Gezira Island

This large island in the Nile at the center of Cairo holds many of the city's cultural and recreational institutions, including the opera grounds, an art museum and the landmark tower at its southern tip. The affluent Zamalek neighborhood occupies the northern half, with tree-lined streets, galleries and cafes. Sporting clubs, gardens and riverside promenades fill much of the remaining land. Connected to both banks by several bridges, the island offers a greener, calmer counterpoint to the dense districts on either shore.