Hidden Cairo Music Royalty and Ancient Taxes (half day tour)

Hidden Cairo Music Royalty and Ancient Taxes (half day tour)

This half day tour will give you the opportunity to see some of the hidden gems of Cairo that most tourists never visit. Rhoda Island, in the Nile, has some of the most charming sites in the City.

Visit the stunning Al Manial Palace, built for Prince Mohamed Ali. Wander through the rooms and see beautiful works of art, a world renowned carpet collection, and precious antiques.

Following an easy stroll from Manial Palace, you will see where the flood waters of the Nile were measured to decide on the level of taxes, and marvel and the wonderful design and architecture of this functional building.

Another short walk and you will visit the Umm Kulthum Museum and learn the amazing story of the most famous singer you've never heard of, who caused the whole of Egypt to mourn when she died.

Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: Manial Palace Museum, 1 Saray Street Manyal, Cairo 11511 Egypt

A true hidden gem in Cairo, the rarely visited Al Manial Palace was built for Prince Mohammad Ali between 1899 and 1929, and was given to the Egyptian nation in 1955. It is a stunning building, full of rare treasures and surrounded by lush gardens where you can see rare plants that were planted by the Prince himself. It is beautifully preserved with five detached palace buildings including the main residence, the throne room, the golden hall and the palace mosque. Turkish ceramics and priceless carpets adorn the walls, and plaster and wooden ceilings are decorated with intricate designs and works of art.

The arabesque living quarters and salons abound with Turkish jades, Persian opals and beautiful ceramics; the palace's marble and wooden floors are covered with priceless oriental carpets forming one of the world’s most important collections. The walls meanwhile are grafted with Sermas-silk embroideries and portraits of Egyptian and Turkish royals.

Duration: 3 hours

Stop At: Nilometer, Roda Island, Cairo 11511 Egypt

Featured in Atlas Obscura, the definitive guide to the world's hidden wonders, the Nilometer is n ancient instrument used to measure the waters of the Nile so Egyptian farmers would know whether to expect famine or flood. It was built in AD 861 and is a stunning example of art meeting functionality. Its designs and architecture are truly wonderful to behold. No longer used to measure the Nile flood waters, it is left to us to marvel at the beauty and ingenuity.

Duration: 30 minutes

Stop At: Umm Kolthoum Museum, 1 El Malek El Saleh St. Manial El Roda, Cairo 11511 Egypt

Did you know that Egypt had a singer who was an influence on Bob Dylan, Robert Plant, Bono and Youssou N'Dour? This was Umm Kolthoum, who sold 80 million records worldwide and was a national icon in Egypt. When she died in 1975, around four million Egyptians lined the streets to mourn her death. She was known to have an extraordinary vocal style. Visit this lovely little museum that honours her life and learn more about this extraordinary woman.

Duration: 45 minutes