High on the Muqattam Hills, the Citadel of Salah al-Din has watched over Cairo since the 12th century, and the view from its walls is reason enough to visit — on a clear day you can see the pyramids of Giza in the distance, a skyline that spans thousands of years in a single glance. Inside the Citadel walls sits the Mosque of Muhammad Ali, known locally as the Alabaster Mosque for the pale stone that covers its domes and courtyard, built in the Ottoman style in the 1830s and still one of the most photographed interiors in the city.

A short drive away, Old Cairo (also called Coptic Cairo) tells a completely different story. Narrow lanes lead past the Hanging Church, suspended over the gatehouse of a Roman fortress, and the Ben Ezra Synagogue, believed to mark the spot where the infant Moses was found. Christian tradition holds that the Holy Family sheltered nearby during their flight into Egypt, and the quiet, walled district still feels like a place apart from the noise of modern Cairo.

Because the Citadel and Old Cairo sit so close together, our guides combine them into a single full-day tour, often alongside the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization. It’s a good option for travelers who want Cairo’s Islamic and Christian history in one trip, without the back-and-forth across the city.