A Bleg: Things to See in Egypt?

A bleg for readers. I'm going to spend 10 days in Egypt in mid-March, based in Cairo. I plan on traveling around a bit, obviously, but not to any beaches or resorts, 'cause I hate beaches and resorts.

Any recommendations for off-the-beaten-track things to do and see?

Comments

[Ligia]

I hate resorts too, but i´d be very curiour to visit an egyptian beach. It always tell you something about the local culture...e.g.I´ve just discovered it´s almost impossible to buy a discret swin suit in Brazil. No matter how bad you look people want to see you in those tiny bikinis. So: whising you a nice trip and looking foward from your on and off the beaten track pics too.

[M. Möhling]

Again, typecrap won't let me post anything longer, so I answered here.

[lukas]

Not sure how off-the-beaten-track this is, but do go see the Wikalat El-Ghoury, especially the Sufi dancing. Sultan Hassan's Mosque is impressive. Visiting the Qaitbay Mosque-Mausoleum is a haunting experience, the way there will take you through the vast (and now inhabited by Cairo's poorest) Cemetery. The Al-Azhar Gardens are nice for when you really have enough of the city's grinding poverty, the cafés there are the very definition of guilty pleasure.