Of all the reference books I had on hand during my stay in Cairo, this is the one I turned to again and again, and which remained just as useful regardless of how much time had passed. While it may be of limited value to the average tourist whose brief visit only allows them to see the most popular sites and the most generic tourist traps, or whose itinerary is determined very strictly by their tour group, for any backpacker, student, or expat who will be on their own in Cairo for any significant length of time, this book is indispensable. No better maps are available to indicate the overall layout of the city as well as the smaller side streets and alleyways. It is virtually impossible to get lost in Cairo with this street atlas at your side, and you will always know exactly where to tell your taxi drivers to go. The subway map in the back is also a big plus.

This book works best in conjunction with its companion book "Cairo: The Practical Guide", also published by the American University in Cairo Press, but would also fit well as a supplement for most major city guidebooks. ( )