Coptic, Jewish and Islamic Cairo Tour

Your WOW Egypt Tours representative and driver will pick you up from your hotel, Cairo International Airport, Giza hotel, or your location in Cairo or Giza. You will be transferred by private modern air-conditioned vehicle with your private Egyptologist guide to begin your Coptic, Jewish and Islamic Cairo Tour.

Start your tour with the Hanging Church, also known as Saint Virgin Mary's Coptic Orthodox Church or Al-Muallaqa Church. The church is one of the most important Coptic churches in Old Cairo and is built above the southern gatehouse of the Roman Babylon Fortress.

The Hanging Church is traditionally connected with the 3rd century AD, with later restorations and rebuilds over the centuries. The Roman Babylon Fortress dates back to the Roman period in Egypt, around the 1st to 2nd centuries AD.

During your visit, your guide will explain the church’s architecture, wooden ceiling, icons, sanctuary screens, and its importance in the history of the Coptic Orthodox Church. The visit gives clear context about Christian heritage in Old Cairo, the religious importance of the Babylon Fortress area, and the development of Coptic churches in Egypt over many centuries.

Continue to Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church, also known as Abu Serga Church. The church is named after Saints Sergius and Bacchus, early 4th-century Christian martyrs, and is one of the most important churches in Old Cairo.

Abu Serga Church is traditionally connected with the journey of the Holy Family in Egypt. The church is usually dated to around the 4th or 5th century AD, with later restorations over different periods. During your visit, your guide will explain the history of the church, its underground crypt, its religious importance, and its place among the main Christian sites in Coptic Cairo.

The underground crypt is one of the main features of Abu Serga Church and is traditionally linked with the Holy Family’s stay in Egypt. The church is located near the Roman Babylon Fortress area, which dates back to the Roman period in Egypt, around the 1st to 2nd centuries AD.

The visit gives clear context about early Christianity in Egypt, Coptic heritage, the Holy Family tradition, and the religious importance of Old Cairo.

Continue to the Coptic Museum, one of the main museums in Cairo for Christian Egyptian history. The museum was inaugurated in 1910 and contains important collections connected with Coptic art, manuscripts, textiles, icons, woodwork, stone carvings, and religious history.

During your visit, your private Egyptologist guide will explain selected objects and how the museum connects ancient Egyptian, Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic-period influences in Coptic art and architecture. The museum includes collections that show the development of Christian Egyptian heritage from the early centuries AD through later medieval periods.

The Coptic Museum is an important stop for understanding the development of Christian heritage in Egypt. It gives clear context about Coptic church art, religious manuscripts, icons, textiles, architectural decoration, and the connection between Old Cairo churches and Christian Egyptian history.

Continue to Ben Ezra Synagogue, one of the main Jewish heritage sites in Old Cairo. The synagogue is located near the Roman Babylon Fortress area, which dates back to the Roman period in Egypt around the 1st to 2nd centuries AD, and close to important Coptic Christian monuments.

During your visit, your guide will explain the history of the synagogue, its role in the Jewish community of Egypt, and its importance as part of Old Cairo’s religious heritage. The site is also known for the Cairo Geniza, a collection of Jewish manuscripts and documents discovered in the 19th century.

Ben Ezra Synagogue is traditionally connected with older religious traditions and has been rebuilt and restored over time, with major history connected to the medieval period and later restorations. The visit gives clear context about Jewish Cairo, Old Cairo religious heritage, the Cairo Geniza, and the presence of Jewish, Coptic Christian, and Islamic communities in Cairo across different historical periods.

Lunch is served at local restaurant.

After lunch, continue to Saladin Citadel, one of the most important medieval monuments in Cairo. The Citadel was started by Salah al-Din in 1176 AD as a fortified complex to protect Cairo and became a major seat of government for several centuries.

During your visit, your private Egyptologist guide will explain the history of the Citadel, its military role, its location overlooking Cairo, and its importance during the Ayyubid, Mamluk, and Ottoman periods.

Saladin Citadel remained an important center of power in Egypt from the late 12th century AD until the 19th century. Its high position on the Mokattam Hills gives wide views over Cairo and helps explain why the site was chosen for defense, administration, and control of the city.

Continue to Sultan Hassan Mosque and Madrasa, one of the most important Mamluk monuments in Cairo. It was built during the 14th century AD under Sultan Hassan and is known for its large scale, high entrance, stonework, and strong Mamluk architectural style.

Sultan Hassan Mosque and Madrasa was constructed between 1356 and 1363 AD and is considered one of the major examples of Mamluk religious architecture in Cairo. During your visit, your guide will explain the function of the building as both a mosque and a madrasa, the role of religious education in medieval Cairo, and the importance of Mamluk architecture in the city’s Islamic monuments.

The building gives clear context about Islamic Cairo during the Mamluk period, including mosque design, madrasa planning, religious teaching, stone decoration, monumental entrances, and the political power of Mamluk sultans in the 14th century AD.

Continue to Al Rifa'i Mosque, located beside Sultan Hassan Mosque. The mosque was built mainly during the 19th and early 20th centuries and is known for its large prayer hall, royal tombs, and architectural connection with the older Sultan Hassan complex nearby.

Al Rifa'i Mosque was completed in 1912 AD after a long construction period that began in the 19th century. Your guide will explain the history of the mosque, its role as a royal burial place, and how its design was planned to stand beside one of Cairo’s major Mamluk monuments.

The mosque gives clear context about later Islamic architecture in Cairo, royal burial traditions, and the connection between 19th-century religious buildings and older Mamluk monuments in the historic Citadel area.

Continue to Khan El Khalili Bazaar, one of Cairo’s most famous historic market areas. The bazaar was founded in the late 14th century AD, around 1382 AD, during the Mamluk period and remains an important commercial and cultural area in Islamic Cairo.

During your visit, you will walk through old market lanes, shops, and historic streets near El Moez Street. Your guide will explain the history of the bazaar, its connection with trade in medieval Cairo, and its role as one of the most visited old market areas in Egypt.

Khan El Khalili Bazaar is located near Al-Azhar Mosque, which was founded in 970 AD, and close to several monuments and streets from the Mamluk and Ottoman periods. The area gives clear context about markets, trade, local crafts, and daily commercial life in historic Cairo.

End your tour with a visit to El Moez Street, also known as Al Muizz Street, one of the most important historic streets in Cairo. The street is connected with the foundation of Fatimid Cairo in 969 AD and includes many Islamic monuments from the Fatimid, Ayyubid, Mamluk, and Ottoman periods.

El Moez Street extends for about 1 km through Islamic Cairo and includes gates, mosques, madrasas, sabils, palaces, old houses, and historic commercial areas. During your walking visit, your guide will explain the history of the street, its main monuments, and its importance in the urban layout of medieval Cairo.

El Moez Street gives a clear view of Islamic architectural development in Cairo over more than 1,000 years, from the Fatimid foundation of the city in the 10th century AD through later Mamluk and Ottoman additions.

After completing your Coptic, Jewish and Islamic Cairo Tour, you will be transferred back by private air-conditioned vehicle to your hotel, Cairo International Airport, Giza hotel, or your location in Cairo or Giza.