A Walk through Cairo

Medieval Cairo is like walking through a time machine where you are transported back to Cairo’s past Islamic heritage with its ancient mosques and forts. This is truly where you feel the spirit of Ramadan.

Ramadan at Geneina Theatre, Azhar Park,2

Aziz Maraka and Razz Band (Jordan)


Thursday September 3rd at 9.30 pm Razz is a mix of rock, oriental and jazz music. Maraka was born in Tunisia and lived in Jordan, he studied music composition at the Academy of Jordan before moving to the University of Arkansas in USA to complete the study. He won first prize in musical composition for orchestra in 2002 within the activities of “Amman Capital of Arab Culture”. In 2008, the band released their first album “Master Copy”.

Ramadan at Geneina Theatre, Azhar Park,1

Luthomaina – Belgium/China/Morocco


The Chinese Pi-pa, the Arab Oud and the western Lute come together to converse in Luthomania. Xia-Hua (China), who studied music in China and Belgium and became a member of the Pi-pa Research Society, Abid El Bahri (Morocco) who studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels. Philippe Malfeyt (Belgium) who is a self-taught Lute player with a diploma in Lute Performance from the Royal College of Music in London, have been performing together in this exciting project around the world.

Ramadan at Geneina Theatre, Azhar Park,

Waed Bouhassoun (Syria)


Waed studied opera singing at the High Institute for Music in Damascus and oud playing with the Azerbaijani Oud Master Askar Ali Akbar. He participated twice in Al Motakhial Festival in the House of the Cultures of the World at the Institute De Monde Arabe in Paris, Assilah Festival in Morocco in 2006 and in Fes’s Festival of Sacred Music in 2007. Waed released her debut album “La Voix de l’amour”recently.

Ramadan program at Makan Every Tuesday and Wednesday at 9pm

“Nass Makan”
(People from Makan) Every Tuesday at 9:00 pm The latest project of ECCA Makan, Nass Makan (« The people of Makan ») brings together the greatest musicians of Egypt and Sudan on stage in a new sound. Famous custodians of the legacy of musical tradition, such as Zar performers Om Sameh and Om Hassan join
Sudanese Singer Asia, singer Sayed Imam and Sayed Rekabi together with many unique instrumentalists. Gypsy Music from the Delta joins hands with Zar songs and Sudanese music styles, traditional instruments join contemporary ones. In the thoughtful and exhilarating arrangements, each singer and each music style is presented on a platform that respects the diverse musical tradition and brings out its in a new way.Zikr & Sufi songs Every Tuesday at 9 pm The inshad is a melodic vocal performance set in religious
contexts, most notably in the context of the hadra of Sufi brotherhoods. Dhikr or “remembrance” (of Allah) refers to rhythmic chanting of the names of Allah. Zikr and Inshad can be finding in the context of public celebrations, such as saints’ festivals (the mulid), the Prophet’s birthday and celebrations of rites of passage, such as memorials, circumcisions and, in Upper Egypt , weddings. These draw a wide range of participants, both men and women, and comprise a mix of adherents of particular Sufi brotherhoods, as well as a more general public coming for the ecstatic emotional and spiritual experience. 

Mahragan Fawanees 2010 – Egypt

On the eve of Ramadan, a parade of feluccas decorated with Ramadan themes will sail from the Grand Hyatt Hotel up to Kasr El Nil Bridge. At the same time, fireworks kicking off the start of the festival will take place Lantern One August 9th 2010 – 8.30 pm Public festival on the banks of the Nile in front of Andalus gardens in Cairo, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture. Program: Tannoura Folklore Show, Nubian Drums Show, El Door Al Awal band Lantern Two August 9th 2010 An evening event at the Citadel in cooperation with the Cairo Opera House Program: Singer Said Osman at “Panorama One Hall”, 8 pm Grammy Award winner Fathy Salama and Ahmed El Kahlawi (Religious songs) at “Besaria Gabal Arena”, 9 pm Singer Khaled Selim at “Mahka Café”, 10 pm Lantern Three August 19th or second Thursday of Ramadan according to the Lunar Year – 10.30 pm Public festival on the banks of the Nile in front of Andalus gardens in Cairo, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture Program: Tannoura Folklore Show,

