This is really two historic quarters, and both deserve time. Up on a limestone spur stands the Citadel of Saladin, a fortress-city begun in 1176; inside, the domed and minaretted alabaster Mosque of Muhammad Ali dominates the skyline, and its terrace gives the classic panorama over Cairo's rooftops to the pyramids on a clear day. Below sprawl the great medieval mosques, the vast Sultan Hassan and Al-Rifai facing each other, and pedestrian Al-Muizz Street's parade of Mamluk facades. A short drive south, Coptic Cairo huddles inside the Roman walls of Babylon fortress: the beautiful Hanging Church suspended over a gatehouse, the ancient Church of St Sergius where tradition says the Holy Family sheltered, the Ben Ezra Synagogue, and the Coptic Museum. Together they tell Cairo's Christian and Islamic story in a few walkable blocks. Dress modestly, cover shoulders and knees, and carry a scarf for the mosques.
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