Travel: A walking tour of Cairo

Cairo’s old city has long been famous for the three Cs: crowds, crumbling buildings and . . . overflowing sewers. A decade-long restoration programme, however, and extensive sewage works have made its main street fit for princes.

Founded a little over 1,001 years ago, the old city was originally the preserve of caliphs and viziers. They lived in two sprawling palaces of such beauty and splendour, the 12th-century crusader William of Tyre doubted anyone would believe his description.

The palaces disappeared long ago, but that hasn’t stopped Cairenes continuing to call the street that separated them Bayn al-Qasrayn — Between the Palaces. And along this palace walk lies a princely feast of medieval mosques, crumbling caravanserais, restored mansions and elaborate Koran schools. There’s even some good shopping to be done along the way.

History hangs around every doorway, but nowhere more than at Bab Zuweila, the grand, twin-towered southern gate. This was a popular meeting place long before crowds gathered in 1517 to watch the Turks hang the defeated Egyptian sultan.
The complete guide to modern day Cairo

Perhaps to counter the evil of execution, locals also believed that a holy spirit inhabited the place, and until recently they nailed teeth, rags and other offerings to the gate, hoping the saint would help to cure the ill. The relics were cleared away in a recent restoration, but, as with so much in the old city, the legend lives on.

Beware walking through this gate with a head full of stories and distracting memories, because, once inside, the city will rush at you.