Aswan Troupe for Folklore Dancing, Bakawat Band Lantern Four August 26th or third Thursday of Ramadan according to the Lunar Year – 10.30 pm Public festival on the banks of the Nile
in front of Andalus gardens in Cairo, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture Program: Tannoura Folklore Show, El Sharkia Troupe for Folklore Dancing, Wust El Balad Band Lantern Five September 2nd or fourth Thursday of Ramadan according to the Lunar Year – 10.30 pm Public festival on the banks of the Nile
in front of Andalus gardens in Cairo, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture Program: Tannoura Folklore Show, El Arish for Folklore Dancing, Eftekasat Band Lantern Six Second Day of the Bairam Feast at 3.30 pm Festival in Alexandria Program: Wust El Balad Band and DJ Lantern Seven Second Day of the Bairam Feast at 3.30 pm Song Festival at Port Ghaleb, Red Sea Mahragan Fawanees 2010 – Outside Egypt Lantern One August 11th – 20th – Crowne Plaza Hotel, Kuwait Ramadan-themed tent in cooperation
with Mac Hotels Company, El Kharafi Group (Port Ghalib) at Crowne Plaza Hotel and Ministry of Culture Program: Tannoura Folklore Show, Arabic Takht Band Lantern Two August 19th – September 5th – Golden Tulip Hotel, Tunisia Ramadan-themed tent in cooperation with Golden Land Tours and Ministry of
Culture Program: Tannoura Folklore Show Lantern Three August 25th – 27th – Istanbul, Turkey Ramadan-themed stage in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture and prizes offered by Egypt Air and Tourism Promotion Authority Program: Tannoura Folklore Show For more information on the program
please see website: arabic.egypt. travel 

Fawanees Ramadan Festival

In light of “Egypt’s Spirit in Ramadan” the Egyptian Tourist Authority, under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, has announced the launch of “Fawanees Ramadan Festival 2010 “ and a series of festivities starting Ramadan of this year for four consecutive years. The slogan “Egypt’s Spirit in Ramadan” in Arabic conveys two meanings; it is both an invitation to tourists to come and spend Ramadan in Egypt, and that Ramadan is an incompatible experience in Egypt. “Mahragan Fawanees Ramadan 2010” will aim to promote Arab tourism to Egypt especially to visitors from The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Jordan, Libya and the United Arab Emirates. The festival’s message will convey the spirit of Ramadan with all of its celebrations comprised in its food and drink traditions, religious songs, folklore shows and other Egyptian customs taking place during this holy month in both Egypt and several Arab countries. On the eve of Ramadan, a parade of feluccas decorated with Ramadan themes will sail from the Grand Hyatt Hotel up to Kasr El Nil Bridge. At the same time, fireworks kicking off the start of the festival will take place, accompanied by a folkloric show on board of a floating theatre on the Nile River and followed by a Ramadan-themed event at Citadel . On the other hand, festivity events will be held every Thursday during the holy month in Cairo , the festivities will also be visible in Alexandria & Port Ghalib where a public festival will be held on the second day of the Bairam Feast. Also, a Ramadan tent will be arranged in Kuwait, Tunisia and Turky during the second week of the holy month to portray the identity of Ramadan. During that time, customary Egyptian food and drinks, offered during the month will be introduced, as well as folkloric shows such as the Tannoura dance, religious and Sufi songs and other customary celebrations.
Visitors to Egypt will feel the spirit of the festivities when they board Egypt Air’s planes (the official carrier for the festival) where special Ramadan decorations will be branded all-over; and as soon as they land at Cairo International Airport. The festival will also be evident in the main streets and squares of Cairo, as well as Alexandria - officially dubbed as the Capital of Arab Tourism for .Over and above, several institutes are also effortlessly working on making the festival successful to evoke the spirit of Ramadan to the Arab Family especially the governorates of Cairo, Giza and Alexandria and the Ministry of Culture which will be organizing several cultural events. Egypt Air will also offer several benefits to Egypt Air Plus Members, as well as an extra 500 of air mileage on travels during the month of Ramadan. The Tourism sector will also participate in the festival, where major hotels in Cairo, Alexandria & the Red Sea will offer special promotional packages to the Arab family during Ramadan and the Bairam feast & will also hold special events in the Ramadan tents during the holy month. On the other hand, travel agencies will also cooperate by offering promotional packages for visitors from the Arab countries during the festival that will be held in Kuwait & Tunisia. This is in addition to a huge campaign in the Egyptian and Arab media that will include advertisements and editorials, televised ads on the Egyptian and Arabic channels, website promotions, as well as featuring “Celebrities’ Recipe in Ramadan” in several mainstream Arabic magazines. Last but not least, media trips to Egypt will be organized to familiarize Arab media representatives with the festival

