Markets in Cairo

Cairo's Friday Animal Market is a chaotic, colourful weekly spectacle in the city's eastern quarters. Vendors sell caged birds, kittens, puppies, rabbits and exotic fish alongside pet supplies and handmade cages.

Khan El-Khalili is Cairo's most famous souq, a labyrinthine medieval marketplace that has been a major trading center since 1382. Its narrow alleys overflow with spices, lanterns, jewellery, textiles, and perfume.

Wekalet El-Balah is a sprawling open-air market on the edge of Bulaq specialising in imported secondhand clothing, fabrics and household goods. Mountains of colourful textiles, ball gowns, vintage denim and curtain fabrics spill across the pavement stalls.