Guided Tour of the Coptic Neighborhood

The Coptic neighborhood of Cairo, the Christian part of the Egyptian capital, plays host to a great historic and monumental heritage. Discover it with this guided tour.

Description

Having picked you up at your hotel, we make our way to Cairo's Coptic neighborhood, where we'll learn about the history of Christianity in Egypt and discover the difference between Coptic Catholics and Coptic Orthodox Christians. Both religious strands have their own temple, both of which we'll visit on our tour.

First, we'll head to the church of Saint Maria the Virgin, known as The Hanging Church of Cairo, constructed above the old gates of the Babylon fortress. Inside, we'll see various works of art and mosaics from different historical periods.

Our tour continues with the Church of St. George, the Orthodox church, and the church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, where it is believed the holy family hid upon their flight from King Herod.

To complete our knowledge of the Coptic tradition in Cairo, we'll visit the Cairo Coptic Museum, whose permanent exhibition houses a wide range of sacred and decorative objects, including the Nag Hammadi Manuscripts, known as the "Gospel of Judas," which have stirred controversy among theologians over the years.

After the museum visit, we'll have lunch in a traditional restaurant in the Coptic neighborhood, featuring various specialties, including a main dish of meat and rice. After eating, we'll head back to the hotel.