Half Day Private Tour to visit the Coptic Quartet of Old Cairo
Description
Your professional guide will take you from your hotel in Cairo or Giza to start a private visit to Coptic and Islamic Cairo. Enjoy your visit to the ancient Cairo through viewing the Hanging Church dating back to the third century. You will watch also Ben Ezra Synagogue which is the oldest Jewish temple in Cairo, dating back to the 9th century AD. The Church of Abu Serga which is one of the oldest Coptic churches in Egypt, This church is very famous for having been constructed upon the crypt where the Holy Family hid for three weeks during their sojourn in Egypt. Then visit the Castle of Salah al-Din that was built by him on the hills of Moqattam in 1183 AD. At the same place, you will have the chance to see the Alabaster mosque of Mohammed Ali Basha, which is built inside the castle, and it is considered the most important mosque in Cairo. Finally upon finishing your visit to the landmarks of Coptic and Islamic Cairo, we will drop you off to your hotel.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Saints Sergius and Bacchus Church is traditionally believed to have been built on the spot where the Holy Family, Joseph, Mary and the infant Jesus Christ, rested at the end of their journey into Egypt. They may have lived here while Joseph worked at the fortress. The church is of significant historical importance, and in fact, it is where many patriarchs of the Coptic Church were elected
The Hanging Church is named for its location above a gatehouse of Babylon Fortress, the Roman fortress in Coptic Cairo (Old Cairo); its nave is suspended over a passage. The church is approached by twenty-nine steps; early travelers to Cairo dubbed it "the Staircase Church". The land surface has risen by some six meters since the Roman period, so the Roman tower is mostly buried below ground, reducing the visual impact of the church's elevated position
The synagogues have included a geniza, or repository for abandoned or outdated documents containing the name of God, since Jewish teaching is that such papers had to be stored with reverence, and then eventually buried in a cemetery. The 11th-century building incorporated an unusually large geniza, "two stories high, more silo than attic – with a rooftop opening accessible from above
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Your Hotel in Cairo or Giza. WhatsApp mobile number is highly recommended.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(28)
Bassant and Kiru were amazing guides. They picked us up directly from our hotel and took us to see some of the most important sites in Egypt (Coptic and Islamic). Bassant is incredibly knowledgeable. She weaves in stories with history to really captivate your attention. She even was so kind to get us cold and waters and juices in the heat. I would highly recommend both for your tour of Egypt. We made it a short day due to jet lag but Bassant invited us to see additional places like the civilization museum and shops as well as pyramids. I loved that she gave us not only history on the incredible buildings we were seeing but also information about living in Egypt and the culture.
We had wonderful day at GEM which is amazing and unforgettable. Also our guide Gina from Twitter Egypt Travel was very professional and helpful.
So glad our guide Hager was with us. She put all the history into context with what we were seeing. Highly recommend having a guide as you would otherwise not understand what you were seeing.
Everything about the tour was great. Starting with timely pickup from our hotel and the visit to the sights. We were comfortable and felt safe and loved the commentary.
Our tour to the Coptic Quarter and the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization, led by Mario Nagy, was a wonderful experience and a great deal for the money. He was knowledgable, approachable and friendly. We were driven by Kyro, who, when I asked him to stop by a pharmacy for cough drops, did so and even paid for them. He wouldn't let me pay him back. About a half hour after we arrived back at our hotel, we got a call from Kyro stating that he had overpaid them by $50 and brought it back to us! We were very touched at his honesty. We used Twitter Egypt Travel for our VIP Meet and Greet and this tour. Highly recommend them, Mario and Kyro!
Spent the day with Mario visiting Coptic Cairo and new Grand Egyptian Museum. A fun and engaging guide with a deep knowledge of Egyptian history.
Day trip with Mario exploring Coptic Cairo and Grand Egyptian Museum. Our guide had an intimate knowledge of Egyptian history and was able to enrich the experience. A very fund day with a wonderful guide.
Our guide, Dina, made everything possible for us and responded quickly to our requests so that we could fully enjoy ourvisit to the old churches and the Museum. Her professional manner, knowledge, and flexibility made our trip extremely comfortable and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience and time in Cairo. Many thanks.
Mario is a great Egyptologist! He took us to old Cairo and taught us all about the Orthodox churches there. He was great with both our kids, ages 2 and 8. Very responsible, kind knowledgeable, and fun. He picked a great local place for lunch too!
Our Tour Guide Dina is exceptional with her knowledge of Ancient Egypt. She has a kind nature and is passionate about her country’s ancient civilization. The tour was both educational and inspiring. Our Tour Leader Kyrillos, led the way through the streets of Cairo like a champ! A very patient man with a great sense of humor. Very kind and knowledgeable. We were very impressed and would recommend you contact Isaac at Viator to book your tour or tours with Dina and Kyrillos.
