Gayer-Anderson Museum.

A treasure trove of Egyptian artefacts from various periods in the country's rich history, the Gayer-Anderson Museum, originally built in the 17th century, is also an architectural masterpiece that oozes heritage and charm. Located in the same complex as Ibn Tulun mosque, you can make a turn at the museum when coming to Islamic Cairo anyway to see the mosque (or vice versa). Despite the fact that it was home to Mr Gayer-Anderson, after whom it is named, for only a couple of years in the 1930s and 40s, he managed to create a unique hybrid museum-cum-home space in which he and his family lived among his collection of oriental furniture, rugs, statues and other objects. Imagine how eerie that must've been! It is now open to the public so you can go for a self-guided tour up whimsical staircases and down half-lit corridors, and behind every corner there's a new thing to be discovered, a small patio maybe, a fountain or a secret nook.

http://www.sca-egypt.org/eng/MUS_Gayer-Anderson.htm

Ibn Tulun Mosque.

One of the oldest and also largest mosques in Cairo, Ibn Tulun is another wonderful place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and unwind in its simple splendour. With its many arches and columns it almost feels as if Ibn Tulun boasts several rooms, while in reality it's all one magnificent space that flows seamlessly between the sunlit courtyard and the surrounding building. However, Ibn Tulun is probably best know for its unique minaret with a spiral staircase running around the tower all the way up to the top from where you have unparalleled vies of Islamic Cairo and beyond. By the way, Ibn Tulun is also the mosque featured on the 5 EGP note, so this is the perfect spot to start your tour through all Cairo mosques as represented on the 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 LE notes.

Tunis Pottery.

It still strikes us as somewhat odd that pottery village Ezbet Tunis in Fayoum isn't a more popular weekend destination with Cairenes, especially since you can find at least a few pieces of beautiful pottery made in Tunis in every self-respecting Cairo household. Well, at least in families that take an interest in Egyptian crafts and prefer authentic, local interiors over the internationalized sameness of today's design world. We especially love the bowls and plates by Tunis pioneer Rawya and her team, but each of the workshops and small outlets around the village deserves a visit. You'll always find a few unique pieces to take home. That is, if you travel all the way to Tunis to buy them - which you should. But if you don't, there's a number of shops in Cairo that also stock the ornate yet simple crockery from this most charming place, one of them being Oum El Dunia in Talaat Harb St, Downtown.

Al Hakim Mosque.

For a leisurely stroll far from the traffic that's become a perennial nuisance in most parts of Cairo, make your way to the area around Al Hakim Mosque between the Northern end of the city's old wall and Khan El Khalili market in the South. The narrow street connecting these two sights is mostly reserved for pedestrians and winds its way through a well-preserved and very picturesque part of Islamic Cairo. En route, there's many an antiques shop, eatery or mosque to explore and you can easily get lost if you stray too far from the main drag. Be amazed by the towering minarets and great mansions once owned by wealthy tradesmen. If you're in for some chaos, walk all the way to Cairo's most famous Souk where you can buy everything from plastic pyramids to spices and all sorts of random bric-a-brac. If you don't feel like bargaining, simply turn around and walk back to Al Hakim Mosque that manages to impress with an austere beauty and the refreshing absence of ornaments.

It's a short walk from Bab El-Shareya Metro station on the green line.

The Nile by Dahabiya.

It's definitely one of the highlight activities you can do in Egypt and shouldn't be missed. A Nile cruise from Luxor to Aswan can't be beat if you have a penchant for peace, quiet and travel on water. And while you're at it, give the large cruise ships that basically are floating hotels a miss and opt for a wind-powered Dahabiya instead. These beautiful and aesthetic boats accommodate only a maximum of 12 people in six comfy cabins, making this a most intimate experience. When you wake up in the morning you hear the chatter of birds and the gurgling of water as the Dahabiya glides through the tranquil Nile. At the same time, the small crew is already busy preparing stacks of crepes and fresh coffee. So, rush up the stairs to the communal breakfast table to greet your fellow passengers and soak in the scenery. It's all green fields and palm trees with the desert as a contrasting backdrop and the blue Nile to match, dotted with the occasional donkey or village kids or group of fishermen. During the day, there are plenty of excursions to temples and other sights that you can join, but the best part is always returning to the boat and being welcomed by the steward with cold a hibiscus drink and refreshing towels. After lunch, you will have ample time for a nap in one of the cosy nooks around the ship equipped with rugs and cushions and of course the amazing view out into the green, blue and ochre of Upper Egypt. If you're not careful, you might sleep all the way until dinner, which would of course be a shame, as you would miss both the lovingly prepared afternoon tea as well as the golden afternoon sun, best enjoyed with a sundowner to match.

http://www.lazulinil.com/

Kom El Dikka Agri Lodge.

