Fodor's Expert Review Khan el-Khalili
At this great medieval souk, surrounded by a maze of winding streets and alleys, the air is perfumed with incense, and shopping is a chaotic but thoroughly authentic experience. Everyone, visitors and Cairenes alike, comes here to hunt for traditional items: carpets, gold, silver, clothing, spices, perfumes, waterpipes, jewelry, handicrafts, books, pottery, blown glass, leather, papyrus, pharaonic replicas—you name it. And no one ever buys anything at first price; bargaining is the modus operandi here.
The Khan and its surrounding streets also have lots of places to eat. Look for grilled-meat restaurants on the corner of Maydan al-Husayn and Shar'a Muski and places that specialize in fiteer, Egyptian pancakes filled with everything from feta cheese to raisins, between Shar'a Muski and Shar'a al-Azhar.
It's always best to pay using cash, as credit-card purchases can incur a 3% to 6% service charge (ask before handing over your plastic). And if you run out of Egyptian... READ MORE
At this great medieval souk, surrounded by a maze of winding streets and alleys, the air is perfumed with incense, and shopping is a chaotic but thoroughly authentic experience. Everyone, visitors and Cairenes alike, comes here to hunt for traditional items: carpets, gold, silver, clothing, spices, perfumes, waterpipes, jewelry, handicrafts, books, pottery, blown glass, leather, papyrus, pharaonic replicas—you name it. And no one ever buys anything at first price; bargaining is the modus operandi here.
The Khan and its surrounding streets also have lots of places to eat. Look for grilled-meat restaurants on the corner of Maydan al-Husayn and Shar'a Muski and places that specialize in fiteer, Egyptian pancakes filled with everything from feta cheese to raisins, between Shar'a Muski and Shar'a al-Azhar.
It's always best to pay using cash, as credit-card purchases can incur a 3% to 6% service charge (ask before handing over your plastic). And if you run out of Egyptian pounds, the Khan has plenty of ATMs. Note that most shops are closed on Sunday and before and/or during Friday prayers (the hour around noon or 1 pm).
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