Located on El-Gabalaya Street, not far away from El-Andalus and El-Horreya, the grotto garden is also in the heart of the city and easily accessible. The park has something for every taste.
The garden was established by Khedive Ismail in 1867, but it wasn't until 1902 that it was opened to the public, the same year that the Giza Zoo was also made public.
As the name suggests, the underground grottos it is home to were originally filled with fish tanks, featuring a variety of species from the Nile and further afield. Today, the tanks are still there, but most are empty. Still, young children might enjoy a look at the remaining fish.
As well as the garden itself and the grotto, there's a small café overlooking a pond.
The garden hosts events regularly, including bazaars, concerts and yoga and meditation sessions.
Like the other Zamalek parks, a ticket is an affordable EGP 5.
The garden has appeared in Egyptian cinema a number of times, from Faten Hamama's Al-Qalb Leh Ahkam (“The Heart Has Its Reasons”) in 1956 to the 2008 movie Geneinet El-Asmak (“The Fish Garden”) which stars Amr Waked, and was named after the park.
The garden is home to a great collection of flowers and trees, some of which have labels giving more information about the species.
