Hotels near Khan el-Khalili

Founded in 1382 by Emir Jaharkas el-Khalili and rebuilt by Sultan al-Ghuri in 1511, Khan el-Khalili remains the beating heart of Islamic Cairo. The covered alleys spread over roughly 0.4 square kilometres around al-Mu'izz Street and stock copperware, hand-blown glass, perfumes, spices, papyrus and silver jewellery. Bargain firmly: a fair price is usually 40-50 percent of the opening number. Stop at El Fishawy Cafe (open since 1773) for mint tea and shisha, then the Khan el-Khalili Restaurant on the second floor for kebabs with a view of the al-Hussein mosque dome. Most shops trade Saturday to Thursday from around 10 AM to 9 PM and pause briefly for Friday prayers. Pickpockets work the densest lanes after dark, so keep wallets in front pockets.

Pro Tip: The smaller copper alley behind the main bazaar (Sagha Street) sells the same engraved trays at 30-40 percent lower prices than the tourist-facing stalls.