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Cairo Travel Guide Egypt. North Africa Tourism. Cairo History. Cairo is a sprawling, capital city that can be hard to understand and find your way around, but it sure is worth the effort. A huge city with many millions of inhabitants living alongside the banks of the River Nile and close to the breathtaking Pyramids of Giza, Cairo is home to some of the world's most famous sights, including the much loved Sphinx and its well-known broken nose, and the treasures of Tutankhamun. With so many of Egypt's treasures all grouped in one city, tourism has long been booming in Cairo and visiting tourists soon get used to the rather hectic and frenetic lifestyle. Cairo's backstreets still retain much of their medieval character and are worth exploring, while a stroll along the waterfront Corniche is a great way to escape the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Once you have spent just a few days in Cairo you will find yourself being drawn away from the many stunning structures here, becoming almost more interested in the everyday rituals based around city life. Cairo's most visited and popular tourist attractions include the City of the Dead - also known as the Northern Cemetery and home to many important tombs and burial sites; Khan Al-Khalili - a busy market sited within the very centre of Islamic Cairo and full of colourful, rather fragrant spices; the Pyramids at Giza - Cairo's spectacular and world-famous group of ancient edifices known all around the world; and Saqqara (Sakkara) - the historic capital of Cairo's Old Kingdom, containing a number of important royal tombs and ancient pyramids.