As-Sayidah Zaynab Travel Guide

Cairo

#history

Originally Beit El Kertlia, this historic home has so many grand rooms, ornate decor, beautiful courtyards, gardens and and my favorite part, the rooftop (you can see Ibn Tulum mosque from here). ⁣
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One of the many interesting features in this house, is an indoor well, it is in the first room you can enter to your right. They say if you stare closely down the well, you'll see the face of your lover staring back at you (sadly, I did not see anything!) ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
It's free to enter the mosque and 60 LE to enter the museum. If you have a camera there's an additional 50 LE ticket.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
#history

Originally Beit El Kertlia, this historic home has so many grand rooms, ornate decor, beautiful courtyards, gardens and and my favorite part, the rooftop (you can see Ibn Tulum mosque from here). ⁣
⁣
One of the many interesting features in this house, is an indoor well, it is in the first room you can enter to your right. They say if you stare closely down the well, you'll see the face of your lover staring back at you (sadly, I did not see anything!) ⁣⁣
⁣⁣
It's free to enter the mosque and 60 LE to enter the museum. If you have a camera there's an additional 50 LE ticket.⁣⁣
⁣⁣
Said to be the oldest mosque in Cairo still in its original form and the largest mosque in Cairo. The carpets were laid out just prior to prayer time. Tourists were welcome but you'll go barefoot and women need to cover their heads and be modestly dressed.
The Mosque of Ahmad Ibn Ţūlūn from 879 AD is arguably the oldest mosque in Cairo surviving in its original form, and is the largest mosque in the city in terms of land area. The mosque was commissioned by Ahmad ibn Ţūlūn, the Abbassid governor of Egypt from 868–884 whose rule was characterized by de facto independence.

It was constructed on a small hill called Gebel Yashkur, "The Hill of Thanksgiving." One local legend says that it is here that Noah's Ark came to rest after the Deluge, instead of at Mount Ararat.

Parts of the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me were filmed at this mosque.

Do not miss it if you are around these parts of the world.

Popular places to visit


Top hotels in As-Sayidah Zaynab

Le Méridien Cairo Airport

Le Méridien Cairo Airport

5 out of 5
Cairo Airport , Terminal 3 Cairo
The price is ₹13,648 per night from 12 Mar to 13 Mar
₹13,648
₹17,942 total
12 Mar - 13 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this luxury hotel in Cairo. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, 3 restaurants and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in their ...
9.4/10 Exceptional! (1,136 reviews)
Frankly, the quality of the room service food was unsatisfactory. The Director of Culinary (Mr Ezzat) personally paid us a room visit and was deeply apologetic. He erased our charge for the food and offered to make it right.

Reviewed on 7 Mar 2026

Le Méridien Cairo Airport
Marriott Mena House Cairo

Marriott Mena House Cairo

5 out of 5
6 Pyramids Road Giza
The price is ₹46,793 per night from 10 Mar to 11 Mar
₹46,793
₹60,343 total
10 Mar - 11 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this luxury hotel in Giza. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and 3 restaurants. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (837 reviews)
Yes

Reviewed on 26 Feb 2026

Marriott Mena House Cairo
Sofitel Cairo Downtown Nile

Sofitel Cairo Downtown Nile

5 out of 5
Cairo Cairo
The price is ₹12,386 per night from 10 Mar to 11 Mar
₹12,386
₹15,973 total
10 Mar - 11 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this luxury hotel in Cairo. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and 4 restaurants. Popular attractions Egyptian Museum and Tahrir Square are located ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (217 reviews)
Points positifs:Hôtel près des pyramides et du grand Musée. Situé dans un quartier bouillonnant d’activités. Personnels gentils. Points négatifs: un peu loin du Nil du centre ville ainsi que les autres attractions. Entrée de l’hôtel n’est pas évident. Même l’adresse n’était pas évidente pour les ...

Reviewed on 7 Mar 2026

Sofitel Cairo Downtown Nile
Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino

Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino

5 out of 5
Galaa Square Giza
The price is ₹13,625 per night from 10 Mar to 11 Mar
₹13,625
₹17,570 total
10 Mar - 11 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this luxury hotel in Giza. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, 2 outdoor pools and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (380 reviews)
Everything was great

Reviewed on 17 Feb 2026

Sheraton Cairo Hotel & Casino
The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo

The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo

5 out of 5
1113 Corniche El Nil Street Cairo
The price is ₹25,690 per night from 9 Mar to 10 Mar
₹25,690
₹33,130 total
9 Mar - 10 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this luxury hotel in Cairo. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and a nightclub. Our guests praise the helpful staff in their reviews. Popular attractions ...
9/10 Wonderful! (522 reviews)
The room was terrific and cleaned twice a day. The front desk made my 60th birthday very special with a room upgrade, gifts, flowers, and cake. We added on the buffet which was excellent and filling. We also added the club lounge access which was very satisfying to come back to after a long day in ...

Reviewed on 6 Mar 2026

The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo
Novotel Cairo Airport

Novotel Cairo Airport

4 out of 5
Salah Salem Highway Cairo
The price is ₹7,065 per night from 12 Mar to 13 Mar
₹7,065
₹9,111 total
12 Mar - 13 Mar
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this spa hotel in Cairo. Enjoy free Wi-Fi, a full-service spa and 3 restaurants. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean rooms in their reviews. ...
7.4/10 Good! (1,009 reviews)
We were only at the Novotel Hotel for an overnight layover for our trip from Cairo to Calgary, so we didn't use any of the amenities at the hotel other than our room, but it was comfortable and the staff were helpful.

Reviewed on 6 Mar 2026

Novotel Cairo Airport
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Other neighbourhoods around As-Sayidah Zaynab

Mosque Sultan Hassan

Garden City

Some popular features of Garden City include its restaurants and museums. If you're in the mood to explore farther, Qasr El Nil Bridge or Tahrir Square are worth checking out in the surrounding nearby area.

Garden City
Abdeen Palace, a residence of the President of Egypt - Cairo

Abdin

While you're in Abdin, take in top sights like Abdeen Palace or El-Ghuri Wakala, and hop on the metro to see more of the city at Mohamed Naguib Station or Attaba Station.

Abdin
Overlooking the Nile River

Qasr an-Nil

If you're spending time in Qasr an-Nil, check out sights like Tahrir Square or Egyptian Museum and hop on the metro to see more of the city at Sadat Station or Nasser Station.

Qasr an-Nil
Take a trip down the Nile and imagine how far it floats

Old Cairo

4/5(1 area review)

Old Cairo is a destination travellers like for its restaurants, and you might hop aboard the metro at Al-Malek Al-Saleh Station or Mar Girgis Station to explore sights like Manial Palace.

Old Cairo
Panoramic view of central Cairo skyline at night

Downtown Cairo

4/5(69 area reviews)

Known for its interesting museums and stunning river views, there's plenty to explore in Downtown Cairo. Top attractions like Talaat Harb Street and Midan Talaat Harb are major draws, and you can catch the metro at Orabi Station or Nasser Station to see more of the city.

Downtown Cairo
يممم يممم .. حمام ومشويات وورق عنب وبتاع كلوو ياباشا 😍

Al Duqqi

4/5(14 area reviews)

The museums and live music are just a few things visitors like about Al Duqqi. Orman Botanical Gardens and Agricultural Museum are worthwhile spots to check out, and you can hop on the metro at Dokki Station or Behooth Station to get around the larger area.

Al Duqqi


As-Sayidah Zaynab Travel Guide