Sometimes you just want to get out of the city with friends and family for a leisurely weekend in the countryside, not too close to town, yet not too far away either. If this is your craving, Kom El Dikka agrilodge in Fayoum is your best bet. Situated at the edge of picturesque Tunis Village between the settlement and the fields, their North House offers all you need for a great self-catering holiday. The beautiful, clean and spacious house with all amenities, including huge bathrooms and a generous open-plan kitchen, easily sleeps 6 with the option to add more people in the living room. Children can roam around freely on the property while grown-ups doze in the shade on the super-soft lawn that surrounds the house. Meals are best enjoyed on the terrace just outside the front door, from which the view goes out to the fields and the desert beyond. Take a stroll down to the lake and back through the village around sunset, then sit down and relax with a cold drink while the fire is lit and preps for a delicious BBQ are under way. Bliss.

https://www.facebook.com/komeldikkaagrilodge

Tea with Mint.

Imagine sitting on the crest of a sand dune in the middle of the Western Desert, there's a fire going while the sun disappears on the horizon. Your bedouin guide mixes together sugar, water, black tea and mint leaves into a sweet concoction that's being poured into tiny glasses and handed to you. You take a first sip and feel completely content. It's warm and refreshing at the same time. That's why we love simple tea with. Because it's the quintessential flavour of Arabia past and present. Also enjoyed in Cairo tea houses and at home with friends and family, but at it's best out in the vastness of the desert.

Blackstone Bistro.

Yes, we all love mezze and a helping of tamia or koshary, but sometimes the only thing that makes us feel happy is a generous portion of greasy American goodness and a cold beer. If you ever should feel a similar craving, there's no better place than Blackstone Bistro in Zamalek where you can hide from the world in their cosy interior of dark wood and black-and-white prints with scenes from New York. There's always some mellow tune playing and the light at just the right dimness to immediately feel at home. Wherever that might be. Their French Onion Soup is always a winner to fill an empty tummy as is their homemade burger, which comes with sweet potato fries and coleslaw. If you're more on the healthy side, Blackstone also boasts a variety of unusual salads like the Blackstone Cobb with raisins and blue cheese. Oh, and don't forget to try their iced tea. And if you still can't get enough, simply come back tomorrow morning for a killer breakfast of Eggs Benedict and French Toast. Caramelized Banana Pecan Waffle anyone?

http://www.blackstonebistro.com

Cake Café.

It's the weekend! Time to treat yourself to a good cup of coffee and some sweet treats. For our afternoon caffeine fix and bar of scrumptious pecan pie, we often head for the tiny Cake Café opposite the Islamic Ceramics Museum in Zamalek. It's one of the few places around where you can sit outside on the pavement and although they only have one small table with two chairs for al fresco eating, we often find it vacant. As if it's always waiting only for us. Most people seem to prefer the air-conditioned inside sitting area. It's a great, quiet spot close to the hubbub of El Gezira St where affluent parent ferry their kids to the sports club of the same name. Perfect for watching people or just the birds in the trees above.

https://www.facebook.com/CakeCafeCairo

Taziry Ecolodge.

Sometimes only Siwa is remote enough if you need to get away from it all and escape the mayhem of the big city. And if you want to give even the mild bustle of Siwa town a miss, look no further than Taziry Ecolodge. Around the corner from the more upmarket Adrere Amellal, this is a most charming mud-brick retreat, perfect to spend a couple of nights on the doorstep of the desert. Literally. The various guest rooms, dining rooms and lounges are scattered on the foot of a towering rock formation. You can have dinner under the stars and breakfast with a splendid lake view. Food is of exceptional quality and taste, a rare find in the Egyptian culinary scene. Feast on tender beef with dates and caramelized onions or succulent chicken basted with pomegranate molasses. A huge, deep pool invites guests for a cooling dip in the afternoon heat or after returning from an excursion to town or into the Great Sand Sea. Grab a book, make yourself at home on one of the palm-shaded daybeds and relax. Rooms are spacious and comfy and kept in a natural colour palette, all decorated with beautiful Siwan crafts. It might be wise to bring a torch as Taziry is only lit by candles and lanterns, which creates a magic atmosphere fit for Arabian Nights. Thanks to solar water heaters, you don't have to do without a hot morning shower, though. All good.

http://taziry.com

Siwa Oasis.

