History, sand, the Nile … also jazz clubs, exclusive restaurants and cafes!

Nothing truly prepares you for Egypt, discovers Sahil Gupta who moves beyond the expected with his crew as they spend the last night of the year in a country that’s timeless—and where the old and the new meet.

By Sahil Gupta

It was a generous year for travel, but I didn’t expect it to end in Egypt. On December 10 last year, my friends Raj and Saje called with a question that didn’t exactly feel like one: “New year’s in Egypt?” Fifteen days later, seven of us including two children, were on a flight to Cairo. By some cosmic alignment, my old Dutch friend Ivo happened to be there at the same time and just like that, we were eight. Egypt isn’t the easiest country to do casually. It demands logistics— guides, drivers, travel companies. It can feel intimidating. People move in their own circles. There’s a certain guarded energy. But we were a tribe and that changes everything. Travel, after all, is about who you’re with as much as where you are.

Where Time Slows Down

The first thing we did in Cairo was obvious and yet nothing prepares you for it. The Great Pyramids of Giza are not monuments; they are forces. As you approach them, something shifts internally. There is a pull, almost gravitational. Words fail here. You don’t ‘see’ the pyramids. You feel them. And then there was the Grand Egyptian Museum— brand new, vast, almost surreal in its scale. We were among its first visitors in its opening month, and that’s a really cool feeling that will always stay with us. Walking through it felt like stepping into a dimension shaped by gods, rituals, death, and immortality. We slowed down without intending to. Egypt does that to you. It stretches time.

One visit to Egypt is not enough if history moves you. Luxor, Aswan, Alexandria ask for another trip. This was only an introduction. But Cairo isn’t just ancient dust and divinity. It is also music, mirrors, smoke, molasses, and late nights. Here’s a list of places that I would recco if you want to do a slightly more unusual Cairo.

Cairo Jazz Club

Getting into the Cairo Jazz Club isn’t easy and that’s part of its charm. The name suggests saxophones and dimly lit jazz corners, but the reality is something else. It feels like stepping into a Bollywood disco scene from the ’70s, which has a vibe of its own too. There is an urban pulse here but the place has nothing to do with jazz. The food surprised me. A chicken liver dish glazed with pomegranate molasses was bold, sweet and deeply comforting.

Naguib Mahfouz Café, Khan el Khalili

Tucked inside the legendary Khan el Khalili bazaar, the Naguib Mahfouz Café feels like it exists in a preserved moment. Operated by the Oberoi group since 1989, it carries an old-world dignity; mirrored walls and an atmosphere that whispers 1930s Cairo. It’s notoriously hard to get a table. There’s no alcohol here. The menu is classic Egyptian and Oriental. The kebabs stood out, beautifully grilled, deeply spiced. The zabadi, tahina and hummus felt honest and rooted. Service carries a certain attitude but perhaps that’s part of the experience.

Pier 88, Zamalek

Located in Zamalek with uninterrupted Nile views from anywhere in the space, this Italian-Mediterranean restaurant bar is pure style. Clean lines, warm lighting, beautiful people, upbeat music. The kind of place where energy builds as the night deepens. The food is exceptional. Refined without being pretentious. Thoughtful plating, confident flavours. My Negroni was

just perfect– balanced, bitter and bold which I enjoyed while watching the Nile shimmer under city lights.

Sharm El Sheikh: Sea, Salt & Surrealism

We spent New year’s Eve aboard a traditional felucca on the Nile followed by a banger electronic music party at Le Lac Du Caire, a gorgeous lakeside venue tucked away in El Khalifa. Djs Nicole Moudaber, Sabri and Rikaya set the tone for the night with deep, melodic techno. On the first morning of 2026, our entire crew, bleary-eyed yet energetic, squeezed into a traveller and set off on an epic eight-hour road trip from Cairo to Sharm-el-Sheikh, marked by golden deserts on both sides, inside jokes and mixed playlists. If Cairo is history, Sharm El Sheikh is escape. But it’s not effortless. The city can be difficult to navigate; the good spots aren’t always obvious. You really have to search

Hiring a private boat for a day of snorkeling is a must-do. Also, it is recommended to negotiate prices for all services, they come down a lot. The Red Sea is alive with coral gardens and impossible blues. It’s one of the best snorkelling experiences in the world and that alone made Sharm worth the long drive.

Farsha Café

Wow, what a place! Once inside, it feels like you’re in on a secret the world already knows. Built into a cliffside overlooking the Red Sea, it feels like you’ve stepped into an Arabian Nights dream. Lanterns, cushions, layered terraces, the sea crashing below, it’s as if Aladdin has opened a lounge by the ocean. The food is surprisingly basic- pizzas, burgers, fries but the experience is magical and surreal. At least a one hour wait for a table but you will wait willingly.

Café Chino, SOHO Square

Cafe Chino is straightforward and unapologetic. A pure Egyptian kebab house inside the polished environment of SOHO Square. The lighting is a tad bit too bright. But the food is very satisfying. Some of the best mixed grills, lamb and chicken kebabs I’ve had anywhere. Juicy, well-seasoned, confident. The mezze platter was classic and generous. Alcohol is available, which adds to the experience. It’s not a design-forward space. But sometimes the flavor is enough.

Egypt is a mystery that doesn’t resolve itself. There is an eeriness to it, a feeling that you are walking through layers of time simultaneously. Ancient gods and modern traffic. Sacred geometry and cigarette smoke. The Nile flowing like it always has. Time behaves differently here. You slow down. You observe more. If you surrender to it, Egypt gives you a rare perspective.