|
Originally a very British neighbourhood, despite its Continental grid of tree-lined boulevards, Zamalek still has bags of social cachet: renting a flat here is the Cairene equivalent of moving into Manhattan. Unlike most parts of Cairo, the quarter feels very private; residents withdraw into air-conditioned high-rises or 1930s apartment buildings, and with so many foreign companies and embassies in the area, most of the streets are lifeless after dark. Somewhat paradoxically, Zamalek also features some of the trendiest nightspots in Cairo. Near the Aguza side of the Gezira Sporting Club on Sharia Hassan Sabry, the Four Corners complex contains, among others, a deluxe French restaurant, Justine; there are more bars and restaurants to be found in the Marriott Hotel. Other places congregate north of the 26th July flyover. Gay men and British expats favour Pub 28, at the junction of Shagar al-Durr and Hassan Assim streets. The Longchamp disco is just around the corner on Sharia Ismail Mohammed. For eating with live music, there's El-Patio on Sharia Sayed al-Bakry, Il Capo on Sharia Taha Hussein next to President Hotel, and Five Bells on Sharia Ismail Mohammed. For Arab music and belly dancing, the top venue in Zamalek is the Empress Show Lounge at the Marriott Hotel. Zamalek by day has less to offer, though children may enjoy the aquarium grotto in Galabaya Park (daily 8.30am-3pm; 50pt), entered from Sharia Galabaya. For more cultural pursuits, head for the other end of Sharia el-Gezira as it curves around the northeastern edge of the Sporting Club. Here, a graceful nineteenth-century villa now houses the Museum of Islamic Ceramics; the Mahmoud Khalil Museum that was formerly housed here is now in Dokki. The modern annexes of the adjacent Cairo Marriott Hotel screen what was originally a "madly sumptuous palace" built for Empress Eugenie, later sold to wealthy Copts in lieu of Ismail's debts and turned into a hotel. Non-residents can wander in and loll amidst khedival splendour for the price of a drink.
Your Tip for Zamalek
Help other backpackers! Write your own guides and backpacking tips to Zamalek - they will appear instantly on this page - Please only write a tip/guide to Zamalek - visit the main Zamalek forum to ask a question!
Please do not post links to your site here (they won't work) - please use the Zamalek webguide section below! Thanks.
| 