Ramadan in Cairo Marriott

The Cairo Marriott complements the bliss of the holy month with an assorted array of iftar and sohour delights. From the splendid varieties at Omar’s Café & Roy’s Iftar buffets, the authentic atmosphere of the one and only Egyptian Nights, the best of Italian cuisine at Tuscany or the succulent JW’s Steak House specials, the choice is quite a challenge. At Almaz, palatial Sohour nights under the stars are not to be missed with live oriental entertainment and the genuine Ramadan ambiance. Stop at the bakery for scrumptious oriental pastries and eid cookies, freshly made to tantalize your taste buds. The events team professionals are ready to orchestrate your iftar and sohour private gatherings at the grandeur of our banquet rooms or at the convenience of your selected outside venue. For an overnight at the palace, a special package includes your sohour, the khedive style.

Meshmeshya: The Golden Nights Of Ramadan At Fairmont Heliopolis And Towers

During the holy month of Ramadan, get together with your family and friends and enjoy exclusive and sensational nights at Fairmont Heliopolis and Towers. Meshmeshya is a venue for you to celebrate the nights of Ramadan. With a very stylish and modern interior, Meshmeshya tent is constructed over Fairmont Heliopolis and Towers’ prominent swimming pool and is surrounded by a beautifully designed landscape that enhances the mood and spirit of Ramadan festivities. Enjoy a range of menus and a delicious buffet serving oriental favorites for Iftar and Sohour, while listening to different music bands. Do not miss the “Golden Nights” where famous Egyptian and Lebanese artists will perform on stage their biggest hits and your favorite songs under the shining canopy of stars.

Conrad Cairo Ramadan delightJoin Conrad Cairo

during the holy month of Ramadan at Salon Diplomat for wide selection of Iftar buffets accompanied with oriental Takht. Enjoy the cool summer breeze at Jayda Lounge open-air and experience our special A La Carte Sohour me n u s , c reat i v e Ramadan juices and shisha whilst enjoying live oriental lounge music.

Have An Unforgettable Eid Vacation

Spend a special Eid El Fitr vacation at Crowne Plaza
Port Ghalib Resort, enjoying the man-made saltwater swimming lagoon, water activities, Lulee Kids Club, Lazy River and much more. Special rates complemented with comfortable accommodation, appetizing food and thrilling nightly live entertainment.

Ramadan at Mena House Oberoi

An elegant setting at Churchill Gardens; a buffet Iftar featuring Egyptian, Lebanese, BBQ and Ramadan specialties, as well as a rotation of other different cuisine like Moroccan or Indian are all available at the Mena House Oberoi this Ramadan.

Ramadan at Ramses Hilton

The Terrace Café will be offering Oriental Iftar Buffet served daily from sunset and overlooking the River Nile, while Al Mandara open-air terrace will be offering Sohour with a variety of Oriental
dishes, Ramadan juices and shisha. The Garden Court Café will also serve a la carte Sohour dishes with live entertainment by a traditional oriental band. Guests can experience Ramadan night s in an authentic Egyptian atmosphere and around the swimming pool at “Ayam We Layaly” tent with daily live entertainment.

