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 | Cairo Khan el Khalili Reviews | Tips 1 - 10 of 87 |  |
 | |  |  | Khan el Khalili: shopping in khan el khalili | Tip Rating:   |  |  | |  |
The grand souk of Cairo since the 14th century, this market fills the streets that slope gently down from Midan El-Hussein. With sections devoted to a Gold Bazaar, a Spice Bazaar, and a Perfume Bazaar, anything you'd ever want to find can be bargained for here—and hard bargaining is Egypt's most popular non-contact sport. Even if you don't plan to shop, the swirl of commerce, scent of spices, and colors of 1,001 Arabian goods make the market one of Cairo's top sights and a photographer's dream. Try to venture a bit beyond Midan El-Hussein before buying, as the goods get less touristy and the sellers less devoted to fleecing foreigners the deeper you get. It's closed Sundays. and generally speaking khan el khalili is a very big shopping area for tourists to buy souvenirs such as the papyrus,the perfumes,and galabias and alot of other things,and ofcourse dont forget to go to ELFISHAWY CAFE and enjoy smoking Egyptian shisha,im sure u'll like it its amazing Leave a Comment
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| | | | Khan el Khalili: Why do I love thee? | Tip Rating: | | | | |
I don't know why, but unlike Istanbul's Kapali Carsi (Grand Bazaar) which was clearly a tourist trap, I just fell in love with Khan el-Khalili, Cairo's (and arguably Egypt's) largest souk, which began as a small trading outpost in the 14th century A.D. Could it be the unpaved, dusty alleys lined with screaming hawkers? Or the colorful spice souks and the atmospheric ahwas (coffeehouses) filled with tourists and locals alike? Or is it simply the fact that most of the rough and tumble trade that goes on here are genuine, day-to-day activities carried out by the locals themselves in contrast to the contrived, mainly-for-tourist atmosphere that was characteristic of Kapali Carsi, which was how I initially expected Khan el-Khalili to be? Lucky me, I was wrong all along. While many souks, especially those close to Al Hussein Mosque, cater to tourists' insatiable appetite for trinkets and souvenirs, the inner souks, hidden behind medieval gates and known only to Khan el-Khalili regulars and adventurous tourists, are genuinely functioning markets where the trading of all things essential and not-so-essential had been going since the Medieval period. All does one need is a genuine sense of adventure and curiosity not to mention patience, in discovering these hidden nooks and crannies. A good camera also helps in capturing these priceless scenes. Leave a Comment Directions: Taxi is easiest way to go, about EGP 5 from Midan Tahrir to Al Hussein Mosque. You can also take the Metro (to Al-Marg from Midan Tahrir station), get off at Ataba station, which would cost EGP 1 one-way. From Ataba, it's a 10-min walk via Al Azhar St.
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Cairo
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