This is one of the few surviving parts of the ancient defence system that once surrounded the Old Town. Built in the early 14th century, it was the main defence of the north. Further towers were added in the 15th century, but the Florian's Gate is the only remaining gate from the original eight. In 1660, it was extended to include a Baroque roof, raising its height by one metre, and today it measures around 33.5 metres.

The Minneapolis Institute of Arts is one of the biggest fine arts museums in the US and the largest museum in Minneapolis. Take your time browsing through all of the artwork collected here, which belongs to many different periods, countries and styles. Check the website to know if there are currently any special exhibitions or events at the museum. You'll have to buy a ticket for those, but the general admission to the permanent collection is free.

On the edge of Cairo, the Giza Necropolis is home to the last remaining wonder of the ancient world — the Great Pyramid of Khufu. Alongside it stand the pyramids of Khafre and Menkaure, part of a vast complex that includes tombs, causeways, temples, and smaller pyramids built for queens and nobles. The scale alone is enough to stop you in your tracks. Just below the pyramids sits the Great Sphinx of Giza — carved from a single piece of limestone, with the body of a lion and the face of a pharaoh, likely Khafre. At around 73 metres long and 20 metres high, it’s one of the largest sculptures in the world.

Step into this vast 9th-century mosque and you’ll find sunlit courtyards, weathered stucco arches, and a spiral minaret that winds up like a ramp. Climb to the top for a surprisingly quiet view over Cairo’s rooftops. The Ibn Tulun Mosque isn’t flashy, but that’s part of what makes it so striking — the space, the stillness, the sense of time just sitting in the air.