Cairo has a lot of nicknames, including “The mother of all cities”, “City of 1000 Minarets” & “The city that never sleeps”, you have to come and see by yourself which fits it the most.

Summer or winter in Cairo are always exciting. Students are in close proximity to the city's favorite attractions; the hundreds of possibilities offered by the one-of-a-kind Khan El Khalili Bazaar, and the non-sleeping city center. From the legendary pyramids, to the amazing cultural shows, to the cruise on the Nile, there is no limit to the way students can integrate studying in our program with the necessary relaxation time that goes with it.

Orientation:
Today's Cairo is a city with at least 18 million inhabitants, where the rich and impoverished live side by side and skyscrapers and fast food restaurants nestle up to world heritage. Egypt is a predominantly Muslim country so you should wear modest clothing. Skirts & shorts above the knee level are not preferred within the streets of Cairo.

Culture & Arts:
Cairo deserves the reputation that it has been given as the capital of arts and culture in the middle east. The imprints of the Pharos, Greeks, Romans & Ottomans can be found everywhere in Cairo side by side with the Islamic & Coptic monuments. There are tens of museums in Cairo, one of the most famous museums in the world is The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities, which is commonly known as the “Egyptian Museum” in Cairo. It is home for the most extensive collection of ancient Egyptian antiquities in the world. It has more than 120,000 items among its walls. There is also the “Cairo Opera House”, one of the most famous Opera houses in the middle east, which hosts a lot of popular world-class shows every month. The cultural shows take place every week in different places where you can enjoy some amazing shows that you will never see anywhere in the world but here.

Weather & Climate:
Weather in Cairo is generally hot and dry, with hardly any rain or clouds. Days are commonly warm or hot, and nights are cool. Egypt has only two seasons: a mild winter from November to April and a hot summer from May to October. The average temperature of Cairo in February is 18°C/65°F, & the average temperature in August is 35°C/95°F. The best way to deal with Cairo August weather conditions is to dress with lightweight cotton or linen garments. Do bring sunscreen, sunglasses and a sturdy hat.

Currency:
The Egyptian pound is divided into 100 piasters with denominations identified both in English and Arabic. Currency can be exchanged at the airport or at anywhere in Cairo. The Egyptian pound is shortly written as “L.E.” (which stands for Livre Egyptien) Major credit cards (American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa) are accepted in hotels, super markets & restaurants, but infrequently in regular shops. ATMs are available nearly in each street in Cairo. Traveler’s checks are also accepted. Over the past six months, the exchange rate to U.$. Dollar has averaged 5.5 Egyptian pounds and to European €uro about 8.2 Egyptian pounds.

Time Zone:
Egypt is 2 hours ahead of GMT (+2 GMT). Daylight saving time is applied starting from the 1st of April until the 1st of October to convert the time zone to +3 GMT.

Getting around:
Transportation in Cairo comprises an extensive road network, rail system, subway system and maritime services for the more than 15.2 million inhabitants of the city. Cairo is the hub of almost the entire Egyptian transport network. Using public transport is not recommended in Cairo with the exception of the air-conditioned buses & the clean, cheap and efficient metro system. The metro is one of Cairo’s delights. The system is clean, quick, cool, safe and cheap, operating from 6:00 a.m. till midnight. There are two operating lines covering the major parts of Cairo and a third line which is under construction. You can always use a taxi in the streets of Cairo, recently there 2 types of taxis, the old “black & white” taxi, and the new “yellow” City-Cab. The new City-Cab service (which is more luxurious and reliable) can be called by phone to come to you wherever you are with a rate starting from 3.5 LE, while with the normal old taxi, you can pick it up from the streets on the spot and negotiate about the price in the end of the trip. Average distances with the old taxi would cost you 6-8 pounds (1€).

Safety and security:
Crime in Egypt is nearly nonexistent. However, in tourism areas few pickpockets and petty thieves may exists, so be careful and remember that the most helpful tourism police are usually nearby.

Still want to see more?
You can download from HERE some Google Earth place marks for Cairo & Egypt, for places that you really shouldn't miss visiting during your stay among us in Egypt.