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Photo: Yasser Nazmi, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The Al-Azhar Park is overlooking Darb al-Ahmar and the Citadel. Built on a garbage dump, it's today a green lung of Cairo and a pleasant area to stroll around and enjoy magnificent views of the city. It hosts a restaurant in a modern castle-style building and several good cafes. The theater has musical events almost every evening.
© OpenStreetMap contributors
Founded in 970, al-Azhar is one of Cairo's oldest mosques and the world's oldest operating university.
One of the most sacred Islamic sites in the country and the Middle East, the mosque hosts the shrine in which the head of Ibn al-Hussein, the grandson of Muhammed the Prophet, is alleged to have been buried. The present building dates to 1870 and replaces a much earlier 12th century mosque. The Midan (square) before the mosque forms one of the most convenient access points to the Khan el-Khalili.
el'arafa
A Islamic necropolis and cemetery made of regular houses and wall but without roofs, inside of which and between still people are living.
Built by Mamluk Sultan Al-Nasir c. 1304 in honor of his father Qalawun. The complex contains a mosque, a madrasah (Islamic school) and the mausoleum where Sultan Qalawun is buried. The mausoleum in particular is often described as the world's second most beautiful, second only to the Taj Mahal, which it slightly resembles.
مسجد الرفاعي
Built in 1911, this mosque holds the tombs of a great number of Egyptian aristocrat families and also the last Shah of Iran, who retreated to Cairo after being ousted from power in his country.
Garbage City
This neighborhood is home to large numbers of Coptic Christians. It is Cairo's largest enclave of Zabbaleen (garbage people) - Orthodox Christians who collect garbage throughout Cairo, sort through the garbage in their enclave, and sell the recyclables to earn their living. Being non-Muslim, they historically fed the garbage to pigs they owned, however in 2009 all pigs were killed by the government due to fear of "swine flu". Because of the Zabbaleen, Cairo has a recycling rate higher than North America despite the lack an effective state funded recycling system. This enclave is not used to strangers, thus the community may have concerns with pictures being taken. Due to the garbage processing, the presence and smell of garbage is more prevalent than elsewhere in Cairo. The walk through Garbage City is alone worth the trip, as you get to see real life Cairo for many of its residents. Being a Christian neighborhood, there is also a beautiful monastery carved into a mountain side, the largest monastery in the Middle East by seating capacity.