“Cairo is a city where life unfolds in layers - hidden in nooks and crannies, glimpsed through half-open doors. Nowhere is this spirit more vividly captured than in Alaa Al Aswany’s celebrated novel The Yacoubian Building. Here, behind the façades of seemingly private buildings, lie offerings of artisanship, design and beauty waiting to be discovered. Travel is precious because it lifts us out of routine and prepares us for surprise. It is at its most rewarding when we are delighted by the unforeseen - and this experience is a celebration of exactly that. We uncover secret boutiques filled with exquisite creations: hand-woven cottons and linens embroidered with care, imaginative pottery, and contemporary jewellery that echoes the splendour of ancient Egypt - all a world away from the uniformity of Western high streets. Most memorable of all are the women whose stories infuse these spaces - artists and designers who craft with love for their heritage and a refined sense of aesthetics. Their work reflects Cairo itself: complex, creative, and endlessly alive.”

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Diwan Bookstore

Diwan Bookstore, founded in 2002 by sisters Hind and Nadia Wassef along with Nihal Shawky and Ziad Bahaa El Din, revolutionised Egypt’s book retailscene by introducing the country’s first modern, Western-style bookstore inCairo’s Zamalek district. Designed as more than just a place to buy books, Diwan offers a welcoming, library-like atmosphere with a café, multilingual book selections in Arabic, English, French, and German, and a range of cultural events including author signings, workshops, and art exhibitions. The founders sought to create a cultural hub that blends Eastern and Western influences, aiming to foster community and creativity in a serene setting. Over the years, Diwan expanded to multiple branches across Egypt, launched an e reader app, and became a beloved oasis for readers, artists, and intellectuals, inspiring a new generation of bookstores and cultural spaces in Cairo. They also launched a publishing house in recent years that successfully republished the books ofNobel prize winner Naguib Mahfouz, and a number of female authors.

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Anut Linens (Previously Malaika)

Anut Linens, formerly known as Malaika, is a luxury linen brand based in Zamalek, Cairo, founded in 2004 by Margarita Andrade and Goya Gallagher - Anut is currently only owned by Goya Gallagher. The brand specialises in high-quality bed and table linens made from Egyptian cotton, featuring intricate hand embroidery, crochet, and thread work.  They also offer a variety of other high quality cotton goods such as embroidered modern jambiyas (great gifts can be worn as nightshirts!),toiletry bags etc, as well as a selection of pottery from Fayoum (Tunis village). They aim to offer modern day designs which celebrate Egyptian heritage and craftsmanship, and are created by traditional artisanship and embroidery techniques to preserve the craft. Beyond producing luxury textiles, Anut Linens is committed to social impact by teaching hand embroidery to underprivileged Egyptian women and refugees, empowering them with valuable skills and economic opportunities. This model allows women to learn and work from home, fostering sustainable livelihoods while preserving traditional craftsmanship.

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Azza Fahmy

Azza Fahmy is a pioneering Egyptian jewellery designer who founded the internationally acclaimed Azza Fahmy Jewellery brand. Her journey began in 1969 when she became the first woman to train in Cairo’s historic jewellery quarter, Khan El Khalili, breaking gender barriers in a male-dominated craft. Inspired by a medieval jewellery design book, she combined Egypt’s rich cultural heritage with contemporary design, often incorporating the motifs of ancient Egypt, Arabic calligraphy, and traditional proverbs into her pieces. They still use traditional jewlery making techniques which is why no piece is the same and come in limited quantities. Over the decades, she has created collections inspired by Egyptian history, poetry, and music, collaborating with major fashion events and institutions like the British Museum.

In 2013, she founded The Design Studio by Azza Fahmy to educate future designers, reinforcing her commitment to preserving craftsmanship and cultural storytelling through jewellery and her commitment to giving back to the community that took her in and taught her the craft. Today, her brand is celebrated globally for its unique blend of heritage, artistry, and modern luxury.

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Tintera Gallery

Tintera Gallery, is Egypt’s first art gallery dedicated exclusively to photography. Today Tintera serves as a cultural hub that highlights Egypt’s rich photographic heritage while supporting new artistic voices in the medium.

Founded by Zein Khalifa and Heba Farid, it aims to raise the profile of both contemporary and historical Egyptian photography through curated exhibitions, events, and research projects. Thegallery represents emerging and established photographers inspired by Egypt, manages significant photographic collections, and advises on the acquisition and sale of photographic art. Tintera showcases innovative works that challenge perceptions of Egypt and photography, such as René Clement’s surreal desert landscapes and abstract urban scenes, blending tradition with modern artistic exploration. The gallery also manages significant private photographic collections and advises on acquisitions, helping to legitimise and promote photography as a serious art form within Egypt and internationally.

Some of the photographers showcased by Tintera Gallery include: Ahmad Abdalla, Ibrahim Ahmed, Roger Anis, Nabil Boutros, René Clement, Paola Crociani, Marwan El Dewey, Bryony Dunne, and Barry Iverson. Recent additions include Egyptian Brooklyn-based photographer Anthony Hamboussi and visual artist Maria Saba, whose works explore urban landscapes and more controversial topics (in the Egyptian context) such as gender and sexual identity.

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