The story
Ramadan in Cairo in Cairo
Ramadan in Cairo transforms after sunset rather than during the day, when much of the city fasts quietly until the Citadel's cannon signals iftar, a Mamluk-era tradition still broadcast live. Al-Muizz Street and Khan el-Khalili fill with lit fanous lanterns and crowded coffee shops each night, while a mesaharaty drummer still wakes some historic neighborhoods before dawn.
Ramadan in Cairo shifts roughly eleven days earlier on the civil calendar each year, since the Islamic lunar calendar sets its start, yet certain fixtures of the city's Ramadan atmosphere repeat with remarkable consistency regardless of which season the month falls in.