Cairo is one of the world’s must-go destinations. There’s the beautiful setting by the Nile, and amid all the chaos is faded grandeur in Paris-like architecture downtown. But it’s as a gateway to the Giza pyramids and the spectacular treasures of the Egyptian Museum that should place Cairo on anyone’s travel list.

Cairo, Egypt’s sprawling capital, is set on the Nile River. At its heart is Tahrir Square and the vast Egyptian Museum, a trove of antiquities including royal mummies and gilded King Tutankhamun artifacts. Nearby, Giza is the site of the iconic pyramids and Great Sphinx, dating to the 26th century BC. In Gezira Island’s leafy Zamalek district, 187m Cairo Tower affords panoramic city views