyptian Heritage Dance Troupe.