Coptic Cairo Tour: Cave Church & Old Cairo Churches
About this activity
Highlights
- Explore the Cave Church of Saint Simon
- Visit the Hanging Church of Saint Virgin Mary
- Discover the Ben Ezra Synagogue
- See the Coptic Museum's ancient artifacts
- Enjoy a traditional Egyptian lunch
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Guided tour of Coptic Cairo's historic churches
- Visit to the Cave Church of Saint Simon
- Lunch at a local restaurant
- Personal expenses and gratuities
Itinerary
As Per Requested time Pick up from the Hotel by Your guide to Start your Half day tour to Old Cairo that Also known as Coptic Cairo which is mean Christian Cairo it has been Recognized as a holy place because some of the locations there has been visited by the Holy Family where the spiritual impact of their presence is most felt still; though their stay was brief, for the Governor of what was then Fustat enraged by the tumbling down of idols at Jesus’ approach sought to kill the Child. But they took shelter from his wrath in a cave above which, in later years, the Church of Abu Serga (St Sergius) was built. This and the whole area of the Fort of Babylon is a destination of pilgrimage not only for the Egyptians but for Christians from around the world. An air of piety and devotion pervades the whole district there.
Saint Barbara Coptic known in the Eastern Orthodox Church as the Great Martyr Barbara, was an early Christian Lebanese and Greek saint and martyr. Accounts place her in the 3rd century in Heliopolis Phoenicia, present-day Baalbek, Lebanon. There is no reference to her in the authentic early Christian writings nor in the original recension of Saint Jerome's martyrology
The Hanging Church is named for its location above a gatehouse of Babylon Fortress, the Roman fortress in Coptic Cairo (Old Cairo); its nave is suspended over a passage.[2] The church is approached by twenty-nine steps; early travelers to Cairo dubbed it "the Staircase Church".[2] The land surface has risen by some six metres since the Roman period, so the Roman tower is mostly buried below ground, reducing the visual impact of the church's elevated position
his was the synagogue whose geniza or store room was found in the 19th century to contain a treasure of forgotten, stored-away Hebrew, Aramaic and Judeo-Arabic secular and sacred manuscripts. The collection, known as the Cairo Geniza, was brought to the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England at the instigation of Solomon Schechter. It is now divided between several academic libraries, with the majority being kept at the Cambridge University Library.
s the Coptic Orthodox saint associated with the story of the moving the Mokattam Mountain in Cairo, Egypt, during the rule of the Muslim Fatimid Caliph al-Muizz Lideenillah (953–975) while Abraham the Syrian was the Pope of the Coptic Orthodox Church
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- The tour is conducted in English; ensure you understand the language.
- Photography may be restricted in certain religious sites; ask for permission before taking photos.
- Be prepared for a moderate amount of walking; the tour covers several historical sites.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes for exploring ancient sites.
- Bring a hat and sunscreen to protect against the sun.
- Carry a bottle of water to stay hydrated during the tour.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Easy Public Transport
- Infant Seats Available
Traveler reviews
Incomplete trip
Overall, it was a good experience. I already knew most of the places from a previous visit to Egypt except for the cave of San Simón. I could not visit that cave because the guide informed me, too late, that the cave was closed due to an official event. Total disappointment due to this point. Will they return half of what the tour cost me? Final result, I did not get to see that cave and I will never see it again since I will not return to Egypt.
Great tour
Had an overall amazing experience highly recommend.
Leave your mental baggage at home because this ain't Disneyworld.
I'm an experienced world traveler so this isn't my first rodeo. Sleeping in tents and taking cold showers is nothing new to me so my opinions are based on my experience. My tour guide was Karma and my driver was Muhammed. Doing the tour with them was like visiting family. She would explain the historical significance of an area and I was able to ask questions and move along at a casual pace because we weren't part of a large group. Visiting Egypt let me know that not only can Muslims, Jews and Christians live together, but so can people that have different shades of skin. This tour was educational, relaxing and fun for me. Just prepare yourself for Egyptian traffic. The road leading to the Coptic church would be a good challenge for any Jeep or Landrover.
Another view of churches in Egypt
It was a great experience and very informative- our guide was excellent with so much info
Poor.
The tour is fine but the guide although friendly has a fairly basic knowledge, gives very little data and sometimes wrong. The agency does not answer and communicating with them is very difficult, I did 2 tours with them and in both I had trouble communicating with them.