Giza

Technically its own city, Giza sits right on Cairo's edge and is home to the single most recognisable image of Egypt: the Great Pyramid, the Great Sphinx, and the wider pyramid complex spread across the desert plateau above the Nile Valley.

It's easy to see Giza in half a day, but it rewards a slower visit — time to walk the plateau properly, see the pyramids from a few different angles, and visit the Solar Boat Museum before the afternoon light turns the stone gold.