RAMADAN at Sonesta Hotel, Tower & Casino

Outdoor spot “In ‘n’ In” at Sonesta Hotel, Tower & Casino – Cairo will be offering “Iftar” & “Sohour” specialties, nightly live oriental entertainment and various shisha flavors. Special prices for groups and companies are available.

Dusit Thani LakeView Cairo’s Ramadan with

unique offerings This Ramadan, Dusit Thani Lake View Cairo has special incentives for Iftar and Sohour dining, a performance by Lebanese star Nancy Agram, a daily oriental show and opulence of Dusit Thani Lake View Cairo Ramadan tent. Guests can sit at a table or recline in a lounge area, while enjoying an a la carte menu and a wide selection of shisha flavors. Traditional Arabic cuisine, snacks, special Arabic sweets, fresh juices and Ramadan drinks are available at the open-air tent. Iftar at Dusit Thani Lake View Cairo will offer traditional Ramadan cuisine. The buffet offers a selection of authentic pan-Arab dishes.

Ramadan at the new Kempinski Nile Hotel

Kempinski Nile Hotel Cairo’s newest and first luxury boutique hotel is transforming its restaurants “Osmanly” and “The Blue” into a traditional, oriental environment  You can enjoy an Iftar in Osmanly, the restaurant that offers classic and authentic Turkish cuisine. The menu features hot mezzas, tagines, soup and a carving roast
of the day, served traditional style. A selection of Turkish and oriental sweets as well as Om Ali are also available. “The Blue” offers Iftar, Sohour and shisha flavors on the roof.

BAB EL NIL, RAMADAN NIGHTS AT FAIRMONT NILE CITY

With the holy month of Ramadan right around the corner, the Fairmont Nile City brings guests Bab El Nil. Located on a terrace, Bab El Nil bases its theme around Egyptian pop art. Pop art, which originated in Britain, is all about using popular images and icons and simultaneously incorporating them and redefining them in the art world. That is why Bab El Nil will re-expose all the major Egyptian icons of the past, who contributed to our culture. Open for iftar daily, The Fairmont Nile City is flying in a Lebanese chef who will be catering Bab El Nil, creating an Arab buffet. Starting 9pm, the restaurant features tables that come fully equipped with all the traditional games such as chess, cards and backgammon. Several TV screens will be placed around the terrace, as well as live takht that will playing traditional songs.

Ramadan Food Desserts

For some reason, this month is associated with the sweet tooth, where most pastry shops and homes innovate in theircreations of desserts. Among these are the Baklava which is made of Phyllo dough and filled with either nuts, cream or ricotta cheese, The Basboosa with Semolina cake, Konafa with shredded dough, also filled with nuts or cream, and Qatayif that is pancake like dough stuffed with nuts and deep-fried. One of the interesting scenes during Ramadan is to watch the Konafa shop swirl the dough, round and round in a huge round open oven and produce a hair thin dough.

The Cannon and Breaking the Fast

The firing of the cannon f rom atop the Citadel is a tradition that all Egyptians wait for to break their fast at sunset. It may not be heard today all over, but people still enjoy turning on the television set to watch the cannon being fired before they all sit down to eat. Legend has it that this tradition started by Khedive Mohamed Ali (1805-1848) when he ordered a number of cannons for the Egyptian army, and so it happened that one cannon was accidentally fired during sunset in Ramadan and people then thought that this was a new tradition ordered by the Khedive.

The Drummer in ramadan

Each morning during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, an hour or two before dawn, drummers (mesharati) tour the streets, hammering out a repetitive beat to wake people up to have their sohour (pre-dawn meal). This tradition dates back to the Ottoman era when people didn’t have alarm clocks to wake them for sohour, drummers would walk through the streets beating their drums. They would also sing a rhyming couplet -- a reflection of the popular culture. At the end of Ramadan, the drummers go to houses in their street to ask for money for the wake-up service they provided for the neighborhood during the whole holy month. Almost all phases of the drum-beating tradition, from walking through the streets beating the drum to singing rhyming couplets and collecting money, are still observed. This centuries-old tradition keeps ongoing as it
carries the spiritual aspect of old Ramadan days.