Travel Blogger

Hey, everyone! My name is Matt Karsten. I’m a full-time travel blogger. On my travel blog, I share entertaining stories, useful travel tips, fun videos and crazy adventures with you.

I’ve been to one of the most interesting and magical cities recently, and I would like to share what I’ve experienced. The city is Cairo in Egypt. Its name may surprise you because Cairo isn’t very high on most people’s list of their favourite destinations. You may automatically associate the word ‘magic’ with places like Paris, Rio or Venice, but Cairo is the most interesting city I have ever visited. It is an amazing city full of life and movement, and it is like this almost 24 hours a day. In Cairo, the inhabitants are mostly Egyptians. The city looks powerful, modern and ancient at the same time. Of course, it is not perfect in every way. For one thing, the weather can be a problem. The temperatures may go up to 40 degrees centigrade during summer. The best time to visit Cairo is before mid-June or after mid-September. During summer, the heat may be awful. In other words, it may be difficult to tolerate. Cairo is crowded, and on your first visit, you may think that it is too noisy because of the car horns, children playing and street sellers. It is usually dusty because the wind blows the sand from the surrounding desert, and the traffic may seem disorganised. But as the Egyptians say, ‘Malesh’, that is ‘It doesn’t matter.’ Cairo will still fascinate you with the variety of its everyday life.

Let me tell you about some tourist attractions in Cairo. Because it is the official capital of Egypt, Cairo is close to almost every Egyptian pyramid, such as the Great Pyramids of Giza. The bus from the central Tahrir Square will take you to the pyramids, about ten miles away, in an hour. Those who are more interested in the present than the past can get on a tram in Bob El-luk Square nearby and ride up towards Saladin’s Citadel. From there, they will have a spectacular view of most of Cairo, and the pyramids, far away across the Nile. However, you can also see many ancient temples, tombs, churches, magnificent Muslim monuments and, of course, the Egyptian Antiquities Museum. Many of Cairo’s pleasures are cheap, but you should try to stay away from the usual tourist places. In such locations, you may spend much more money than you expect. A walk along the banks of the Nile under the palm trees will cost you nothing. However, you may find it difficult to resist tasting the local food. You may like to try a delicious full sandwich, which is Egyptian bread filled with black beans. The best way of seeing the country outside Cairo is by car, but keep your petrol tank full because service stations are often far away. However, even if you run out of fuel, don’t panic. There is always someone with some petrol in the nearest village, and he will sell it to you at a reasonable price. In Cairo, the magic is everywhere. It provides great culture, including art galleries and music halls, such as the Cairo Opera House.

Cairo also offers an incredible selection of leisure, shopping, and nightlife activities. Shopping ranges from the famous old Khan el-Khalili bazaar to modern air-conditioned centres. Nightlife is also very colourful with many bars and discos. Moreover, the city offers some of the greatest hotels and restaurants in the world, such as the Four Seasons and the Cairo Marriott. There are hundreds of more examples, but my advice is to go there and experience the magic yourself. If you want to learn more about my other trips, make sure to visit my blog.