Once the home and garden of a wealthy Swiss businessman, the Swiss Club was donated to the Swiss community of Egypt. Today, however, it is open to all for a small fee, although it tends to be an expat hangout. If the bustle of Cairo becomes too much to bear you can bring your family to this green oasis and enjoy reasonably priced good food and a relaxing atmosphere. Other activities include barbecues, car boot sales and bazaars.

The Swiss Club, Villa Pax, El Gihad Street (off Sudan Street), Kit Kat Square.
Tel : +20 2 314 2811
www.swiss-club-cairo.com

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The clue is in the name - it's a smoky jazz club! Sometimes playing jazz (not often), but usually with a band (of sorts) making music. It gets really packed on the weekends so don't even bother trying to order food even if you do manage to get yourselves a table, but it's quiet during the week and the food is worth it. To make sure that you can actually get in, it's usually best to phone beforehand, they can be a bit picky on the door.

Also, most taxi drivers won't know what you're talking about if you ask them to take you there so make sure you know how to get there yourself or take someone with you that does! All said and done, usually a sterling night out of debauchery and fabulousness.

197, 26th July Street, Agouza, Cairo.
Tel: 02 345 9939

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Latex is the name of the nightclub attached to the Nile Hilton Hotel, which, if you're into dance music and you're under forty, is the place to be at the weekends (Thursday and Friday nights being the equivalent to the British Friday and Saturday nights).

It can sometimes be quite difficult to get in and it's a bit pricey by Egyptian standards but if you look western and have a laydee in tow, you'll be alright! Men will find it harder than the women to get past the thick-necked bouncers but all told, they're a fairly placid bunch.

My personal advice is to drink the local lagers (Sakara is my favourite) instead of the imported spirits. They're much cheaper and do the same job.

1113 Corniche El Nil, Cairo
Tel: 20 2 5780444/5780666.

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Don’t expect to smash plates or dance the night away here. This is the spiritual home of Egypt’s liberal intelligentsia; a place where dissidents, writers, artists and western NGO workers put the world to rights over a feta salad and a bottle of ouzo.

First floor, above Groppi's tea-room, Talaat Harb Square, entrance on Sharia Bassiouni; Tel: +20 2 575 0822

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