By Mai Aljazairy
Egypt is full of beautiful natural landscapes, even in Cairo, where there are many parks and gardens for nature and picnic lovers. Many of them might be forgotten with all of the new shopping malls opening up today. So here is a list of seven parks you can visit anytime to declutter your mind.
Aquarium Grotto Garden (Hadeqat El Asmak)
Located in El Gabalaya St., Zamalek, the Aquarium Grotto Garden was a famous place where many movies and rendezvous in the past took place. The beautiful garden has an impressive landscape of greenery and caves that you can walk through.
Al-Azhar Park
Located on Salah Salem St. and overlooking the Citadel. According to PPS, the Project for Public Spaces “Al- Azhar Park is considered as one of the world’s sixty great public spaces.” The park has fountains and waterways all over which can help in escaping the hot summer weather.
Open everyday of the week from 9 am to 10 pm.
Japanese Botanical Gardens (El Hadeqa El Yabaneya)
The beautiful Asian-themed garden located in Helwan is one of the oldest parks in Cairo. It has a big set of statues that represent a teacher and 48 students.
Open everyday of the week from 9 am to 9 pm.
The International Park (El Hadeqa El Dawleya )
Located in the heart of Madinat Nasr, the International Park is named so thanks to its many sections that represent different countries, where you will find sculptures and small structures that define those countries.
Open everyday of the week from 8 am to 11 pm.
Al Horreya Garden (Hadeqat El Horreya)
This garden is right in front of the Cairo Opera House. It’s full of greenery and 11 statues of different influential people.
Open everyday of the week from 9 am to 7 pm.
Orman Garden (Hadeqat El Orman)
This is one of the most beautiful botanical gardens in Egypt. It’s in Giza near Cairo University and contains a herbarium building, a rock garden, a rose garden, cactus gardens, and a lotus pond. Each year on the 22nd of March, a spring festival is held in the garden where many companies exhibit their plants.
Open everyday of the week from 9 am to 10 pm.
Merryland Park (Hadeqat El Merryland)
This well-known park is in the heart of Heliopolis. For a while, it was closed for redevelopment but has now reopened for visitors. Many are complimenting the new renovations so visiting is a must.
Open everyday of the week from 9 am to 11 pm.