Hurry before it gets too hot during the summer months and escape to the beautiful Siwa oasis. We find it is the number one, must-see destination in Egypt. Forget about the Pyramids or the Red Sea, Siwa is where the magic happens. Let's face it, much of the beauty of Siwa is thanks to its remote location close to the Libyan border, so it managed to escape mass tourism well into the 21st century. Whether you are on a budget or want a deluxe retreat of sorts, Siwa caters to a diverse clientele from students to ambassadors. When in Siwa, make sure you explore the exquisite souvenir shops around the ancient fort in the centre of Siwa town full of rugs and scarves and salt lantern. Plus, don't forget to buy a glass of the amazing organic olive jam. Then, make your way to Cleopatra's Bath, a natural pool amidst a lush palm grove and take a cooling dip in the oxygen-rich water. Around the pool an assortment of funky little cafés and eateries has sprung up where you can have a fresh juice or light snack before you continue the journey. It's a bit like Goa circa 1970, sans the crowds. The true treasures of Siwa can however be found outside the actual oasis when you take a tour into the great sand sea that starts right at Siwa's doorstep. Marvel at the towering dunes and tranquil valleys strewn with shells that bear testimony to the fact that this once was an ocean floor. There's even a freshwater lake bordered by green reed that suddenly emerges like a mirage from the desert. Jump right in, it's oh-so refreshing. On the way back, ask your guide for some sweet tea with mint to be enjoyed while the sun disappears and night falls around you. This is as close to the cliché of Arabian Nights as it gets.

http://en.egypt.travel/city/index/siwa-oasis

The Huge Tree on El Borg St.

Because Cairo is not known as a city of trees safe for some enclaves in Zamalek or Maadi, greenery immediately garners attention around the city and every tree is a welcome distraction from the ubiquitous grey that dominates the scene. When on a Saturday stroll through the city, make sure you pass by one the most magnificent reminders of a more horticulturally minded past. It's impossible to miss the imposing monolith of a tree that dominates the centre of El Borg St on Gezira island. Drivers of horse carriages (and the horses) shelter here from the sweltering heat in summer and many birds have made the tree their home in the concrete jungle. Just sit there and marvel at nature's genius. Bring a book and a flask of fresh mint tea and enjoy the relative peace and quiet thanks to the (now derelict) nursery surrounding the area.

Asir Laymoun.

On of the most wonderful gifts of Egypt to the world, though its availability is sadly confined to Egypt and neighbouring countries for the most part, is fresh lemon juice. Known as Asir Laymoun in Arabic, it's made from a small, local variety of lemon that actually looks more like lime but doesn't have the distinct bright green colour of its sibling. To make the juice, lemons are simply cut in half and then frothed in a blender with some water and a dash of milk, then sweetened to taste with sugar or syrup. A version with mint leaves added before blending is both very common and super-tasty. In more upmarket establishments you can sweeten it yourself with syrup served on the side, but it's a lot of fun to simply try the lemon juice in as many places as possible and enjoy the nuanced differences in taste and texture. We especially love the Asir Laymoun at Taboula for its heavy lemon-and-mint aroma and sugary goodness.

A Stroll through G.S.C.

Gone are the times that smartly dressed gentlemen gathered here for a match of cricket, ladies lingered for a game of bridge, and Egypt's young elite flocked to the pool to exercise and gossip. Only some of the buildings still bear testimony to its colonial past as the Khedivial Sporting Club of the 1880s, one of them being the lovely red-bricked manager's cottage. The Gezira Sporting Club in Zamalek, short The Club, might have lost most of it's splendour and grandeur, but it still is a pleasant place for an extended stroll on a Saturday afternoon without the traffic, noise and hawkers that are a staple in most other parts of town. The good news is, it's now a rather democratic place, also granting access to us ordinary people as long as we can fork out the LE100 entrance fee. If you find the right entrance, though, it's only LE5. The Club is especially popular with families and while the young ones practise soccer or tennis, mummies and daddies meet over coffee and shish kebab in one of the many food outlets. Going with the times, there's a veritable food court now that can compete with most shopping malls around (if that's what you like), boasting even a miniature McDonalds branch and many an ice cream parlour.

Groppi.

It's one of those Downtown institutions that act as living reminder of Cairo's grand past as one of the cosmopolitan centres of a globalized world circa 1920. Occupying a chunk of prime property on beautiful Talaat Harb Square, Café Groppi welcomes its guests with an ornate entrance of wrought iron and large glass-and-wood doors that lead into the main hall, a cavernous space with huge windows, high ceilings and a splendid stone floor. Well, and this is unfortunately where the splendour ends. The coffee that's served here is decent but nothing to write home about and the cake display is very basic with even their modest Danishes not available most of the time. Given Groppi's status as one of the oldest cafés in Cairo with a name that even today manages to conjure up images of dapper gents and ladies meeting over high tea, you wonder why the owners don't capitalize more on this unique heritage. Still, it's a great spot to sit for a while and watch the crazy world pass by outside in the street. Bring a book and a camera and pretend you're Agatha Christie on a voyage of the Middle East.

