Religious sights in Egypt?

The Al-Azhar mosque in Islamic Cairo is the oldest, as I remember, but not the most ornate. My favorite is Mohammad Ali; with the great dome and the towering minarets, it's the one you'll probably recognize from illustrations. If you climb to the top of the Citadel, you'll have an outstanding view of the mosque and the surrounding city. Ibn Tulun and Sultan Hassan are also beautiful.

Coptic Cairo is also quite interesting.

Dec/Jan is a good time to go weather-wise. In 2-2.5 weeks, you'll have time to see Cairo and the pyramids, take the train to Aswan then take a Nile cruise up to Luxor, seeing the Valley of the Kings and Queens. Just one suggestion. I do think it's a nice place to go for a family vacation. I went with my mother and sister, on separate trips, and we all fell in love with it.

Thanks lesliemac for your suggestions.

Does anyone else know of more specific places to visit? Like where Prophet Moses seperated the Nile river... stuff like that???

Also, how critical is it to speak Arabic? My mom knows some already, and will be learning basics from now till we leave. I plan on having her be the communicator.

Lastly, what clothes do you recommend for Dec/Jan time period? We are all females, so I figure some lose clothing with a scraf?

Thanks!

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<hr>Like where Prophet Moses seperated the Nile river... stuff like that???<hr></blockquote>
According to the Bible it was the Red Sea, according to scholars it was a reed sea. But as to where it "happened", who knows. As for speaking Arabic your mom will know more Arabic than 99% of all tourists (except the Israelis)

It's not critical to speak Arabic at all; you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone in Cairo who doesn't speak English.

Moses parted the Red Sea, not the Nile. Is that what you meant by "religious sites"--biblical ones? The Sinai is the site of the "burning bush" and where Moses received the ten commandments. Other than that I can't really think of anything.

Well that's a loaded question. I assume you're talking about the Exodus when you say Religious Sites (Moses). Unlike events that occured later in Jewish/biblical history, there isn't much solid evidence that the Exodus ever happened. Going on oral histories, the Hebrew tribes would have worked and lived in the Nile Delta. The Wilderness would be the Sinai, and there's a fair amount of discussion here on sites there.

The Holy Family is said to have fled to Egypt. Tour Egypt has a map of their wanderings:
http://www.touregypt.net/holyfamily1.htm<BR><BR>And of course, Egypt was very important to the early history of Christianity, but my experience is that most Bible Tourists don't have much respect for any sites with Catholic or Orthodox ties - and I speak from painful and embarrassing experience here. If you are interested in monasteries & the like ( I am, so I've researched quite a bit), then look into trekking in the Sinai, tours of Coptic Cairo, tours of the monasteries between Cairo and Alexandria, St. Simeon in Aswan, and maybe a trip to the desert oasis of Kharga.

Where Moses crossed the Red Sea is certainly a most interesting subject and one that shall always raise argument, discussion and theories. One theory is that he crossed from Nuweiba, which would place Moses Mountain in Saudi Arabia and not Sinai, see here...

Based on the research of the late Ron Wyatt

According to Pinkowski

According to Fisher

I do not say whether these theories are correct or not, but once in Sinai and down at Nuweiba one can imagine the possibilities. If these theories are true, and the real Moses Mountain, is not in Sinai, it does not in anyway devalue the importance of the monastery at St Catherine which really is well worth a visit.

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<hr>Lastly, what clothes do you recommend for Dec/Jan time period? We are all females, so I figure some lose clothing with a scraf?<hr></blockquote>

Yes, long loose clothing that breathes and is not too revealing. You don't need a scarf for every day, although I think it's a nice gesture of respect to throw one over your head if you're going to visit a mosque.

It gets quite chilly in Cairo and in the north that time of year. Bring a jumper/sweater/light fleece. A warm hat and gloves might not be a bad idea either.

Thanks for your guys input as of now.

I wonder if there is a book which highlights other religious places to visit... I'm sure there has to be one that exists.

How expensive are mediocre (3star) hotels typically in Cairo? I just want to know an approx so I can plan accordingly.

Thanks!!!