Giza City: Complete Guide to History, Tourism & Must-See Sights
Where is Giza City located?
Giza Governorate is located in the northern part of the Nile River Valley, stretching from the border of Beni Suef Governorate in the south to the border of Beheira Governorate in the north, separated by the Rashid branch of Menoufia Governorate in the west, bordered to the east by Cairo Governorate. Giza Governorate is also one of the major governorates of Cairo, located directly on the Nile River.

Giza City with its Long-lasting history
Giza City is mentioned in many historical books, and the most important thing mentioned in its description is what Ibn Battuta mentioned in his journey, where he described its port, its inhabitants and its yields extensively.
The history of Giza dates back to the earliest times, as it contains the remains of the city of Memphis, the first capital of the Egyptian state after the unification of its countries by Narmer. It was the capital of Egypt during the reign of the first pharaohs, and Khufu built his pyramid, which became one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Even after the capital moved to Thebes Luxor, Giza remained the focus of convergence between northern and southern Egypt.
In the Islamic era, Giza City occupied an important place due to its proximity to the Islamic capitals of Egypt, such as Fustat, Al-Qata’i, and then Cairo.
In the modern era, the first modern Egyptian university was built in it when Prince Fatima Ismail gave land to build the university, which was called Fouad I University, and now Cairo University, the largest Egyptian university.
On March 21, 1919, the masses of the people of Giza came out during the 1919 revolution against the British occupation, and a large number of them were martyred. The governorate considered March 21 of each year as the governorate’s national day.

Giza City as a basic tourist attraction
The tourism industry represents 12.43% of the total at the level of the Republic and Giza CIty occupies the fourth place among the governorates of Egypt in tourism services. There are many types of tourism in Giza City, from archeological and therapeutic tourism to recreational and historical tourism.
- Archaeological tourism: Giza Governorate is characterized by the spread of ancient pharaonic monuments, which made it one of the first governorates to attract tourists, as it is considered the second in the ranking after the city of Luxor in terms of pharaonic monuments, the most important of which are the pyramids of Giza, the sphinx, and the sound and light project, the pyramid of Saqqara and the funerary Khufu compound.
- Medical tourism: In the Bahariya Oasis area, there are 400 springs of mineral, sulfur, fresh, cold and hot water, making it a natural resort for therapeutic and medical tourism.
- Recreational tourism: Kerdasa and Harrania area and the environmental industries that are popular with foreign tourists as well as Egyptians, the zoo in addition to Haram Street.
- Historical tourism: Museums play a major role in foreign and domestic tourism, including the Nagy Museum, the Agricultural Museum and the Museum of Modern Art.

Giza best climate to take pleasure in it
Giza City Weather: Giza has a hot desert climate, and there is almost no rain throughout the year, and the average annual temperature is about 22 degrees Celsius.
Best time to visit Giza: October to April as their weather is the best in Egypt to experience new things and take adventure.

Giza historical Plateau
Giza Plateau is a historically important geographical spot located near the city of Cairo, the capital of the State of Egypt, in its southwest, 24 kilometres away. It is the site of an ancient Egyptian cemetery in which the kings of the Fourth Dynasty and their families were buried, in addition to containing the great pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx and another group of pyramids and important archaeological sites. The Giza Plateau is one of the most important and famous archaeological and tourist sites in Egypt and in the world as well.
Giza Plateau time-honored monuments:
- The Great Pyramid of Khufu: It is the largest pyramid in Giza Plateau, and it is one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. With a height of 147 meters, this pyramid was built during the Fourth Dynasty. It is the largest and oldest of the three pyramids, and it carried the title of the tallest building in the world for thousands of years.
- Khafre’s pyramid: The height of the pyramid of Khafre is 144 meters, and although it is slightly smaller than the pyramid of Cheops, it was thought to be larger than it. Still, it is only an optical trick that makes it appear larger than the pyramid of Khufu, and the reason for this is its location in an area higher than the area where the pyramid of Khufu is located.
- Menkaure pyramid: It is 65 meters high, and it is the smallest of the three pyramids. It was called the divine pyramid in the period of its construction, and today, the pyramid of Menkaure has lost all the layers of limestone that previously covered it, and only parts of granite remain at its base.
- Sphinx: The famous Sphinx is located on the eastern side of the Giza Plateau. It is believed that the head of the Sphinx is the head of King Khafre, and others say that it is the head of King Khufu. The Sphinx is called the guard of the Giza City, which is an important symbol of the ancient Egyptian civilization known at the global level. It is a mythical creature with the body of a lion and a human head. It is believed that the statue was covered with a coloured layer of red, blue and yellow and that the Sphinx had a long braided beard and nose; as for the statue that exists today, it is without a nose or beard.
- Pyramids of queens: Near the three major pyramids, there are three other pyramids of queens, and some evidence indicates that under them, there are tombs of some queens, wives and mothers of kings and pharaohs, and the height of these pyramids is 30 meters.
- Solar Boat: This landmark is also called the Khufu ship, and it was discovered in 1950. It is a huge ship that was dismantled and preserved, and it was in very good condition in 1958. The ship’s reconstruction operations began, and this process took ten years. Still, the ship was finally assembled in 1968. The length of this boat is 43.3 meters, its width is 5.9 meters, and it can carry approximately 45 tons. The texts in the pyramids indicate that the solar boat was built to transport the deceased pharaoh to the afterlife.
Grand Egyptian Museum:
Also known as the Giza Museum, it contains many artefacts of ancient Egypt, and there are plans to put new artefacts in it. The museum is also set to become a link between museums around the world.
Pharaonic Village:
The village is one of the most important tourist attractions in Giza City where the best experience can be obtained when visiting it because of its arts and recreating of the great history of Egypt. The museum also contains a replica of Tutankhamun‘s tomb.
Monuments of the Saqqara Cemetery:
Saqqara is the first destination where Egyptians began to build the pyramids, and the remains of the area provide a clear vision of the reason behind the mummification and construction of the pyramids in the ancient Egyptian era.
Ramses Wissa Wassef Art Center:
The center is distinguished by its information, as some of the houses are made of clay, and in another part, there is an exhibition of various textiles. Around the center, there are many beautiful gardens.

Whether you’re captivated by the ancient wonders of the Giza Plateau or intrigued by the vibrant local culture, Giza City offers an unforgettable experience for every traveler. To make the most of your visit, consider joining one of our expertly guided Egypt day trips, multi-day Egypt Tour packages, or a Nile River cruise that includes Giza as a key highlight. Let us help you explore more of Egypt’s magic—book your adventure today and turn your journey into a lifetime memory.