Maison Thomas.

When the afternoon light comes shining in at the Maison Thomas Zamalek branch and the racing green interior gets that chic glow, you can for a moment or two forget the mayhem happening outside. An intriguing mix of an English country pub, a French bistro, and an Italian trattoria, Maison Thomas is a beloved Cairo classic and has been a mainstay of the capital's culinary scene ever since the golden 20s. Come here for a leisurely lunch of pizza and salad on the way from a meeting or on the way into a well-deserved weekend and watch the chefs working away at doughs and toppings behind the glass partition that separates the seating area with its bar stools and high tables from the kitchen. Their signature delivery boxes in natural brown with the restaurant's timeless logo printed on top are stacked high on the wall behind the kitchen and payment counters, so don't be surprised to see a stream of delivery boys darting in and out of the place to cart the hot pizzas to customers around town. Close your visit in style with an espresso and a helping of their heavenly tiramisu. Adds a silver lining to even the bleakest of days.

http://www.elmenus.com/cairo/restaurants/maison-thomas-1519

Cairo by Boat.

If you feel that Cairo is too dusty and noisy and overcrowded, try to change your perspective and take to the water. If you board one of the water buses that depart in front of Maspero TV tower in Downtown you slowly but surely leave all the buzz behind and crumbling buildings give way to a sometimes semi-urban, sometimes outright bucolic setting with banana plantations, donkeys grazing lazily next to the fields and the odd fisherman trying his luck in the muddy waters of the river Nile. You can for example take the 1.5 hour trip to Al Kanater, the barrages that mark the point where the Nile fans out into the delta. It used to be a favourite weekend trip of Cairenes from all walks of life, especially families with young kids. Judging from the buildings, the areas heyday probably was in the  1960s. Now, it's all rather derelict but the barrages themselves are still as impressive as they must have been when they were built in the early 20th century. Worth the journey! However, the best part about this excursion on the water is the return trip to Cairo in the soft afternoon light. As the boat glides on the glistening water under soaring bridges and the buildings turn into elegant silhouettes, Cairo is at its most calm and of an almost austere beauty.

Cairo Kitchen.

There's people who think that it's outright crazy to pay double or triple the price for something that can easily be had at a much lower cost a few block down the street. But then, these are probably people for whom food is all about affordability and taste. For us who also value attentive and friendly service, a homey atmosphere, beautiful design and clean tables, some savvy entrepreneurs invented Cairo Kitchen, the contemporary (and yes, somewhat posh) answer to Cairo's food carts that can be seen around town selling tamia, fool and grilled vegetables. Around town, four outlets welcome hungry guests with their signature mix of white-against-colour interiors and Mondrian-esque facades. Colourful light bulbs add to the quirky look and feel and you can easily pretend you've stepped into a never-ending summertime street festival. Charming! At the food counter you can choose between warm meals from molokheya to koshary and an array of salads, dips and appetizers, all served in rustic enamelware and oh-so delicious. Don't forget to try their great, bottomless juices and cordials! They also do deliveries (of course, this is Cairo!) and cater for smaller and larger functions.

Tired of eating out or ordering in? Thankfully, the guys behind Cairo Kitchen recently also developed a cookery book of the same name, wrapping Egypt's most beloved recipes into a gorgeous layout with pictures so heartbreakingly beautiful in its description of profane daily life in the city you might forget Cairo tends to look like a grey, Soviet-era nightmare way too often.

http://www.cairokitchen.com

Sekem Farm Hotel.

The perfect spot to unwind in a bucolic setting on the fringes of Cairo - and a very, very hidden gem, so no tourists guaranteed - is the simple but charming Sekem Farm Hotel in Belbeis. During your approach you leave behind the chaos of the big city and slowly but surely factories and housing estates give way to orchards, irrigation channels and mud brick walls, and you know it's the weekend. Located on the sprawling Sekem farm, where the Egyptian organic farming company of the same name grows all sorts of fresh produce for the capitals kitchens and restaurants, the hotel boasts cosy and airy rooms on two floors, connected by a vast terrace that runs around the building. Great for morning yoga or sundowner contemplation. It's all bright walls and wood and glass and freedom from kitsch and clutter. Plus, all rooms look out to the fields and lawns and trees and make for a pleasant change of scenery, complete with the sounds of country life to match. Think birds and the wind going through the trees at night. And if that's not enough twittering for you and you can't bear being disconnected for a couple of days, there even is free wifi. However, we suggest you rather go for a stroll amongst the fields and along tree-lined alleys and pop into the small organic store just around the corner to buy some goodies to remind you of this peaceful place back home in the city. Then, sit down for lunch and feast on fresh farm food made from local and seasonal ingredients. Bliss!

http://www.sekem.com/node/176